Research Scientist - Method Development

For 75 years, Charles River employees have worked together to assist in the discovery, development and safe manufacture of new drug therapies. When you join our family, you will have a significant impact on the health and well-being of people across the globe. Whether your background is in life sciences, finance, IT, sales or another area, your skills will play an important role in the work we perform. In return, we’ll help you build a career that you can feel passionate about.

Job Summary

The Chromatographic Bioanalysis department is a large team located at our site in Tranent, East Lothian. We are looking for a Research Scientist to join the method development team within the department, to participate in the development of quantitative assays on our fleet of over 20 high spec LC MS instruments.

As a CRO we have the opportunity to work with a large variety of analytes, from small polar molecules to peptides, proteins, nanoparticles and oligonucleotides. This broad range of analytes and our involvement in a large variety of programme designs, from early-stage pre-clinical investigative work to in-vitro biosimilar evaluation and clinical trials, means that we are always expanding our knowledge and skills. As well as our ever-evolving workflow, our consistent involvement with the industry through conferences, literature, and multi-company project teams, provide additional opportunities for development of both the industry and individuals. 

In this role you will act as a scientific expert, as well as planning and organizing for the efficient development of bioanalytical methods. This will involve using a variety of analytical techniques, or undertaking original research to develop new techniques, to establish methods suitable for generating data in a regulatory environment in a timely and cost-effective manner. 

In more detail the role will include:

Responsibility for the development of LC conditions, optimizing MS/MS parameters and refining extraction procedures for the quantitative analysis of analytes from biological matrices. Including responsibility for decision making based on the data generated.

Routinely communicating effectively with internal and external stakeholders regarding study organization, progress, and challenges.
Leading complex troubleshooting, both during method development studies and in collaboration with other teams during later stages of an assay's usage
Contribution to the generation of scientific papers and presentations
Proactively mentoring junior method development scientists, to promote talent development.
Demonstrating innovation through development of alternative scientific approaches and improvement of existing processes. 

Job Qualifications

Applicants should have:

A minimum of a BSc or equivalent in a scientific analytical related discipline.

Familiarity with the use of standard laboratory equipment and analytical instrumentation.
Experience developing assays in an analytical laboratory, preferably in a bioanalytical department.
An understanding of appropriate regulatory guidance in bioanalytical method validation in addition to current GLP/GCP regulations
Excellent communication (verbal and written), presentation and interpersonal skills.
Effective decision-making skills and the ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment. 
A proven level of problem-solving ability and adaptability, in relation to both scientific and project management challenges.
Experience supervising and developing junior colleagues.
A proven ability to identify, design and conduct research projects based on analysis of industry trends.

Additionally, familiarity with protein analysis and HRMS workflows would be highly beneficial for the role.

Closing date for applications is Monday 1st September COB 

The annual salary for this role is : £40, 470.57

About Safety Assessment

Charles River is committed to helping our partners expedite their preclinical drug development with exceptional safety assessment services, state-of-the-art facilities and expert regulatory guidance. From individual specialty toxicology and IND enabling studies to tailored packages and total laboratory support, our deeply experienced team can design and execute programs that anticipate challenges and avoid roadblocks for a smooth, efficient journey to market. Each year approximately 300 investigational new drug (IND) programs are conducted in our Safety Assessment facilities.

About Charles River

Charles River is an early-stage contract research organization (CRO). We have built upon our foundation of laboratory animal medicine and science to develop a diverse portfolio of discovery and safety assessment services, both Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) and non-GLP, to support clients from target identification through preclinical development. Charles River also provides a suite of products and services to support our clients’ clinical laboratory testing needs and manufacturing activities. Utilizing this broad portfolio of products and services enables our clients to create a more flexible drug development model, which reduces their costs, enhances their productivity and effectiveness to increase speed to market.

With over 20,000 employees within 110 facilities in over 20 countries around the globe, we are strategically positioned to coordinate worldwide resources and apply multidisciplinary perspectives in resolving our client’s unique challenges. Our client base includes global pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, government agencies and hospitals and academic institutions around the world.

At Charles River, we are passionate about our role in improving the quality of people’s lives. Our mission, our excellent science and our strong sense of purpose guide us in all that we do, and we approach each day with the knowledge that our work helps to improve the health and well-being of many across the globe. We have proudly worked on 80% of the drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the past five years.

At Charles River Laboratories, we recognize and recruit all talent. We are a company committed to the principle of diversity and inclusion and work daily in this direction.