Scientist, Advanced Genome Technologies - Plant Biology Institute

Join us at EIT:

At the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT), we’re on a mission to translate scientific discovery into real world impact. We bring together visionary scientists, technologists, engineers, researchers, educators and innovators to tackle humanity’s greatest challenges in four transformative areas:

• Health, Medical Science & Generative Biology
• Food Security & Sustainable Agriculture
• Climate Change & Managing CO₂
• Artificial Intelligence & Robotics

This is ambitious work - work that demands curiosity, courage, and a relentless drive to make a difference. At EIT, you’ll join a community built on excellence, innovation, tenacity, trust, and collaboration, where bold ideas become real-world breakthroughs. Together, we push boundaries, embrace complexity, and create solutions to scale ideas from lab to society. Explore more at www.eit.org.

Welcome to the Plant Biology Institute:

The Plant Biology Institute, headed by Professor Steve Kelly, is a key part of the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT) Oxford. The institute aims to develop impactful and commercially sustainable solutions for improving global food production and planetary health through pioneering plant science research.

The Plant Biology Institute will unite world-class researchers who are focused on expanding the frontiers of plant science. Our research is focused on enhancing our ability to feed the planet while simultaneously improving the climate and ecosystem outcomes of food production. By embedding cutting-edge plant science research within an organisation that is focused on solving global challenges at scale, we aim to accelerate the timeline from discovery to global impact.

Areas of exploration include:

• Improved plant productivity, both indoors and outside.
• Reduced reliance on inputs including water, fertilisers, pesticides, and herbicides.
• Novel decarbonised plant-based production platforms for food and medicines.
• Advanced technologies that speed up discovery and deployment in plants. 

Researchers will have access to state-of-the-art laboratory and plant growth facilities and have opportunities to collaborate with experts at the forefront of research on AI, automation, and generative biology across the EIT ecosystem. They will also work with global leaders in market development, commercialisation, and impact creation. The Plant Biology Institute has long-term substantial funding to support the unique scale and ambition of its vision.

 

Your Role:

EIT is seeking a highly motivated and skilled Scientist (all levels) in Advanced Genome Technologies to be part of a transformative research programme at the forefront of plant biotechnology. The successful candidate will design and conduct experiments aligned with stage-gated milestones in our advanced genome technologies and/or next-generation plant transformation programme. They will work at the cutting edge of plant biotechnology, developing new and enhanced methods for genetic manipulation, plant regeneration, and DNA/RNA delivery to plants that enable a step change in our technological ability to engineer plants. 

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in cutting edge genomic technologies, and/or next-generation plant transformation, an intrinsic motivation to translate their research into commercial solutions for real-life impact, and be a creative problem solver, ready to be part of a rapidly scaling team. 

The Scientist will be expected to contribute to publications and IP generation and play an active role in translating research into real-world and commercial solutions aligned with EIT’s mission of humane technological advancement. This role offers a unique opportunity to conduct high-impact research at the forefront of plant science while collaborating across multidisciplinary teams to drive innovation from lab to global impact.

Your Responsibilities:

• Drive rigorous experimental design, execution, and data interpretations, ensuring robust and reproducible scientific outcomes.
• Deliver research progress through stage gated milestones.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to incorporate cutting edge research techniques into experiments.
• Present scientific work at seminars within EIT and at external meetings, including contributing to laboratory-wide discussions on developments within the field.
• Assist in mentoring other members of the research group where appropriate.
• Collaborate with experts across the EIT ecosystem, e.g. at the forefront of research on AI, automation, and generative biology. 
• Assist in the translation of scientific results into commercial opportunities consistent with the EIT humane endeavours.
• Recognise and act on opportunities for the creation of IP and cooperating in patent protection and in impact delivery.
• Conduct research ethically, in compliance with EIT policy, regulatory guidance and best scientific practice.

Essential Skills, Qualifications & Experience:

• Completed Ph.D. in molecular biology, biochemistry or other relevant discipline.
• Deep expertise and insight into cellular, molecular and synthetic biology that extends into the biochemistry and physics of molecular interactions.
• Significant experience in plant molecular biology and/or plant-microbe interactions is anticipated, though excellent candidates from other relevant backgrounds will also be considered.
• The aptitude to rapidly test diverse and ambitious new hypotheses while retaining the flexibility to recognize and pivot away from ideas that fail to show promise.

 

Desirable Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

• Elucidation and engineering of protein:protein and protein:nucleic acid interactions

o   e.g. receptor ligand systems such as NLR R-genes, pathogen effectors and microbial secretion systems, cytoskeleton assembly and mechanics, virus/phage capsid assembly, toxin biochemistry, vesicle and membrane trafficking, manipulation of molecular motors and pumps and/or the alteration of meiotic/mitotic machinery and behavior.

• Gene editing and genome engineering beyond the production of single or multiplexed edits

o   e.g. protein engineering of editors, genomic integration of large (multiple kb) DNA sequences, creation/delivery of artificial chromosomes and/or novel delivery of nucleic acids to plant and other cells.

• Creation of novel biological features and functions through synthetic biology with a focus on unique and impactful approaches to improving plant transformation (including through use of automation and high-throughput screening methodologies).

Our Benefits:

• Salary dependent on experience + travel allowance + bonus

• Enhanced holiday. Our annual leave allowance is 25 days plus 8 bank holidays and an additional 3 days between Christmas and New Year. You will also have the opportunity to purchase an additional 5 days annual leave in January and July.
• Pension - Employer contribution 7.5%, minimum employee contribution 5%
• Life Assurance
• Income Protection
• Private Medical Insurance as standard for you, your partner and any dependents. Including hospital Cash Plan
• Employee discounts
• Electric car scheme
• Nursery Salary Sacrifice scheme
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Family Planning
• Neurodiversity support including advise and assessments
• Coaching & Therapy services

 

Working Together – What It Involves:

During peak periods, some longer hours may be required and some working across multiple time zones due to the global nature of the programme.