Research Scientist

Responsibilities will include

• Preparing DNA and RNA sequencing libraries using established and novel chemistries.
• Developing, optimising and troubleshooting molecular biology protocols, including nanopore sequencing workflows.
• Planning and independently delivering research projects from experimental design through to data generation and evaluation within an agile research environment.
• Performing preliminary data analysis and visualisation using appropriate bioinformatics tools.
• Maintaining clear experimental records and producing high-quality protocols, technical reports and project updates.
• Collaborating effectively with multiple teams across Oxford Nanopore.
• Providing technical guidance and mentorship to junior colleagues and interns.
• Staying up to date with developments in sequencing technology, molecular biology and RNA research.

What We're Looking For...

Essential skills and experience

• PhD, or equivalent research experience, in RNA biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, chemical biology or a related discipline.
• Proven background in RNA molecular biology, including RNA purification, enzymatic manipulation and integrity assessment.
• Strong understanding of RNA stability, degradation, secondary structure and enzymology.
• Demonstrated ability to independently design, optimise and troubleshoot complex experiments.
• Familiarity or willingness to develop proficiency in Python, Bash or command-line bioinformatics tools.

Desirable skills and experience

• Experience with long-read transcriptomics, ideally Oxford Nanopore direct-RNA sequencing.
• Experience working with synthetic, chemically modified or therapeutic RNA molecules, including an understanding of RNA modification and end chemistry.
• Experience developing RNA manipulation, capture or library-preparation methods, and/or studying RNA structure or interactions.
• Familiarity with computational tools for bioinformatics analyses and data visualization.
• Knowledge of functional genomics, including nucleotide modifications and genome regulation.