Senior Laboratory Research Scientist

About us…  

The Francis Crick Institute is Europe’s largest biomedical research institute under one roof. Our world-class scientists and staff collaborate on vital research to help prevent, diagnose and treat illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, infectious diseases and neurodegenerative conditions. 

To learn more about the Crick, click here.

About the role… 

Over the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Crick developed a range of COVID-19 research platforms, including a unique high throughput live virus assay platform to quantify neutralising antibody activity against a range of SARS-CoV-2 variants in thousands of samples simultaneously. The Crick’s COVID Surveillance Unit (CSU) was created in 2021 to run and improve upon this high-throughput live-virus assay pipeline. 

We are seeking to appoint a talented, collaborative, and self-motivated scientist to fill an on-site laboratory position within the CSU team. The team is responsible for the day to day running of a microneutralisation assay pipeline and you will either be capable of, or be willing to learn, all aspects of the pipeline to contribute to a dynamic and fluid team. You will need to horizon scan in the development of future assay platforms by interacting with Crick and external researchers and maintaining up to date knowledge of high-throughput technologies, virological and immunological techniques and advances.

What you will be doing… 

As an SLRS at the Crick, you will be: 

• Ensuring the smooth operation of the neutralisation assay pipeline by conducting assays to the highest standards, liaising with all interested parties and team members ensuring clear communication.  
• Managing workflows and ensuring neutralisation data is generated in a timely manner agreed with end users. The team must be adaptable and flexible in order to quickly adjust ongoing scheduled work to accommodate the unexpected.  
• Providing experimental or technical support/assistance to other team members, and provide expertise feedback/input for the development, refinement, and troubleshooting of existing and novel methodologies.  
• Isolation, propagation and genetic/molecular characterisation of newly emerging and reference SARS-CoV-2 and seasonal influenza viruses  

About you…  

The essential criteria you will bring… 

• PhD or equivalent qualification/experience in virology, immunology, or high throughput methodologies  
• Extensive direct experience in cell-based assays, tissue culture, and immunofluorescence-staining techniques  
• Previous experience in working with respiratory viruses, pseudoviruses, and RG viruses  
• Previous experience in working with immunoassays  

To see the complete job description, click here. 

To learn more about team click here. 

About Working at the Crick… 

Our values  

• We are bold. We make space for creative, dynamic and imaginative ideas and approaches.
• We are open. We’re highly collaborative and interactive.
• We are collegial. We show respect for one another, work cooperatively and support the wider community. 

At the Crick we believe that diversity and inclusion are essential to driving innovation and scientific discovery.

We are a Disability Confident employer. Please contact people@crick.ac.uk for assistance.

Read more about our EDI approach here.  

What will you receive?  

We value our team members and offer an extensive range of benefits to support their well-being and development. You can find out more here.

To apply, please click on the ‘Apply’ button above.

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