Scientist / Senior Scientist in Cambridge

Our team is looking for a highly motivated, intellectually curious Scientist / Senior Scientist to join our Central Research team in 2026. We are seeking candidates for our Cambridge, UK research lab with passion across molecular biology, pooled library design and construction, next-generation sequencing, antibody engineering, and, most importantly, having an impact in the lives of people living with disease.

Divergence Labs is a frontier biotechnology research lab on a mission to reshape standard of care across all disease areas. Founded in 2025 by an interdisciplinary team of biotechnology investors, drug hunters, hardware engineers, and machine learning scientists, we have assembled a high-performance team that unites investment acumen, world-class protein engineering, advanced computational research, and translational medicine to build repeatable methods for discovering new medicines which transform patient care.

The role of Central Research is to maximize Divergence's probability of designing and selecting exceptional therapeutic molecules: the "last movers" in any category. The group operates at the intersection of molecular biology, data science, and machine learning, collaborating closely to generate and analyse millions of disease-relevant datapoints. Our ideal candidate is an experienced molecular biologist who thrives in a small, integrated team and wants meaningful ownership over a defined slice of a high-performance discovery platform.

The remit spans two connected areas:

• Upstream of the screen: designing and constructing pooled DNA libraries (antibody and protein variants), including barcode architecture, and preparing high-diversity preparations for delivery to the screening team.
• Downstream characterization: sample preparation for next-generation sequencing, pre-sort genomic extraction, sample handling, indexed library preparation, and antibody screening and analysis.

As a Scientist / Senior Scientist, you will play a major role in our interdisciplinary team to execute and improve our drug discovery workflow. This is a crucial role within Divergence, where you will have the opportunity to:

• Lead end-to-end design and construction of pooled antibody and protein-variant libraries that fuel one of the highest-throughput biologics discovery platforms in biotech.
• Collaborate with Engineering to convert library and sample-preparation workflows into ultra-high-throughput format, enabling exploration of hundreds of thousands to millions of molecular designs.
• Establish and refine infrastructure for library quality control, sample tracking, and lot-to-lot traceability.
• Partner with Machine Learning to extract insights from the data you generate and automate your workflows.
• Gain true end-to-end visibility across the drug discovery and development continuum.
• Contribute to our high-performing, collegial culture as a valued member of the team.

Responsibilities:

• Design Pooled Libraries: Make architecture choices, including design, barcode placement, complexity targets, which propagate into downstream work (e.g., version-controlled designs, lot-to-lot traceability).
• Build and Quality Control Libraries: Construct libraries using Gibson assembly, restriction-enzyme cloning, and synthetic DNA assembly. Validate quality via deep sequencing, complexity assessment, and evenness metrics before delivery to Engineering.
• Prepare Antibodies and Run Biophysical Analysis: Perform HTP mAb preparations from mammalian cell culture using AKTA systems and characterize material via thermostability, aggregation, and monodispersity assays.
• Partner Across Domains: Work alongside the existing Cambridge cell and molecular biology group on shared protocols and reagent management, with Engineering on screen design and in-process troubleshooting, and with Informatics on new analysis features and platform requirements.
• Embody Good Lab Citizenship: Maintain lab cleanliness and organisation, comply with local SOPs and health-and-safety / risk-assessment requirements, and keep detailed ELN records.

Required Skills & Experience:

We are open to the best candidates possible, regardless of the scientific journey you have taken. However, we believe candidates will likely have followed one of two career paths before joining Divergence Labs:

• Path A: PhD in molecular biology, biochemistry, protein engineering, or a related discipline, plus 2+ years of relevant post-PhD experience in industry or industry-style academic settings.
• Path B: MSc or BSc in a related discipline, plus 5+ years of relevant industry experience.

Regardless of experience all candidates must have demonstrated:

• Direct experience with pooled library design, construction into target plasmids, high-diversity cloning, and diversity assessment.
• Hands-on experience with synthetic DNA design, Gibson and restriction-enzyme cloning, barcode incorporation, and library complexity / coverage management.
• Practical experience preparing samples for Illumina sequencing (amplicon library prep, indexed library construction, dual-indexing strategies), with familiarity or comfort coming up to speed on long-read platforms (e.g., PacBio, Nanopore).
• Routine handling of mammalian cell lines (HEK293, CHO, or similar) and bacterial cultures for cloning and library propagation; comfort with cell-line engineering workflows.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills appropriate for a small, integrated team where cross-domain conversation happens daily.

Additional Experience:

Not required, but candidates with one or more of the following will be at an advantage:

• Prior antibody discovery experience in biotech or pharma, including experience with multi-specifics, single-chain antibody libraries, deep mutational scanning, or related pooled formats.
• Cell-line engineering with site-specific integration systems.
• 10x Genomics or other single-cell or pooled-screen sample preparation workflows.
• Workflow tooling: Snakemake, Nextflow, or similar pipeline managers; version-control practices for analysis code; reproducible analysis workflows.
• Antibody developability assays (Tm, Tagg, DSF) or binding assays (FRET, HTRF, surface-based methods).

Cultural Profile:

At Divergence Labs, our culture is built on a foundation of intellectual honesty, independence of thought, and a relentless commitment to excellence. We believe in fostering a collaborative environment where every team member feels empowered to contribute and grow. We are looking for individuals who embody the following characteristics and can fit in with a high-performing team of drug hunters, engineers, and machine learning researchers:

• Intellectual Honesty: We value candid and open discussion. Our team admits when wrong, advocates when right, and never shies away from constructive feedback.
• Bias for Action: We take initiative and ownership of our work, actively seeking out new ideas, and taking well-researched and smart risks.
• Team First Attitude: We win as a team and lose as a team. There are "no egos" at Divergence Labs, and we understand great ideas can come from anywhere.
• Independence of Thought: We think critically and challenge assumptions. When it suits us, we develop hypotheses that may run counter to consensus, "zigging while others are zagging."
• Resilience: Drug development is a tough sport. We persevere in the face of challenge.
• Embrace the Unfamiliar: We are humbled and excited by how much there is left to learn.

Next Steps:

Interested candidates can reach out to with their resume and two to three sentences expressing their interest. Divergence Labs is an equal-opportunity employer. We are committed to building a team that reflects a wide range of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences.