181 Molecular Biologist jobs in the United Kingdom

Microbiology / Molecular biology Lab Assistant

MUST BE ALREADY LIVING LOCAL TO EXETER

Location:  Starcross - EX6 8PF
Length:  Until end March 2026
Hours:  Sunday to Thursday , 8am to 4pm with flexibility - 37 hours a week
Rate:  £12.52 p/h (£25.04 p/h for Sun)

We have a temporary position available in South Exeter. You would be part of a team performing routine microbiology and molecular biology work on environmental samples. 

As an Assistant Scientist you will be expected to assist in the delivery of the analytical service to defined time, cost and quality targets by extracting and analysing environmental samples.

These are temporary posts, you will be involved in the analysis of water & wastewater using a variety of microbiology and molecular testing methods.  

Though full training is provided the role requires candidates to have a scientific background, through education or work experience.  

They are looking for someone who enjoys being busy. The work can be high intensity at times, and they are seeking good team players. A willingness to learn and be proactive is essential. It is important you are able to demonstrate a flexible approach, with the ability to learn quickly and work co-operatively as part of a larger team to achieve common goals.

This is an excellent opportunity to learn new skills and gain experience in a busy working lab. 

Successful candidate must complete DBS

About Us

Exscientia is an AI-driven pharmatech company committed to discovering, designing and developing the best possible drugs in the fastest and most effective manner. Exscientia developed the first-ever functional precision oncology platform to successfully guide treatment selection and improve patient outcomes in a prospective interventional clinical study, as well as to progress AI-designed small molecules into the clinical setting.

Our pipeline demonstrates our ability to rapidly translate scientific concepts into precision-designed therapeutic candidates, with more than 15 projects underway. By designing better drugs, faster, we believe the best ideas of science can rapidly become the best medicines for patients.

The Role

We are expanding our in vitro cancer cell biology capabilities at our new state of the art laboratories in Milton Park and are seeking experienced, motivated, and dynamic individuals to join the primary pharmacology team. This team provides critical data driving our drug discovery projects and is in charge of conceiving, developing, and executing cellular assays for a range of target classes, often in areas of novel biology.

Successful applicants will be given the freedom to design, plan and execute a variety of experiments ensuring that the assays are fit-for-purpose, and that data is appropriately quality-controlled. In our newly built laboratories, we have access to a wide array of assay technologies (FRET, luminescence, FACs, imaging) with automation capabilities and are continually striving to deploy the latest technologies and develop ever more efficient processes.

Please note this is an on-site role at our Milton Park site in Oxford, with occasional flexibility to work from home in the UK. We are a flexible working organisation and we’re willing to consider other options which would provide similar contact time with the team.

You will have the opportunity to:

• Develop assays to help drive development of therapeutic small molecules with a focus on compound characterisation and the rapid identification of candidate molecules in the oncology area.
• You will be expected to keep up with the latest scientific developments, evaluate new technologies and will have the opportunity to present both internally and externally.
• This is primarily a laboratory-based positions with scope for continual learning and development and exposure to all scientific disciplines within the drug discovery process from target validation to candidate selection.

Requirements

• Ph.D in Oncology, Biology, Pharmacology, or a related discipline or a BSc/MSc degree with significant relevant experience, preferably in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry.
• Sterile techniques and cell culture
• In vitro assay development and assay optimisation 
• Experience of cell-based assays such as proliferation, cell binding, cytokine release, and tumour killing
• Practical knowledge of a wide range of assay technologies such as FRET, flow cytometry and imaging 
• Experience of screening and data analysis including dose-response relationships
• Flexible, adaptable, and able to work across multiple projects.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal, with ability to communicate technical information to a non-specialist audience.

Benefits

• Join our inclusive, collaborative and intellectually stimulating organisation with strong company values.
• As a learning organisation, we provide access to learning and development opportunities and will place you at the forefront of your career growth at Exscientia.
• We employ brilliant people so we pay highly competitive salaries. Additionally, all our employees are eligible for a company-wide annual bonus and receive both a new joiner and annual share award.
• Enjoy our generous holiday allowance and flexible working approach to find a healthy work-life balance that works for you.
• We’re leading the way in progressive leave, offering enhanced policies such as generous parental leave, surrogacy, menopause, and family emergency leave so you feel supported no matter the life event.
• Additionally, we support childcare costs for children aged 0-5 through our affordable childcare scheme.
• Take advantage of two generous salary exchange schemes to claim discounts on a brand new electric vehicle and cycling equipment worth up to £3,500.
• As a healthcare company, we understand the importance of health and wellbeing so we provide comprehensive private health insurance, dental and vision benefits for you and your family.
• We also provide plenty of access to mental health support including therapy and counselling sessions plus an employee assistance program for help with lifestyle issues such as bereavement, family problems or money management.
• To help safeguard the future for you and your loved ones, we also offer pension and life cover.
• Help yourself to drinks and snacks in our fully stocked kitchens. Join your colleagues in one of our many breakout areas and get to know the people you are working with. Some of the best ideas start with a coffee break!
• Feel inspired in our high spec labs where you will use state-of-the-art equipment and instrumentation that enable you to do your best work.
• We’ll even support your home office environment with an allowance for furniture and equipment to make your space as comfortable and productive as possible.
• Learn more about why our team enjoy working at Exscientia here

Senior Research Scientist 3A – in Biokinetics

Start date: Asap

Contract duration: 2-year contract – possible extension after

Location: Bracknell, fully on-site

PAYE rate: £19.46 per hour

About this opportunity:

We are looking for a Senior Research Scientist who specialises in plant physiology and/or plant biochemistry, and who has proven experience in a research setting to join the Bioperformance group within Bioscience in Crop protection. The group conducts research on the ADME (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism and Elimination) behaviour of active ingredients (AI) within target and non-target species, enabling understanding of critical performance characteristics such as selectivity, resistance and translation to the field. If successful, as part of the Herbicide Biokinetics team, you would work on the optimisation and deployment of assays using LCMS analysis.

