Principal Scientist - Plant Science & Assay Development

Principal Scientist - Plant Science & Assay Development Full time, Oxford

Job Post

About Moa

Moa Technology is an innovative and rapidly growing crop protection R&D company.
Our mission is to create a new generation of safe, effective and affordable herbicides to help farmers produce high quality food for all. Our team of passionate and talented scientists, technicians, and operational staff uses disruptive proprietary technologies to quickly and accurately discover novel modes of action capable of breaking weed resistance to herbicides.
At the heart of our company are the Moa values which guide our work and our behaviour: determined, empowering and transformative.

The role

As a Principal Scientist, you will undertake the scientific and experimental delivery of assay development across plant sciences and cell biology as part of the Moa Rotation Scheme, our scientific and leadership development programme.

This lab-based role in Oxford will include but not be limited to:

• Development and implementation of established and new mode of action narrowing assays for Moa
• Ensuring that scientific rigour is always applied to experiments and that these experiments align with corporate strategies and project timelines
• Contributing as a subject matter expert for plant physiology and cell biology across the company.
• Managing at least one team member.

Following successful completion of the Moa Rotation Scheme (12-18 months), you will be embedded as a scientific and/or team lead within an established function.

Key responsibilities

• Delivery of established and new assays for mode of action narrowing
• Development of analysis pipelines for newly implemented or existing assays, with a focus on automation, to ensure experiments can be scaled for high throughput screening for efficient production of high-quality data
• Working across multi-disciplinary teams and projects with a focus on efficient problem solving and rapid solution delivery
• Ensure that team members are keeping accurate records in appropriate systems (e.g. electronic laboratory notebooks) and strictly following SOPs and risk assessments.
• Operation & training for specialist & non-specialist lab equipment as required.

Knowledge and experience

Required

• A PhD in a relevant area of plant science; or a BSc in biology, plant physiology, cell biology or a related discipline, together with substantial relevant experience and a track record of operating at a senior scientific level in plant science
• Extensive skills in brightfield and fluorescence microscopy, including image acquisition and analysis
• Plant physiology and plant cell biology expertise
• Experience in developing and deploying assays
• Experience in working in cross-functional teams to deliver collaborative goals
• Experience leading teams and applying corporate strategies
• Computer literate with excellent communication skills
• Experience working with various MS Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, MS Teams/Zoom etc

Experience with multiple plant species or cell culture types

• Experience in molecular biology - PCR, molecular cloning, etc.
• Experience in high throughput screening
• Experience with liquid handling systems and automation tools
• Experience with liquid handling systems and automation tools
• Experience with data management systems such as CDD and KNIME
• Experience with programming language, such as R, for statistical computing, data analysis and visualisation

Personal attributes and competencies

• A proactive work ethic and enthusiasm for learning.
• A practical problem solver with creativity.
• Honesty, openness and co-operation.

You will also

• have an interest in contributing to the development of novel mode-of-action herbicides
• be able to work autonomously and proactively
• take energy from working with a dynamic teams and people from diverse backgrounds
• actively listen and effectively communicate on complex and sensitive topics
• be an advocate, leading by example, for evidence-based decision-making processes
• strive to meet deadlines, demonstrating awareness of realistic time requirements for yourself and technical service providers, and will raise potential delays as soon as possible
• demonstrate a 'hands-on' approach to tackling operational challenges and communication to internal and external stake holders
• be highly motivated, resilient and organised
• be keen to evolve with the changing needs of the business on a rapid growth trajectory
• accurately keep records as outlined by SOPs and corporate policies
• adhere to company work hours, policies, and standard business etiquette
• demonstrate honesty, openness, and a team player mentality

What we offer

• Electric vehicle scheme
• Workplace pension scheme where the company will match up to 7.5%.
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Training and Development
• Group Life, Income Protection, and Private Medical Insurance
• 25 days Annual leave
• Additional Annual leave purchase scheme
• Bike2Work Scheme

We are committed to building a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. We recognise that diverse and inclusive teams build a stronger and more innovative company. Therefore, all qualified applicants will be considered for employment. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion/belief, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital or maternity status, or veteran status. Due to the high level of candidates that we receive, we are only able to only contact successful applicants for the interview stage.

We do not use ATS/AI to screen your application and it will be read by a real person.

Please note that you must be eligible to work in the UK, as we are unable to sponsor work permits at this time. Work permits from other organisations are not acceptable as proof of right to work in the UK.