Principal Scientist (Biophysics), CANCER RESEARCH UK

4000 professionals, 0 days wasted, 1 incredible purpose. Together, we are beating cancer.

Principal Scientist - Biophysics (under the leadership of Agnes Martin)

Starting salary: From £50,400-£57,400 per annum depending on experience Plus benefits (include up to 12% pension contribution)

Reports to: Group Leader Mechanistic Pharmacology

Department: Research and Innovation

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Full time 35 hours per week (flexible working requests considered if they meet business needs)

Location: Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge

Closing date: Thursday 17th April 2025 23:55

This vacancy may close earlier if a high volume of applications is received or once a suitable candidate is found, therefore we strongly recommend that you apply early to avoid disappointment. Please let us know if there is anything about the recruitment process that you would like to discuss, in particular if there are any changes or adjustments that would make it easier for you to apply. Please contact or 020 3469 8400 as soon as possible.

Visa sponsorship: Cancer Research UK can consider visa sponsorship for this vacancy. If this applies to you, please ensure that this is clearly marked on your application.

Recruitment process: 1st Stage Screening call via Microsoft Teams, 2nd stage in person interview at Babraham Research Campus consisting of competency based interview questions and a case study, which you will be sent in advance.

At Cancer Research UK, we exist to beat cancer.

We currently have an opportunity within our Drug Discovery team for an experienced and passionate Principal Scientist to bring scientific leadership to the design, prosecution and analysis of biophysical assays and bespoke mechanistic data, based at our Babraham Research Campus facilities in Cambridge. This is an exciting opportunity and time to join us as we further implement our 5-year plan.

About CRUK Drug Discovery

As the world's biggest medical research charity, we've helped bring eleven new cancer drugs to market. However, there is still an urgent need to bring more effective treatments to patients faster.

We have recently developed a new approach to driving therapeutic innovation through the creation of Cancer Research Horizons (CRH). We have brought together Cancer Research UK's established drug discovery teams under one organisation and leadership team, combining our unique pipeline of world class biology, cutting edge technology platforms and clinical expertise to 1) bring new treatments to patients faster and 2) tackle the biggest challenges in discovering cancer drugs by seeking out more radical ideas and embracing risk in our bid to achieve success.

What will I be doing?

Our strategy sets out to bring deeper mechanistic understanding at the molecular and cellular level to all stages of projects, from Idea to pre-clinical candidate.

This role is focussed on designing and developing physiologically relevant biophysical assays to characterise cancer targets in detail at the molecular level, profile the structure-binding and structure-kinetic relationships of small molecules and antibodies, and characterise their mechanism of action to inform dose prediction and clinical efficacy.

The successful candidate will drive innovative ways of working through keeping abreast of cutting-edge biophysical techniques, performing a key role in implementing and establishing new technologies to enhance our Drug Discovery toolbox. You might currently be a Principal Scientist or Senior Scientific Officer looking to move into a more patient focused environment, this role will give you the opportunity to form an integral part of the Cancer Research Horizon Drug Discovery team working alongside our industry and academic partners to progress novel cancer targets towards patient benefit.

What are you looking for?

We are seeking an accomplished scientific expert with the following skills and experience:

• A BSc, MSc or PhD in biophysics or a related discipline; relevant experience may be substituted for education
• Significant experience in a drug discovery environment of dissecting enzyme and small molecule inhibitor mechanisms through the use of biophysical methods
• Detailed understanding and practical experience of well-established biophysical methods, including SPR, ITC, MST, DSF/TSA, etc
• Knowledge and practical experience of emerging technologies within the field of biophysics, such as GCI and Spectral Shift
• Significant experience of assay development for a range of target classes
• Demonstrated scientific leadership skills with ability to give strategic direction
• Credible external reputation, as evidenced though publication, presentation at key conferences, and a strong personal network

Our organisation values are designed to guide all that we do.

Bold: Act with ambition, courage and determination

Credible: Act with rigour and professionalism

Human: Act to have a positive impact on people

Together: Act inclusively and collaboratively

We're looking for people who can believe in and embody these organisation values and can use them to drive forward progress against our mission to beat cancer.

If you're interested in applying and excited about working with us but are unsure if you have the right skills and experience we'd still love to hear from you.

What will I gain?

We create a working environment that supports your wellbeing and provide a generous benefits package, a wide range of career and personal development opportunities and high-quality tools. Our policies and processes enable you to improve your work-life balance, take positive steps in your career and achieve your personal wellbeing goals.

You can explore our benefits by visiting our careers web page.

How do I apply?

We operate an anonymised shortlisting process in our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. CVs are required for all applications; but we won't be able to view them until we invite you for an interview. Instead, we ask you to complete the work history section of the online application form for us to be able to assess you fairly and objectively.

For more information on this career opportunity please visit our website or contact us.

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