Principal Scientist - Functional Genomics

Relation is an end-to-end biotech developing transformational medicines, with technology at our core. Our ambition is to understand human biology in unprecedented ways, discovering therapies to treat some of life’s most devastating diseases. We leverage single-cell multi-omics directly from patient tissue, functional assays, and machine learning to drive disease understanding, from cause to cure.

This year, we’ve embarked on an exciting double collaboration with GSK to tackle fibrosis and osteoarthritis, alongside advancing our own internal osteoporosis programme. By combining our cutting-edge ML capabilities with their deep expertise in drug discovery, this partnership underscores our commitment to pioneering science and delivering impactful therapies to patients.

We are rapidly scaling our technology and discovery teams, offering a unique opportunity to join one of the most innovative TechBio companies. Be part of our dynamic, interdisciplinary teams, collaborating closely to redefine the boundaries of possibility in drug discovery. Our state-of-the-art wet and dry laboratories, located in the heart of London, provide an exceptional environment to foster interdisciplinarity and turn groundbreaking ideas into positive impact for patients.

We are committed to building diverse and inclusive teams. Relation is an equal opportunities employer and does not discriminate on the grounds of gender, sexual orientation, marital or civil partner status, gender reassignment, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, disability, or age. We cultivate innovation through collaboration, empowering every team member to do their best work and develop to their highest potential.

By joining Relation, you will be part of an exceptionally talented team, with extraordinary leverage to advance the field of drug discovery. Your work will shape our culture, strategic direction, and, most importantly, impact patients’ lives.

Relation has an excellent opportunity for a Principal Scientist to join an interdisciplinary, highly collaborative team of experimental and computational drug discovery researchers in our newly built state-of-the-art functional genomics lab in London.

Large-scale genetic studies, including genome-wide association studies (GWAS), have identified thousands of variants and loci associated with complex diseases. However, the vast majority of these loci lie in non-coding regions of the genome with unknown function, making it challenging to draw disease insights. At Relation, we generate proprietary large-scale datasets to accelerate the prediction of disease genes from these loci using state-of-the-art machine learning methods. We identify the key effector genes, cells, and pathways involved in disease pathophysiology to build disease-relevant assays and validate ML platform predictions, identifying candidate targets for further validation.

Your Responsibilities:

• Contribute intellectually and experimentally to the design and execution of large-scale molecular genetic experiments, including cell model characterisation, assay optimisation, and high-throughput screening.
• Develop, optimise, and implement functional assays to investigate gene function in disease-relevant contexts, with a focus on endothelial and fibroblast biology.
• Work closely with data scientists to develop robust data analysis pipelines.
• Contribute to the biological interpretation of screen hits and drive target validation efforts.
• Stay abreast of new gene-editing technologies and methodologies.
• Support laboratory operations in a start-up environment, contributing to shared responsibilities such as tissue culture maintenance and equipment upkeep.

Professionally, you have:

• A PhD with at least eight years of experience and an outstanding track record in academia, biotech, or pharma.
• Hands-on experience in characterising and developing high-throughput functional screening assays for a variety of primary cells, including endothelial cells (e.g. EndoMT, tube formation/angiogenesis, permeability assays).
• At least four years of hands-on experience leading the generation of large-scale, high-quality screening data in an arrayed format, incorporating liquid handling or automation where relevant.
• At least two years of hands-on research experience applying the latest CRISPR/Cas genome-editing techniques, including nucleofection and/or lentiviral transductions.
• A proven ability to deliver within tight timelines.

Desirable:

• Experience with high-content imaging-based high-throughput screens and/or FACS-based pooled screens.
• Experience with siRNA, antisense oligonucleotides (ASO), and other interventions for high-throughput screening.
• Experience of interdisciplinary team working, particularly with computational scientists.
• Broad expertise in molecular biology, including molecular cloning and cell line engineering.

Personally, you have:

• A willingness to operate within a start-up environment, including delivering to tight timelines, adapting to changing priorities, and supporting laboratory operations.
• Excellent attention to detail, alongside strong analytical and critical thinking skills.
• The ability to build effective working relationships and work collaboratively within a team.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with scientists from multiple disciplines.
• An inquisitive nature, with a self-motivated approach and a desire to learn.
• A passion for working in a fast-paced, data-driven environment.

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a company that is redefining how we understand genetics and disease risk. Your contributions will directly impact the development of transformative medicines for patients. Together, we’re not just conducting research—we’re setting new standards in machine learning and genetics. The patient is waiting.