At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the development of high-throughput plant transformation pipelines for sustainable agriculture.
- Company: Join the innovative Plant Biology Institute at EIT, tackling global food challenges.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, enhanced holiday, private medical insurance, and professional development opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on global food production and climate health through cutting-edge research.
- Qualifications: Master's or PhD in Plant Biology with hands-on experience in crop transformation.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with state-of-the-art facilities and opportunities for career growth.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
Join us at the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT), where we are 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; Artificial Intelligence & Robotics.
Welcome to the Plant Biology Institute, headed by Professor Steve Kelly. The institute aims to develop impactful and commercially sustainable solutions for improving global food production and planetary health through pioneering plant science research. Our research focuses on enhancing our ability to feed the planet while simultaneously improving the climate and ecosystem outcomes of food production.
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
Your Role: We are seeking a highly motivated and skilled Crop Transformation Pipeline Manager at the Plant Biology Institute. The candidate will build and scale a high-throughput Plant Transformation Pipeline focused on reliable, genotype-flexible, and industrially scalable delivery of transgenic and gene-edited plants. This role will establish and optimise transformation workflows, drive throughput improvements, and ensure reproducibility across multiple crop systems.
Your Responsibilities include:
- Establishing high-throughput transformation pipelines with defined KPIs (efficiency, regeneration rate, cycle time, no. of quality events)
- Designing, implementing, and optimising end-to-end plant transformation workflows (Agrobacterium-mediated, biolistic, CRISPR delivery, etc.)
- Leading and mentoring Research Associates and Senior Research Associates
- Standardising tissue culture, regeneration, and selection protocols across genotypes
- Integrating automation, digital tracking, and quality control systems in the pipeline
- Collaborating closely with other research groups to implement technologies to boost pipeline efficiency
- Driving continuous improvement, process optimisation, and scalability
- Contributing to strategic planning for the pipeline initiatives
- Collaborating with cross-functional teams to incorporate cutting-edge research techniques into experiments
- Presenting scientific work at seminars within the lab and at external meetings
- Assisting in mentoring graduate students and other members of the research group
- Collaborating with experts at the forefront of research on AI, automation, and generative biology
- Assisting in the translation of scientific results into commercial opportunities
- Recognising opportunities for the creation of IP and cooperating in patent protection and impact delivery
The successful candidate will have a strong background in large-scale crop transformation in an industrial or academic setting. This role offers a unique opportunity to run a high-throughput pipeline while collaborating across multidisciplinary teams to drive innovation from lab to global impact.
Requirements:
- Master's or PhD in Plant Biology, Plant Biotechnology, or related field
- Extensive hands-on experience developing high-throughput plant transformation and tissue-culture systems across multiple crop species
- Demonstrated experience improving transformation efficiency and regeneration outcomes in elite lines
- Experience leading technical teams or managing complex workflows
- Strong understanding of genome editing platforms (CRISPR/Cas systems)
- Experience in planning and management tools like spreadsheets, Microsoft Planner, LIMS, ELN, or Confluence
- Ability to build both internal and external relationships
- Clear and demonstrable problem-solving skills
- Excellent written communication and report writing skills
Desirable Knowledge, Skills and Experience:
- Experience working in industrial or high-throughput R&D settings
- Experience across multiple crop species
- Familiarity with phenotyping, digital data capture, or automation integration
Benefits include:
- 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
What we offer:
- Newly constructed, state-of-the-art laboratories and growth facilities
- A collaborative research environment with a highly skilled team
- Opportunities for professional development including publication, conferences, spin-out generation, and leadership development
Crop Transformation Pipeline Manager - Plant Biology Institute employer: Ellison Institute of Technology Oxford
Contact Detail:
Ellison Institute of Technology Oxford Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Crop Transformation Pipeline Manager - Plant Biology Institute
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the plant biology field. Attend conferences, workshops, or even local meetups. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio showcasing your previous work in crop transformation or related projects. This can be a game-changer during interviews, as it gives potential employers a tangible look at what you can bring to the table.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for those interviews! Research the Plant Biology Institute and its current projects. Be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their mission and how you can contribute to their goals in sustainable agriculture and food security.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search!
We think you need these skills to ace Crop Transformation Pipeline Manager - Plant Biology Institute
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Crop Transformation Pipeline Manager role. Highlight your relevant experience in plant biology and transformation systems, and show us how your skills align with our mission at the Plant Biology Institute.
Showcase Your Achievements: Don’t just list your responsibilities; we want to see your accomplishments! Use specific examples of how you've improved transformation efficiency or led successful projects in your previous roles. Numbers and results speak volumes!
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it clear and to the point. We appreciate well-structured documents that are easy to read. Avoid jargon unless it's relevant, and make sure your passion for plant science shines through!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. This way, you’ll ensure your application reaches the right people and you can easily track its progress. Plus, it’s super straightforward!
How to prepare for a job interview at Ellison Institute of Technology Oxford
✨Know Your Science
Make sure you brush up on the latest advancements in plant biology and crop transformation. Familiarise yourself with techniques like CRISPR and Agrobacterium-mediated transformation, as well as any recent breakthroughs in the field. This will not only show your passion but also your commitment to staying at the forefront of research.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Crop Transformation Pipeline Manager, you'll be leading a technical team. Prepare examples of how you've successfully managed teams or projects in the past. Highlight your mentoring experiences and how you've driven improvements in workflows or processes, as this will resonate well with the interviewers.
✨Prepare for Technical Questions
Expect to dive deep into your technical expertise during the interview. Be ready to discuss your experience with high-throughput systems and how you've optimised transformation workflows. Practise explaining complex concepts clearly, as you may need to communicate these ideas to cross-functional teams.
✨Align with Their Mission
EIT is focused on translating scientific discovery into real-world impact. Research their current projects and think about how your work can contribute to their goals. Be prepared to discuss how you envision your role in advancing sustainable agriculture and improving food security, which will demonstrate your alignment with their mission.