Job title:                      Research Technician

Reporting to:               Research Team

Location:                     Science Creates, St Philips Central, Bristol, UK

Hours of work:            Full time, permanent

Closing date:              22/11/2021

Benefits package:      £22,000 - £27,000, dependent on experience

Expected start date:   Flexible, from January 2022

Company profile

Rosa Biotech is re-defining in vitro diagnostics with its innovative biosensing platform, Pandra.

We are a UK SME spun out from the University of Bristol in 2019 by world-leading expert in protein design, Prof Dek Woolfson, and Rosa’s CEO, Dr Andy Boyce. We are backed by a team of experienced, high-profile business angels. These include the founders of Ziylo, the biosensing company acquired by Novo Nordisk for up to $800 million, and Cramer, the systems technology company acquired by Amdocs for $450M.

We are based in the vibrant Science Creates deep-tech ecosystem in the heart of Bristol and operate a dedicated laboratory at the St Philips incubator. Our technology combines arrays of designed barrel-forming peptides with a back-end cloud database and machine learning algorithms to create a powerful biosensor for detecting life-threatening diseases in patient samples, such as blood.

We are growing our diverse team to accelerate the development of our platform and its application in the clinic. We are looking for enthusiastic and driven team players to join us on this journey.

Job description

This is an exciting opportunity to join a vibrant research team that combines expertise in bioinformatics and computational design, peptide and protein chemistry, and biotechnology. 

In this position, you will help develop and test Pandra for disease diagnostics. Your primary responsibilities will be to manufacture Pandra plates in bulk and to carry out high-throughput analysis of clinical sample sets. You will also assist in the screening of peptides for incorporation into Pandra and help in the day to day running of the lab.

We are seeking candidates with graduate research backgrounds and practical laboratory experience. Expertise in biosensing and biological sample analysis would be a distinct advantage for this post, and applicants with these skills are particularly encouraged to apply. However, we are keen to receive applications from ambitious and energetic individuals across the biomedical, biochemical, chemical, pharmacological and medical sciences or bioengineering with interest in commercialising world-leading research.

Roles and responsibilities

Research responsibilities

• Perform analysis of biological samples (e.g., serum) using Rosa’s Pandra platform
• Use liquid-handling robotics to manufacture Pandra assay plates and assist in high-throughput screenings
• Prepare peptide, dye, and other reagent stocks for assay manufacturing
• Keep accurate records of methods and results
• Analyse and interpret data and present work at regular company meetings
• Plan, manage, and prioritise own workload while responding to a dynamic environment with changing priorities and needs
• Source and maintain stocks of lab materials and consumables, liaising with relevant contacts and suppliers to ensure fit for purpose solutions and cost-effectiveness
• Build strong, positive working relationships with team members

Person specifications

Relevant skills & experience

Essential

• An ambitious team player who can conduct themselves in a polite, respectable and professional manner when dealing with others
• Practical experience working in a laboratory
• Ability to execute an experimental work plan, drawing on input/advice and feedback from colleagues
• Capability to work both independently and as part of a team
• Competence to take accurate records of work carried out
• Ability to liaise and communicate effectively with a wide variety of internal and external contacts

Desirable

• Practical experience working in a BSL-2 laboratory
• Experience with the handling and analysis of biological fluids
• Experience with high-throughput assays and functional assays of peptides/proteins
• Understanding of peptide/protein de novo design, synthesis, purification and characterisation
• Experience operating liquid-handling robots
• Familiarity with GLP, GMP and/or GCLP
• Interest in learning computer programming and scripting
• Experience in using electronic notebooks
• Enthusiasm for working in a multidisciplinary team in an early-stage company
• Excellent numeracy and literacy, and computer literacy

Relevant qualifications

Essential

• Relevant qualifications at GCSE/A-Level, or NVQ, or equivalent level, and broad relevant work experience; or substantial work experience in an appropriate role
• A good honours degree or equivalent qualification with subject knowledge and research experience in the relevant area of chemistry, biochemistry, pharmacology, biomedical sciences, or bioengineering

Eligibility and expectations

In order to qualify for this position, you must be authorised to live and work in the UK. If you are applying from outside of the UK, you must state in your cover letter your right to work status e.g., UK citizen, EU Settlement Scheme, other.

Rosa has a COVID-19 risk assessment that is continuously updated to follow the latest Government and PHE advice and follow the safety restrictions of Science Creates and The University of Bristol. Most of the work is expected to take place at Science Creates, St Philips Central, Albert Road, Bristol, BS2 0XJ and occasionally at the BioSuite Facility of the Faculty of Life Science, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Bristol, Tankard's Cl, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TD.

In line with current guidelines surrounding social distancing and working from home, the overall work pattern will be fluid and we encourage blended working for the foreseeable future. The role may also involve short visits to other organisations in the UK and abroad, with the potential for occasional overnight stays.

At Rosa Biotech, we value diversity. We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome employees who meet the job requirements, regardless of gender, ethnic origin, disability, age, religion or sexual orientation. You must have respect for others and a commitment and enthusiasm for high standards and continuous improvement.

Important information regarding your application

By making this application, you confirm your consent for Rosa Biotech to hold details of your application and associated personal information strictly for recruitment purposes. Rosa Biotech will keep all recruitment documentation for 12 months following the job position being filled. The successful candidates' recruitment documentation will be kept in accordance with Rosa Biotech's Internal Personal Data Policy.

If you wish for your information to be removed from our records before that date, please contact hr@rosabio.tech stating "Personal information removal request" in the title of your email or by writing to us at Rosa Biotech Limited, Albert Road, Bristol, BS2 0XJ. 

How to apply

Please send your CV with a cover letter to: hr@rosabio.tech, including "Job application – Research Technician" in the subject line to apply for this role. 

The deadline for application is 5 pm UK time, Monday 22^nd November 2021.