At Wild Bio we are radically enhancing crops to feed the world sustainably and promote a wilder planet. Wild plants have had half a billion years to evolve natural solutions for thriving in almost every environment on Earth. Our proprietary genetics platform harnesses these wild innovations to enhance the world’s most important crops. Wild-enhanced crops would simultaneously boost farm yields and promote gigaton-scale carbon mitigation strategies. If you’re looking for a start-up that has enormous potential for impact on growers, consumers, and the planet, please read on.
Wild Bio is a well-funded, fast-paced Oxford University spin-out working from state-of-the-art labs and offices at Milton Park, Oxfordshire. We are about to enter an exciting phase of growth and are looking for a driven and curious Scientist to join us and significantly contribute to delivering the change we believe in.
Our Values
Our work is guided by three core values that define who we are and how we approach our mission:
- Curiosity: We fuel our desire to explore the unknown, pushing the boundaries of knowledge and sparking innovation. We ask questions, seek answers, and embrace lifelong learning.
- Community: We believe in the strength and support gained through collaboration and inclusion. As part of a global community, we nurture connections to drive meaningful impact for both people and planet.
- Courage: We face challenges head-on, take calculated risks, and stand up for our beliefs. Our bravery propels us to take action, even in the face of adversity.
If these values resonate with you, we invite you to join our team of passionate scientists and innovators working at the cutting edge of bioscience.
The Role
We’re looking for a Scientist to own the design and delivery of high-throughput assays across our plant cell and tissue culture systems: the experiments that tell us, quickly and reliably, which of our trait designs work. You’ll join our Trait Discovery Team, and to begin with you’ll lead the build of a scalable screening platform in our established protoplast system, used to test large libraries of AI-designed promoter variants and shortlist the strongest for transformation into our crops.
You’ll set the strategy for what the assay needs to do, from how libraries are delivered into cells to the reporters, normalisation and readouts we rely on, and put robust, well-controlled experiments in place. You’ll do this hand in hand with our plant tissue culture teams, coordinating the work they do on these assays, consulting them on assay design, and training them where needed to run new experiments. As our R&D priorities evolve, you’ll bring the same rigour to new assay needs, for example designing enzyme assays to evaluate engineered hairy root lines in our Carbon programme.
- PhD in plant science, biochemistry, functional genomics, or a related field, or equivalent industry experience.
- Proven experience designing and delivering high-throughput molecular assays (e.g. massively parallel reporter assays (MPRAs), pooled library screens, or plate-based enzyme activity screens), from concept through to results.
- Strong molecular biology skills, including the design and cloning or synthesis of plasmid DNA libraries. Experience with barcoded libraries and/or NGS-based readouts is a plus.
- Experience with plant transient and transformation systems (e.g. protoplast transfection, leaf infiltration, or hairy root transformation) and associated reporter assays is desirable.
- A rigorous approach to experimental design, with a keen eye for the controls, normalisation, and replication needed to trust a result.
- Confidence analysing quantitative assay data and turning it into a clear recommendation.
- A pragmatic, decisive approach and a track record of delivering projects to tight timelines.
- Experience supervising, training, or mentoring junior colleagues, and a real interest in helping others develop.
- Excellent communication skills and the ability to partner with computational, molecular, and plant transformation colleagues.
- A genuine enthusiasm for picking up new techniques quickly and getting stuck into new problems.
High-Throughput Molecular Assay Scientist employer: Wild Bioscience
Wild Bioscience is an exceptional employer that fosters a collaborative and innovative work culture, perfect for those passionate about advancing agricultural science. Located near Bury St Edmunds, employees benefit from a supportive environment that encourages professional growth through hands-on experience in cutting-edge breeding techniques and partnerships with leading research institutions. With a focus on meaningful contributions to sustainable agriculture, this role offers the opportunity to make a significant impact while working alongside a dedicated team.
