Lead Molecular Biologist

Serna Bio is building the world’s first map of the druggable transcriptome, systematically opening up the universe of RNA biology to small molecule drug discovery. Using our Discovery Platform, we are tackling the classically intractable targets ranging from coding to non-coding RNA.

We are looking for an Experienced Lead Scientist to join our Stevenage-based R&D lab and contribute to our R&D work.

The Impact You’ll Make

In this role, you will lead the expansion of our in-house target validation tools through the development and scaleup of novel assays and the acceleration of our high-throughput screening platforms.

Working with a small and nimble team, you will help establish novel methodologies, contribute to our commercial objectives and have the opportunity to scale your career as we grow the company. 

As an ambitious start-up, we work with complexity at pace. You’ll have plenty of opportunity to grow as a scientist and to expand your talents outside of your current comfort zone.

• Implement and improve methods for generating knock-in cell lines and executing cell-based & in vitro assays at scale 
• Design, implement and carry out lab work focused on the development and optimisation of assays
• Help us grow, and rapidly grow your career 
• Own and Deliver projects directly with our R&D team

The Team You’ll Join

You will be a key member of our growing UK labs in Stevenage, contributing to a variety of Molecular and cell biology work.

Requirements

Technical Requirements

• PhD or MSc with at least 2- 5 years experience in a biotech or CRO in Molecular biology, 
• Extensive experience in mammalian cell culture across various cell lines
• Demonstrable experience in RNASeq library prep and other NGS methods (Biochemistry, Genomics) 
• Direct hands-on experience with molecular biology methods (DNA/RNA techniques, cloning, PCR, qPCR, PAGE)
• Strong experience with western blotting and other antibody-based techniques (Immunofluorescence, antibody optimisation)
• Experience of developing and optimising assays, including cell-based & in vitro assays, for use in high-throughput studies

Bonus Skills

• Knowledge and experience with CLIP

Interpersonal skills

• Previous experience in working in a small, fast-paced environment where ownership is critical
• Highly effective organisation, documentation and written communication skills. You are proud of your lab notebooks and your ability to communicate complex ideas simply.
• Well-developed critical thinking and project management skills
• Ability to work in complexity and deliver to defined timelines
• Excellent presentation skills
• Desire and ability to voice your opinion and share ideas

The Values You’ll Share

•  We are unapologetically unrealistic: We are unapologetic that our expectations for delivery are extraordinarily high. There is urgency to our existence: our ambition grounded in relentless execution of well-designed experiments. 
• We are data-driven: Data trumps opinions.  
• We are humble: We understand the limitations of our knowledge and seek to learn from others to minimize them.
• We are curious: Learning from the diverse perspectives of our fellow teammates, and from failure, is an essential part of how we make progress. At Serna Bio, we celebrate failure, mistakes, and the ability to learn from them.

Benefits

What We Offer

• The opportunity to accelerate your career. You will have the opportunity to grow your career as we grow our labs.
• The opportunity to make a difference. Your work will have a direct impact on the experiments we run, and will influence our programs destined for the clinic to affect patient outcomes.
• A place to explore the range of your interests. We pride ourselves in an environment that cultivates curiosity, creativity and autonomy. At Serna the “why” of things is always the most important question.
• An environment designed to broaden your perspectives. We care deeply about inclusive working practices and diverse teams. Diversity is integral to our success, and an inclusive environment allows the team to do their best work.

About Us

Serna Bio is building the world’s first map of the druggable transcriptome, systematically opening up the universe of RNA biology to small molecule drug discovery. Using our Discovery Platform, we are tackling the classically intractable targets, with an initial focus on Oncology and Rare Disease.

The current toolkit for developing drugs is focused almost entirely on protein targets. However, 85% of the approximate 3 billion base pairs in the human genome encodes for RNA but not protein. Our platform enables a novel approach to understand RNA structure, function and binding sites in order to develop a new class of drugs. Targeting RNA in this way enables us to explore therapeutics for the many diseases with no known treatments.

Our mission is to develop a new class of drugs that will impact patient lives. We are curious, nimble, breaking new ground and growing fast. Come make an impact with us and be part of our story

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