We are looking for a skilled, hands-on chemistry lab technician to join our multi-disciplinary team in our mission to harness the potential of unculturable microbes.
Role
As a compound discovery technician, you will work across our Screening and Analytical Chemistry teams to support our vision to discover solutions to global issues, including the discovery of new antibiotics against drug-resistant bacteria and fungicides to address global food security. This interdisciplinary role would involve working closely with natural product chemists, data scientists, microbiologists and synthetic biologists. We welcome candidates who are keen to apply their chemistry background to solving real-world biological problems.
Teams
Our Screening team conducts the bioassay screening of our microbial libraries against pathogens that have impact across healthcare and agriculture. They work closely with our Analytical Chemistry team to facilitate the bioactivity-driven identification, purification and structural characterisation of novel antimicrobial compounds. As compound discovery technician you will work across both teams to support the compound identification and purification pipelines.
At Bactobio we use state-of-the-art data collection methods and a range of innovative bioinformatic approaches to unlock the potential of previously unexplored microbes. So far, we have cultured more than 3,000 diverse species and we continue to grow our unique library and increase our microbial capture rates using metagenomics and machine learning. We apply liquid-handling robotics and design of experiment methods to efficiently explore this novel genetic and chemical space and exploit it for antimicrobial discovery.
The compound discovery platform is supported by a dedicated analytical chemistry suite, encompassing flash-column chromatography, analytical and preparative HPLC systems, QToF LCMS and access to 800 MHz NMR spectroscopy facilities.
Your responsibilities will include:
Supporting the Screening and Analytical Chemistry teams in the extraction of microbial samples
Supporting compound separation by HPLC
LCMS sample preparation and data collection
Meticulous data recording, sample tracking and upload
Maintenance and upkeep of the analytical chemistry laboratory and equipment
Ownership of project(s) and upskilling in various areas of the Bactobio pipeline
You should have:
A Master’s degree or above in Chemistry or Biochemistry
Experience preparing extracts from biological samples
Experience with chromatography methods, including HPLC and LCMS
Interest in biotechnology and enthusiasm for scientific discovery
Ability to work independently as well as within a team
It would be great if you have:
Experience working in industry
Experience working with microbiological samples
Experience with NMR and structural characterisation
Benefits:
Competitive compensation
25 days holiday + bank holidays
Pension plan
Paid maternity leave (12 weeks) and paternity/new parent leave (6 weeks)
Up to 2 months of fully paid sick leave
Brand new, modern labs in Central London with dedicated office space, large balconies and 360’ views of the London skyline
The chance to be part of a fun, multicultural, kind, and ambitious crowd that are impact-driven
Daily access to academic leaders, business leaders, and unicorn founders
Flexible start and finish times within the company’s core hours (10-4 pm) to fit your preferences
Diverse team of colleagues (check out our website to meet us)
Weekly team activities including board games, sports activities, and socials on Fridays
Complimentary snacks, fruits, tea, coffee, soft drinks,...
Access to 1000s of training courses through Udemy & Codeacademy, with an allowance for both personal development and work-related training
Bike2Work scheme
Employee Assistance Programme offering structured counselling, life and career coaching, legal and financial advise
