Laboratory Manager - Plant Biology Institute Plant Biology Institute Oxford, England, United Kingdom

Join us at EIT: At the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT), we’re on a mission to translate scientific discovery into real world impact. We bring together visionary scientists, technologists, engineers, researchers, educators and innovators to tackle humanity’s greatest challenges in four transformative areas: Health, Medical Science & Generative Biology, Food Security & Sustainable Agriculture, Climate Change & Managing CO₂, Artificial Intelligence & Robotics. This is ambitious work - work that demands curiosity, courage, and a relentless drive to make a difference. At EIT, you’ll join a community built on excellence, innovation, tenacity, trust, and collaboration, where bold ideas become real-world breakthroughs. Together, we push boundaries, embrace complexity, and create solutions to scale ideas from lab to society. Explore more at www.eit.org.

Welcome to the Plant Biology Institute: The Plant Biology Institute, headed by Professor Steve Kelly, is a key part of the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT) Oxford. The institute aims to develop impactful and commercially sustainable solutions for improving global food production and planetary health through pioneering plant science research. The Plant Biology Institute will unite world-class researchers who are focused on expanding the frontiers of plant science. Our research is focused on enhancing our ability to feed the planet while simultaneously improving the climate and ecosystem outcomes of food production. By embedding cutting‑edge plant science research within an organisation that is focused on solving global challenges at scale, we aim to accelerate the timeline from discovery to global impact.

Areas of exploration include:

• Improved plant productivity, both indoors and outside.
• Reduced reliance on inputs including water, fertilisers, pesticides, and herbicides.
• Novel decarbonised plant‑based production platforms for food and medicines.
• Advanced technologies that speed up discovery and deployment in plants.

Researchers will have access to state‑of‑the‑art laboratory and plant growth facilities and have opportunities to collaborate with experts at the forefront of research on AI, automation, and generative biology across the EIT ecosystem. They will also work with global leaders in market development, commercialisation, and impact creation. The Plant Biology Institute has long‑term substantial funding to support the unique scale and ambition of its vision.

Your Role: The Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT) is seeking a highly organised and experienced Laboratory Manager to oversee the day‑to‑day running of one of the laboratories within the Plant Biology Institute (PBI). Reporting to and working closely with the Head of Lab Management, this role is responsible for ensuring that the laboratory operates safely, effectively, and in alignment with the overarching strategic direction set for laboratory operations across PBI. The Laboratory Manager will support the Head of Lab Management in the development and continuous improvement of laboratory processes, and will lead on the implementation of agreed systems, standards, and operational initiatives within their designated lab. They will ensure compliance with safety, regulatory, and quality requirements; coordinate equipment maintenance and resource allocation; optimise workflows; and maintain audit readiness. Acting as a key operational lead within the lab, the postholder will provide a clear and structured channel of communication to the Head of Lab Management, proactively identifying risks, operational challenges, and opportunities for improvement. This includes escalating issues related to workflows, safety, compliance, or resourcing as appropriate. Through effective coordination with scientific staff, facilities, procurement, and other stakeholders, the Laboratory Manager will play a vital role in enabling high‑quality research delivery, operational resilience, and a collaborative, well‑managed laboratory environment.

Your Responsibilities:

• Facility Management and Team Leadership: Oversee daily facilities of the laboratories, ensuring efficient workflow and adherence to quality standards. Recruit and manage a team of laboratory technicians including training, and mentoring team members to ensure optimal performance and professional development. Work with laboratory technicians and the technical procurement specialist to ensure the laboratory is properly maintained and organised, with all equipment, consumables, and reagents available for research projects. Manage laboratory facilities, including cleanliness, space optimisation, and ensuring that all equipment and instruments are operational.
• Operational Support: Develop and implement Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for relevant laboratory processes, ensuring consistency and compliance with quality standards. Maintain library of up‑to‑date COSHH forms and risk assessments for all relevant substances within the laboratory and ensure regular monitoring, review, and updating as necessary. Troubleshoot technical and operational issues in workflows and provide solutions to prevent delays in project timelines. Manage access/use of equipment including establishment of appropriate training procedures for new users. Optimise laboratory space and equipment usage to support the work of a rapidly growing research team while maintaining flexibility for diverse research projects. Implement and enforce laboratory safety procedures, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, such as GM licence requirements, GLP, ISO, and other relevant standards. Manage, maintain and ensure all training records for all relevant equipment and safety courses are up to date. Deliver safe use training on high specification communal equipment for users e.g. ultracentrifuges, biological safety cabinets. Provide a first line response to troubleshoot equipment problems.
• Inventory and Supply Chain Management: Working alongside the technical procurement specialist, laboratory technicians and relevant finance departments, manage inventory levels for laboratory consumables, reagents, and critical supplies, ensuring uninterrupted operations. Track and maintain proper documentation of inventory and ensure the timely ordering of supplies to avoid stockouts or delays. Maintain a system for tracking the usage, storage, and disposal of hazardous materials, ensuring safety and regulatory compliance. To coordinate significant equipment purchases.
• Quality Assurance and Compliance: Oversee compliance with relevant safety, regulatory, and quality standards (e.g., GLP and ISO regulations) in all aspects of laboratory operations including GMO assurance and compliance working with Health and Safety experts. Implement and maintain quality control (QC) processes for relevant processing workflows, ensuring high accuracy and reproducibility of results. Participate in internal and external audits and inspections, ensuring the lab meets all compliance requirements. Ensure proper documentation of processes, workflows, and sample handling procedures in accordance with regulatory requirements.

Essential Skills, Qualifications & Experience:

• Educated to a minimum of BSc up to PhD in a relevant field.
• Extensive laboratory experience complemented by demonstrated success in managing or supervising teams.
• Strong background in Plant Sciences, with familiarity with the requirements of molecular biology techniques, cell culture, Plant growth.
• Familiarity with laboratory safety protocols, regulatory requirements, and quality management systems (e.g., GLP, ISO).
• Experience managing laboratory operations, including planning, coordinating, and supervising workflows.
• Knowledge of plant growth systems, tissue culture, propagation techniques, and associated laboratory equipment.
• Experience developing, implementing, and monitoring standard operating procedures (SOPs) and compliance with health, safety, and regulatory requirements.

Our Benefits:

• Salary dependent on experience + travel allowance + bonus
• Enhanced holiday + options to buy additional days
• Pension
• Life Assurance
• Income Protection
• Private Medical Insurance
• Hospital Cash Plan
• Therapy Services
• Perk Box
• Electric Car Scheme
• Childcare benefit

Working Together – What It Involves: You must have the right to work permanently in the UK with a willingness to travel as necessary. In certain cases, we can consider sponsorship, and this will be assessed on a case‑by‑case basis. You will live in, or within easy commuting distance of, Oxford (or be willing to relocate).