Senior Research Scientist, Molecular & Cell Biology, 6-month contract
Vertex Pharmaceuticals
Type of Role: Contract position, Inside IR35
Contract length: 6 months
Location: On-site, 5 days a week (Milton Park R&D, Abingdon Oxon)
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology

Looking for opportunities with purpose, impact and possibilities? Our client, Vertex, is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation. As they grow their pipeline at pace, they are strengthening their reputation for creating transformative medicines for people with serious diseases.

Vertex is seeking a Senior Research Scientist, Molecular & Cell Biology to support research activities at the Oxford site.
This role will play a key part in evaluating a new therapeutic modality through the design, execution, and interpretation of cellular biology experiments.
The successful candidate will bring deep hands-on experience in flow cytometry-based cellular assays and cell-based evaluation of test compounds or novel therapeutic modalities, along with a collaborative and data-driven approach to problem-solving.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design, execute, and optimize cellular assays to support evaluation of a new therapeutic modality.
• Perform and analyze flow cytometry-based experiments to assess cellular responses and therapeutic activity.
• Generate, characterize, and maintain cell lines for mechanistic and functional studies.
• Evaluate test compounds and/or novel therapeutic modalities in relevant in vitro cellular systems and interpret biological activity data.
• Contribute to the development, validation, and refinement of assays used to investigate mechanism of action and therapeutic potential.
• Troubleshoot experimental workflows and drive continuous improvement in assay performance and data quality.
• Maintain accurate, timely, and well-organized experimental records, data summaries, and technical reports.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional scientists to support target biology, mechanistic studies, and project progression.
• Present findings to project teams and contribute to scientific discussions and decision-making.
• Ensure laboratory activities are conducted in compliance with site procedures, safety standards, and quality expectations.
• Contribute scientific insight to experimental strategy and help advance understanding of this emerging therapeutic modality.

• PhD in Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, or a related life sciences discipline, with relevant postdoctoral and/or industry experience; or equivalent advanced scientific experience.
• Demonstrated experience in cell biology research within biotechnology, pharmaceutical, or academic research environments.
• Strong hands-on expertise in flow cytometry, cell-based assay execution and molecular and cell biology techniques.
• Proven experience generating and maintaining cell lines.
• Experience evaluating test compounds, biologics, or novel therapeutic approaches in cellular systems and interpreting assay results.
• Strong experimental design, troubleshooting, and data analysis skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, multidisciplinary research environment.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Scientific documentation and reporting.

• Experience supporting evaluation of new therapeutic modalities in a discovery or translational research setting.
• Familiarity with mechanistic and functional cellular assays.
• Experience investigating mode of action or biological responses to novel therapeutic interventions.
• Knowledge of data analysis tools relevant to flow cytometry and cellular biology.
• Ability to independently prioritize experiments and manage multiple projects.
• Experience presenting scientific findings to cross-functional teams.