Senior Assay Development Scientist / Consultant

Senior Assay Development Scientist / Consultant

Cambridge | Permanent, Contract, Interim or Consultancy

The information below covers the role requirements, expected candidate experience, and accompanying qualifications.

We're supporting a well-funded biotech platform company developing a novel sequencing-based assay at the intersection of:

• RNA biology
• Nucleic acid chemistry
• Selection technologies
• NGS readouts
• Quantitative assay development

This is a role for someone who enjoys digging into complex workflows and understanding exactly where signal is generated, amplified, distorted, or lost.

You'll be helping evaluate and strengthen a highly complex assay by:

• Identifying sources of bias and variability
• Understanding assay robustness and reproducibility
• Designing controls, standards and spike-ins
• Investigating PCR, sequencing and sampling effects
• Assessing enrichment and selection-based readouts
• Determining whether the final output truly reflects the underlying biology

Ideal Background

You'll likely bring experience in several of the following:

• Quantitative assay development
• RNA handling and RNA-based workflows
• NGS and sequencing-based assays
• Selection or screening platforms
• Nucleic acid chemistry
• Assay characterisation and validation
• Library-based experiments
• Primer, probe and RT assay design
• Controls, calibrants and reference standards
• PCR bias, normalisation and enrichment analysis

The Person

We're looking for someone who:

• Can challenge assumptions with data
• Thinks independently
• Enjoys troubleshooting difficult scientific problems
• Has taken methods from proof-of-concept through to robust, reproducible workflows
• Is comfortable providing clear technical recommendations

Flexible Engagement

The team is open-minded on structure and would consider:

• Permanent hires
• Contract scientists
• Independent consultants
• Technical audits
• Longer-term collaborations