Role purpose:

• Assume responsibility for delivering high quality data to herbicide research projects that you have generated from biokinetics assays. Analyse data, feedback results, contribute scientific advice and propose appropriate follow up studies. Troubleshoot where necessary.

• Using own expertise introduce new technologies and devise improvements to assay protocols to generate operational efficiencies using automation and digital tools.

• Devise and develop new capabilities/experimental strategies to support the ADME-related requirements of projects and programs. Independently design and perform experiments to evaluate the robustness and validity of the biokinetics assays

• Effectively communicate scientific findings and resulting implications within the group and to cross-disciplinary projects.

To be successful in this role, we believe you will need:

• Essential: MSc and/or PhD in plant physiology, in plant biochemistry or related degree.

• Essential: 2+ years of research experience, either in a relevant professional or academic setting.

• Essential: Proven track record in experimental design and troubleshooting.

• Essential: Excellent data processing and analysis skills

• Essential: Ability to work effectively with staff at all levels within the organisation.

• Essential: Record of working with and influencing others through your scientific knowledge and experience.

• Essential: Willingness to deepen scientific knowledge and understanding of the broader crop protection industry

• Desirable: Experience of analysing small molecules using LCMS.

• Desirable: an interest in applying data that you have generated in predictive modelling.

Are you an AI Research Scientist passionate about using LLMs and machine learning to reshape how organisations understand people?

We’re looking for a curious and pragmatic AI Research Scientist to join a remote team building the next generation of AI-powered insight tools. You’ll be working on a real-world research platform already in production — now expanding into new territory with retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), vector search, and intelligent automation.

In this role, you’ll help reimagine how unstructured and structured data from large-scale surveys and discussions can be turned into clear, actionable insight using advanced AI. From redesigning RAG stacks to building AI-powered report writers and secure vector stores, you’ll be solving rich, challenging problems at the intersection of NLP, data infrastructure, and human understanding.

Whether you’ve shipped AI features before or have strong personal research and projects, this is a chance to shape products used by real researchers and clients every day.

What’s in it for you?

Human-Centred AI : Build tools that help researchers analyse real human thoughts, opinions, and behaviours — at scale.

• Design, develop, and optimize bioinformatics pipelines for large-scale biological data analysis.
• Analyze genomic, proteomic, and transcriptomic data using advanced computational methods.
• Develop and apply statistical models for biological data interpretation.
• Identify and implement appropriate bioinformatics tools and algorithms.
• Collaborate with experimental biologists and other researchers to define research questions.
• Interpret research results and contribute to scientific publications and presentations.
• Manage and organize large datasets, ensuring data integrity and reproducibility.
• Stay current with the latest advancements in bioinformatics and related fields.
• Develop scripts and software for data processing and analysis automation.
• Contribute to grant proposals and research strategy development.

• PhD in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Genetics, or a related quantitative field.
• Strong experience in analyzing large-scale biological datasets (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics).
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, R, or Perl.
• Experience with bioinformatics software, databases, and tools.
• Solid understanding of statistical analysis and machine learning techniques relevant to biology.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to work independently.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills for remote collaboration.
• Experience with data visualization techniques.
• Ability to manage multiple research projects simultaneously.
• Publications in peer-reviewed journals are highly desirable.

• Design, implement, and manage field trials for various crop types, assessing the impact of different treatments, cultivation methods, and genetic varieties.
• Conduct laboratory analysis of soil, plant tissue, and other samples to evaluate nutrient content, disease presence, and other key indicators.
• Collect, process, and statistically analyse experimental data, generating comprehensive reports on findings and recommendations.
• Research and evaluate new agricultural technologies, products, and practices to improve efficiency and sustainability.
• Collaborate with agronomists, plant breeders, and other scientific staff to contribute to the development of new crop varieties and farming systems.
• Maintain detailed experimental records, ensuring data integrity and traceability.
• Stay current with scientific literature and industry trends in agronomy and crop science.
• Ensure all research activities comply with relevant health, safety, and environmental regulations.
• Assist in the preparation of scientific publications and presentations.
• Contribute to the development of best practice guidelines for farmers and agricultural professionals.

• A Bachelor's or Master's degree in Agronomy, Crop Science, Plant Science, Agricultural Science, or a related field.
• Proven experience in conducting agricultural research, including experimental design and data analysis.
• Proficiency in statistical software packages (e.g., R, SPSS) and data management tools.
• Familiarity with plant physiology, soil science, and integrated pest management (IPM) principles.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex information clearly.
• A strong work ethic, with the ability to work independently and as part of a team in a field and laboratory setting.
• A valid UK driving licence is required for field visits.
  

• Conduct advanced research in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and related fields.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate novel AI algorithms and models.
• Analyze large datasets to extract insights and inform model development.
• Design and execute experiments to test hypotheses and validate research findings.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to integrate AI models into production systems.
• Stay abreast of the latest advancements and research trends in the AI community.
• Publish research findings in top-tier academic conferences and journals.
• Present research results to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Contribute to the intellectual property portfolio through invention and patent applications.
• Mentor junior researchers and interns, fostering a culture of learning and innovation.

• PhD or Master's degree in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, or a closely related quantitative field.
• Proven track record of research in AI/ML, demonstrated through publications, patents, or significant project contributions.
• Strong theoretical and practical understanding of machine learning algorithms, deep learning frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch), and statistical modeling.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, R, or C++.
• Experience with data manipulation and analysis tools.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate complex concepts clearly.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a research team.
• Experience with distributed computing frameworks is a plus.