Senior Scientist

Job title: Senior Scientist (NGS/Next Generation Sequencing team)

Reports to: NGS Team Leader

Location: Manchester Science Park

Contract Type: Full-time, Permanent

Salary & Benefits: Competitive Salary + Benefits Package

About Yourgene Health:

Yourgene Health is a leading integrated technologies and services business, enabling the delivery of genomic medicine. The group works in partnership with global leaders in DNA technology to advance diagnostic science.

Yourgene primarily develops, manufactures, and commercialises simple and accurate molecular diagnostic solutions, for reproductive health, precision medicine and infectious diseases. The Group's flagship in vitro diagnostic products include non -invasive prenatal tests (NIPT) for Down's Syndrome and other genetic disorders, Cystic Fibrosis screening tests, invasive rapid aneuploidy tests and DPYD genotyping.

Yourgene has a range of innovative DNA sample preparation platforms, powered by Ranger® Technology, the Yourgene LightBench® and Yourgene QS250, ideal for cell free DNA applications in NIPT and oncology including liquid biopsy.

Yourgene also has a global laboratory service network equipped to be a full life-cycle partner for clinical, research and pharmaceutical organisations to support partners at the preclinical, clinical, and post market stage to develop, manufacture, obtain regulatory approval and commercialise new products and services. In addition, Yourgene offers and NIPT and high throughput Covid testing service.

Yourgene Health is headquartered in Manchester, UK with facilities in Taipei, Singapore, the US and Canada.

Our Culture:

Yourgene is a growing, vibrant and exciting place to work, we are looking for committed driven individuals to be part of our next growth journey. Our culture is described by our employee's as collegiate, friendly, professional, innovative, open and fast paced. We have nay social and well-being initiatives run by our Social Huddle that keep our sense of community alive during challenging times that the pandemic has thrown our way. At Yourgene we focus on putting values led programmes in place to ensure that we can attract, retain and develop our people. We want our people to have a career with Yourgene and we ensure that they are recognised and rewarded for their achievements and commitment, everyone plays a critical role in our growth journey.

Description of role:

Yourgene Health, part of Novacyt Group are recruiting for a Senior Scientist within our NGS/Next Generation Sequencing team based at Manchester Science Park. A significant opportunity exists for an enthusiastic, creative, and organized Senior Scientist to design, develop, verify and validate in vitro diagnostic products and services based on next generation sequencing platforms, as well as performing general laboratory maintenance activities.

Overall responsibility:

The individual will be a highly motivated, intellectually engaged, and dynamic team member able to work closely within a matrixed environment. The Senior Scientist will work closely with team members to maintain research operations by planning, execution, analysis, and documentation of experiments to the highest standard. Provide scientific expertise on development projects, ensuring experimental work is well planned and executed to a high quality in a timely fashion. Designs and develops in vitro diagnostic products and services for use in a range of applications. Technical staff also assist in the day-to-day operations. This role would be ideal for an individual looking to significantly develop their scientific knowledge & planning and leadership skills in an environment that will both challenge them and provide personal growth and development.

Key areas of responsibility:

• Being a creative, dynamic, and driven scientist with an eagerness to learn new techniques and to be actively involved with continuous improvement.
• Execute laboratory operations through the day-to-day planning, execution, analysis, and documentation of experiments to the highest standard with meticulous attention to detail.
• Contribute to the daily maintenance and running of the laboratory environments.
• Work collaboratively within teams to create high-quality products and processes meeting key user needs and to ensure a safe and efficient laboratory environment.
• Provides scientific expertise and technical leadership on projects, as well as planning tactical delivery in functional area.
• Contribute to overall project planning and reporting as well as leading planning and reporting of defined project work-packages.
• Lead and participate in activities requiring cross functional collaboration, including leading complex projects.
• Support the resource planning activities of Team Leaders and Project Leaders.
• Create, maintain and improve of laboratory SOPs, as well as systems and process SOPs
• Lead troubleshooting activities when technical issues arise.
• Ensure planning and reporting of studies and work-packages is accurate and detailed.
• Ensuring the quality and regulatory requirements of the role including compliance to SOPs, documentation using electronic lab books, study plans, study reports and integrity of data are met by themselves and the wider team.
• Excellent organisational skills involved with the management of their own time, working within a team, and the ability to respond to rapidly adjusting situations effectively.
• Becoming knowledge experts for specific development workflows applications, and diagnostic systems.
• Perform vital laboratory maintenance tasks alongside the wider team including, equipment usage, purchasing, and stock control tasks to ensure the ongoing and continued functioning of the laboratory environment.
• Contribute to departmental goals and continuous improvement, potentially aiding in the coordination of improvement initiatives.
• Supports the identification of commercially and technically useful solutions for development.
• Support and provide guidance to junior staff

Qualifications, Skills and Abilities:

• Degree or further degree (or equivalent) in a life science such as molecular biology, biochemistry or genetics
• Typically, 5+ years of relevant experience
• Experience in the development, verification and validation of molecular diagnostic assays using NGS technologies in adherence with CE marking and/or design control regulations
• Hands on experience with at least two molecular biology-based assays and techniques
• Excellent grasp of experimental design and execution and able to lead and train others.
• Enthusiasm, drive, thoroughness, diligence and a willingness to take personal responsibility to ensure that projects are successful
• Strong data analysis and interpretation skills.
• Ability to think analytically and troubleshoot.
• Experience with laboratory processes including, processing biological samples, DNA /RNA extraction, library preparation, and Next generation Sequencing.
• Understanding and experience of multiple NGS platforms including long and short read sequencing technologies
• Understanding of sequencing metrics and data analysis.
• Meticulous scientific technique and attention to detail.
• Demonstrate accountability.
• Able to communicate effectively.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Good organisational skills and enjoys working to tight timelines.
• Good written and verbal communication skills and ability to document and present work in a clear, consistent, and concise manner.
• Flexible attitude to work.
• Demonstrable planning and problem solving skills.

Closing Date:

Sunday 3rd November, 2024

Yourgene Health is committed to encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion among our workforce. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative of all sections of society and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best.