36 Research Scientist jobs in the United Kingdom

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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.

About us
Exscientia is an AI-driven precision medicine 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 internal pipeline is focused on leveraging our precision medicine platform in oncology, while our partnered pipeline broadens our approach to other therapeutic areas. By pioneering a new approach to medicine creation, we believe the best ideas of science can rapidly become the best medicines for patients.

All of our Innovation is driven by people; highly talented multi-disciplinary teams that work collaboratively to solve real world drug discovery problems. Following multiple partnerships with many leading pharmaceutical companies and research institutes, we have a robust and rapidly expanding portfolio of projects, and we are looking to continue to expand our immunology group and hire a Research scientist.

The team

The Immunology team at Exscientia provides immunology insights and experimental expertise to small-molecule discovery projects focused on auto-immune and inflammatory diseases. The team is based in well-equipped labs on the Oxford Science Park. The successful candidate will provide data to help the team validate novel targets and critical data to drive our drug discovery projects in support of a range of target classes, often in areas of novel biology. Working in multi-disciplinary discovery teams, we bring immunological and disease understanding to support data-driven decision-making to progress projects efficiently. We work on internal and partnered projects, developing effective and productive relationships with all our collaborators.

The role

Successful applicants will use their immunological expertise to design and implement a series of studies to enable target validation across a broad areas in immunology and inflammatory indications. You will be given the freedom to design, plan and execute a variety of assays, ensuring that the assays are fit-for-purpose, and that data is appropriately quality-controlled. You will additionally provide data to drive active portfolio programs and support mode of action and translational studies. We have access to a wide array of assay technologies (including FRET, luminescence, FACs, imaging) with liquid handling/automation capabilities and are continually striving to deploy the latest technologies and develop ever more efficient processes. 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 id/validation to candidate selection.

Requirements

Essential competencies:

• Ph.D in Biology, immunology or a related discipline or a BSc/MSc degree with relevant experience in the pharmaceutical industry or academia.

• Practical understanding of a wide range of assay technologies such as multiplexing, flow cytometry and imaging
• Sterile techniques and cell culture
• Isolating & working with human primary immune cells and/or complex cell models
• In vitro assay development and assay optimisation experience
• 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

Desirable competencies:

• Experience in working on a drug discovery program and screening data analysis
• Practical knowledge in molecular techniques such as lentiviral transduction and siRNA knockdown
• Broad experience across a wide range of I&I indications
• Use of automation/liquid handling
• Working with in an inter-disciplinary team

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.
• Create amazing memories or progress your personal and professional development with our four-week paid sabbatical after four years of service.
• 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 electricvehicle 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 free 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

Job Summary:

We are looking to hire several contract Research Scientists with expertise in computer systems and AI infrastructure to conduct cutting-edge research at the intersection of computer systems, machine learning, and distributed systems. We welcome applicants with backgrounds in one or more of the following areas: operating systems, distributed systems, and machine learning systems.

Key Responsibilities:

• Rapid Prototyping: Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to quickly develop and test proof-of-concept prototypes, validating research ideas in real-world, industrial environments.
• Performance Optimization: Perform detailed profiling and optimization of operating systems and large-scale distributed systems, leveraging a range of heterogeneous hardware (e.g., CPU, NPU) for enhanced performance.
• Research Publications: Transform research findings and innovative contributions into high-impact publications in top-tier academic journals and conferences.
• Technical Documentation: Create and maintain comprehensive technical documentation outlining research methods, design decisions, and implementation specifics to ensure reproducibility and support internal knowledge sharing.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Communicate research progress, performance insights, and key outcomes to internal stakeholders through clear and engaging presentations.

Person Specification:

List details of Knowledge, Skills, Experience and Qualifications needed to do the job:

Required:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science or a related technical field.
• Be comfortable with research methodology.
• Have an in-depth understanding of operating systems and/or distributed systems and/or cloud computing and/or machine learning algorithms.
• Good programming skills, master of at least one language, such as C/C++.
• Good communication and teamwork skills.

Desired:

• PhD in operating systems, distributed systems, machine learning, or a related field.
• Published papers in top journals/conferences focused on systems (NSDI, EuroSys, SoCC, OSDI etc.) and/or machine learning (NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR).
• Experience in the full lifecycle of developing, deploying, and maintaining large-scale cloud production systems, demonstrating expertise in scalability, reliability, and performance optimization.

Job Description CK Group are recruiting for a Senior Outcomes Research Scientist to join a company in the pharmaceutical industry on a contract basis for 9 months, working hybrid in Welwyn Garden city.

Salary:

Per Hour: £55.96-£7.16 PAYE or 5- 0 Ltd/ Umbrella – this role is outside IR35

Senior Outcomes Research Scientist Role:

Development, strategic execution & implementation of patient-centered fit-for purpose measurement strategies throughout the drug development lifecycle.
Collaborating with data science experts on study start-up, monitoring & close out.
Assess the need to develop, evaluate, & deploy new measurement tools to best capture the patient experience
Provide subject matter expertise areas of clinical trial delivery such as measurement/digital strategy, linguistic validation, eCOA, site & patient engagement related to COAs.

Your Background :

An MSc in Public Health, Psychology, or a related area (PhD preferred), or equivalent experience.
Previous hands-on experience in developing & implementing patient-centered measurement strategies, & in the planning, execution & dissemination of patient-centered evidence.
Previous experience within a pharmaceutical experience.
Direct experience in neuromuscular diseases or a strong interest in working in this area/

Company:

Our client is one of the world's premier innovative biopharmaceutical companies, discovering, developing and providing over 160 different medicines, vaccines and consumer healthcare products to help improve the lives of millions of people in the UK and around the world every year.

Location:

This role is hybrid, working 2 days a week on site in Welwyn Garden City.

Apply:

For more information, or to apply for this Senior Outcomes Research Scientist please contact the Key Accounts Team on 01438 870011 or email Please quote reference 147 056.

It is essential that applicants hold entitlement to work in the UK

Please note: This role may be subject to a satisfactory basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

INDKA

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.

Carbon60, Lorien & SRG - The Impellam Group STEM Portfolio are acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy.