Graduate Cell Biology London 2023

For more than a century, our organisation has been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world's most challenging diseases. Today, our organisation continues to be at the forefront of research to deliver innovative health solutions and advance the prevention and treatment of diseases that threaten people and animals around the world.

The role

Our Research Laboratories’ Biology Graduate Program aims to be a best-in-industry program, with an academic focus in a commercial environment, providing a unique opportunity to learn how to develop and succeed with cutting-edge drug discovery projects. With the resources, reach, and expertise of a large pharmaceutical company, biology graduates will be positioned to excel in an institution committed to breakthrough innovation in research and discovery.

What will your 24-month journey look like…?

You will mostly focus on a unique project investigating age-related neurodegeneration with an emphasis on one or more of the four key areas; mitochondrial dysfunction, protein homeostasis and oxidative and ER stress. You will use state-of-the art technologies including latest high-content imaging, CRISPR gene editing and advanced iPSC modelling, in combination with high-throughput platforms that can inform efforts to make breakthroughs in tackling neurodegenerative diseases. By generating robust and reliable data our aim is to strengthen preclinical drug discovery research that improves translational success rates and ultimately benefit patients around the world.

You will closely collaborate and interact with highly experienced scientists across groups within our organisation, who have extensive knowledge in high-content imaging analysis, cellular biology, data science, in vitro pharmacology and chemistry.

Duties include but are not limited to

• Develop your knowledge of drug discovery world and projects as well as raise your awareness about the wider pharmaceutical industry.
• Learning to deliver high quality, reproducible experimental data, which is hypothesis driven
• Working towards the design and implement novel disease-relevant cell culture systems
• Understanding mechanisms of action using relevant assays
• Working and collaborating with colleagues across our organisation to establish a reliable model
• Having a capacity to keep up-to-date with literature in this rapidly evolving field and assisting in the preparation of high impact manuscripts
• Contributing to laboratory running tasks and be a conscientious member of the team
• Timely write-up of reports and data
• Having the opportunity to present at internal meetings and as well as external meetings if the opportunity arises

Education Minimum Requirements

• You will be looking to have completed a BSc or MSc (or equivalent qualification) in a Biology related subject before September 2023

Required Experience and Skills

Important note regarding ‘required’ or ‘desired’ experience requirements. You do not need to have had ‘in industry’ experience to apply for this position. Experience can have been obtained during your university course (as part of your studies), obtained via extracurricular activities, or obtained ‘in industry’ (e.g. at an employer or a paid position like an internship).

• Good knowledge in neuroscience and our areas of interest
• Practical laboratory experience
• Demonstratable experience with cell culture
• Previous experience using a broad range of cellular imaging and molecular biology techniques
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Excellent attention to detail in experimental design and data analysis.

Desired Experience and Skills

• Be familiar with multiplexing experiments
• Demonstrated knowledge of cellular models of neurodegeneration including use of iPSCs
• Demonstrated knowledge of drug discovery and assay development
• Demonstrated numerical and analytical skills
• Understanding of statistical analysis desirable

Qualities we look for

• Communicates, participates and collaborates as one team; winning and losing together
• Focuses on what matters the most to create the greatest value for human and animal patients
• Acts with urgency, rigor and determination to enable us to continue to deliver our medicines and vaccines around the world
• Intellectually curious, adapts and has a commitment to never give up, whether we succeed or fail
• Aligns with and fosters a culture of diversity and inclusion; being part of an inclusive environment where everyone is able to contribute their best ideas
• Encourages curiosity, voices their opinions and engages in healthy debate to improve ideas and decisions to achieve better outcomes

What happens at the end of the 24month scheme?

Throughout the 24-month scheme you will receive guidance and mentoring to not only help you through your current role, but also to prepare you for applications to permanent roles within the organisation, with the aim that you will continue your career journey with our organisation.