ABOUT LGC ASSURE:

LGC ASSURE is a business unit within LGC Group, bound together by the core purpose of “Science for a Safer World”. Our mission within LGC Assure is to provide intelligent assurance for our customers and their supply network, primarily in the global food and beverage sector. We achieve this through three primary product and service offerings: certification and standards, digital and data, and testing and science-based services.

Our core products in the food and beverage sector comprise:

BRCGS: Protecting brands with globally recognised supply chain assurance solutions, based in London – UK and Milton – Canada.

INFORMED: Delivering quality assurance through globally trusted testing and certification programs for banned substances, based in Cambridge – UK and Lexington – US.

Safefood360: A leading software provider covering all aspects of compliance, delivered by a team of experienced food industry experts based in Dublin – Ireland.

We are looking for a committed and proactive Scientist/Senior Scientist to join our Animal Sports Gene Doping Detection group, which is part of the Sport and Specialised Analytical Services (SSAS) department within the Standards division at our Fordham, Cambridgeshire site.

Job purpose:

LGC’s Animal Sports business provides medication and doping control services to the animal sports sector, where the major customers include the BHA, IHRB, FEI, and GBGB. Drug screening for these regulatory bodies is carried out to protect the integrity of the sports and the welfare of the animal competitors.  The laboratory must respond to the latest threats identified by the regulators and so research, method development and validation underpin all drug screening activities.

As part of an on-going project funded by the British Horseracing Authority, we are establishing a screening portfolio for the detection of prohibited gene therapy (transgene and gene editing) in horses. This project will augment our recently published research into a standardised pipeline, and involve development work in setting up the required screening workflows. We require a Scientist to work on this screening development project as well as undertake broader research on other gene doping projects within the research team.

This position will require relevant experience in DNA extraction, PCR, and real time PCR. Practical experience in next-generation sequencing will also be an advantage. Familiarity with the Linux operating system and bioinformatics software is desirable, but full training will be provided. A range of levels of experience will be considered, so applications are welcomed from both experienced Scientists as well as those at an earlier stage of their career since full training will be given.

Key responsibilities:

• Work with the gene doping group to help establish and process samples through the transgene and gene editing detection pipelines.
• Plan and conduct analytical work using appropriate techniques.
• Productive and flexible working.
• Provision of results in a timely manner following documented procedures.
• Interpretation of data and presentation of results and conclusions.
• Responsive and able to perform additional analyses and investigations as required.
• Mixture of development to underpin screening assays as well as basic research on other gene doping research projects within the team.

Education, experience and technical skills:

• Educated to degree or equivalent level in a biological or chemical science

Person Specification:

• Team worker, able to work flexibly and with initiative to bring forward ideas
• Effective time management ensuring objectives and tasks are completed on time and to a high standard
• Enthusiastic with a positive attitude and willingness to get involved
• Make a positive contribution and take responsibility for how actions affect the rest of the team
• Good communicator, able to convey written and spoken information accurately and concisely
• Operationally aware and able to contribute to improvements in output and efficiency

ABOUT LGC:

LGC is a leading, global life science tools company, providing mission-critical components and solutions into high-growth application areas across the human healthcare and applied market segments. Its high-quality product portfolio is comprised of mission-critical tools for genomic analysis and for quality assurance applications, which are typically embedded and recurring within our customers’ products and workflows and are valued for their performance, quality, and range. 

OUR VALUES

• PASSION
• CURIOSITY 
• INTEGRITY
• BRILLIANCE
• RESPECT

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES 

LGC strongly believes that every job applicant and employee should be valued for their individual talents regardless of age, disability, race, color, ethnic or national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion, or belief. Short listing, interviewing and selection will always be carried out without regard to gender, sexual orientation, marital status, color, race, nationality, ethnic or national origins, religion or belief, age, or trade union membership.

For more information about LGC, please visit our website www.lgcgroup.com

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