Senior Laboratory Research Scientist Pharmacologist
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Pay range
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Talent Acquisition Partner
Reports to: Pharmacology Expert, PLRS, Chemical Biology STP
Both roles are full-time fixed term positions on Crick terms and conditions of employment
About us
The Francis Crick Institute is Europe’s largest biomedical research institute under one roof. Our world‑class scientists and staff collaborate on vital research to help prevent, diagnose and treat illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, infectious diseases and neurodegenerative conditions.
The Crick is a place for collaboration, innovation and exploration across many disciplines. A space where the brightest minds can pursue big and bold ideas and discover answers to crucial scientific questions. We support them in a dynamic environment which fosters excellence with state‑of‑the‑art infrastructure, cutting‑edge facilities, and a creative and curious culture. We’ve removed traditional boundaries of departments, divisions and disciplines and instead have an open approach that supports every researcher. This gives us the freedom to take risks and carry out high‑quality, pioneering research. Creating a space for discovery without boundaries helps us to turn our science into benefits for human health and the economy.
About the role
We are looking for two Senior Laboratory Research Scientists to join the Chemical Biology Science Technology Platform at the Crick. The Chemical Biology STP collaborates with researchers at the Crick to apply chemistry to explore biological questions, working at the cutting edge of biomedical science in disciplines such as cancer, infectious disease, immunology, neurology, and developmental biology.
We are seeking a creative and driven molecular pharmacologist, with expertise in a range of in vitro assay technologies and their application in early drug discovery projects. As an SLRS, you will contribute to establishing state‑of‑the‑art screening approaches for the identification and optimisation of chemical modulators of protein targets. The role requires in‑depth knowledge of approaches to link the mechanism of probes or drugs to the treatment of disease.
This role presents the opportunity to build on the capabilities being built in the Chemical Biology STP, in collaboration with Screening and Automated Science and Structural Biology STPs, to influence translational science at the Crick. This will be pursued through lab‑based contributions as pharmacology/assay lead on early drug discovery teams, as well as the provision of pharmacology and drug discovery consultancy on nascent translational projects.
What you will be doing (Pharmacologist)
- Close collaboration with colleagues in aligned STPs (including SAS, Structural Biology, Proteomics, NMR) to continue to establish state‑of‑the‑art cross‑STP screening approaches for hit identification, validation and optimisation against novel targets.
- Proactive suggestions of suitable assay technologies that enable the selection of potential probes and therapeutics.
- Application of these approaches to Crick translational projects, advising on screening strategy for new targets and supporting the development of assays for compound screening.
- Contribution to interdisciplinary drug discovery teams as a molecular pharmacologist, taking accountability for the development of complex biological assays and the elucidation of mechanism of action.
- Scientific leadership as an assay area expert; staying abreast of the latest literature and developments in the field; and driving technology projects that optimise/modernise the current drug discovery process.
What you will be doing (Biochemical assay scientist)
- Development and optimisation of biochemical assays, utilising fluorescence, luminescence or absorbance technologies for compound screening.
- Ensuring routine biochemical compound screening is carried out to a high standard.
- Timely and thorough capture of all assay data in the ALT project Dotmatics ELN.
- Design and implementation of detailed mechanistic studies to characterise inhibitor mode of action.
- Contribute to establishment of MS‑based reactive fragment and NMR fragment screening pipelines at the Crick.
Job descriptions
In your application, please state which role you are interested in applying for.
See the full job description for SLRS pharmacologist
See the full job description for SLRS pharmacologist (ALT Project)
About you
You will have:
- PhD (or equivalent experience level) in a relevant discipline such as biochemistry, pharmacology or chemical biology.
- Experience of working in a drug discovery environment (in either academia or industry) for at least two years.
- A strong track record of developing and carrying out innovative assay solutions to address chemical biology or medicinal chemistry questions.
- Understanding of theoretical and practical enzymology and/or molecular pharmacology for the characterisation of recombinant targets, combined with a track record of high laboratory productivity.
- Experience and knowledge of in vitro biochemical assay technologies such as time resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer and fluorescence polarisation.
- Proficiency with a range of data analysis and visualisation tools, such as Graphpad Prism (or Origin, SigmaPlot, Grafit), Dotmatics, Spotfire, Dotmatics Vortex, or equivalent software.
About Working at the Crick
Our values
- We are bold. We make space for creative, dynamic and imaginative ideas and approaches. We’re not afraid to do things differently.
- We are open. We’re highly collaborative and interactive, and make sure our activities are visible to the outside world.
- We are collegial. We show respect for one another, work cooperatively and support the wider community.
At the Francis Crick Institute, we believe that diversity and inclusion are essential to driving innovation and scientific discovery. We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to succeed, regardless of their background, identity, or personal circumstances. We actively encourage applications from individuals of all genders, ethnicities, abilities, and experiences.
We are a Disability Confident: Committed employer and want to ensure that everyone can apply and be part of our recruitment processes and so we’ll make reasonable adjustments if you need them – just let us know when you apply. If you need assistance with applying (i.e., would like to apply by phone or post) please email: weronika.kucala@crick.ac.uk
What will you receive?
At the Francis Crick Institute, we value our team members and are proud to offer an extensive range of benefits to support their well‑being and development:
- Generous Leave: 28 days of annual leave, plus three additional days over Christmas and bank holidays.
- Pension Scheme: Defined contribution pension with employer contributions of up to 16%.
- 24/7 GP consultation services.
- Occupational health services and mental health support programmes.
- Eye care vouchers and discounted healthcare plans.
- Work‑Life Balance:
- Childcare support allowance.
- Annual leave purchase options.
- Crick Networks offering diverse groups’ support, community and inclusive social events.
- Discounted gym memberships, bike‑to‑work scheme, and shopping discounts.
- Subsidised on‑site restaurant and social spaces for team interaction.
Please note you must meet the essential criteria listed within the Role Profile, to have your application reviewed.
We reserve the right to withdraw this advert at any given time due to the number of applications received.
Seniority level
Not Applicable
Employment type
Contract
Job function
Research and Science
Industries
Pharmaceutical Manufacturing, Research Services, and Biotechnology Research
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