About the Team

The Chemical Biology Services Team at the European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) is looking for a talented Scientist with a flair for data curation to be responsible for the quality of bioactivity and drug discovery data in the ChEMBL database.

ChEMBL is a world-leading chemogenomics resource, providing open bioactivity data and associated tools to the scientific community. ChEMBL is widely used through both academia and industry to support drug discovery. You will work in a team-oriented environment, collaborating closely with fellow scientists and technical experts, chemo- and bio-informaticians and software engineers across EMBL-EBI and with our many external partners from the UK and internationally.

Duties & Responsibilities

In this role you will:

* You will be responsible for the curation of biological data in the ChEMBL database.

* Reporting to the ChEMBL team coordinator, the job responsibilities will include:

* To work together with the other members of the ChEMBL data team to curate bioactivity data in the ChEMBL database ensuring the delivery of high quality data

* To map measured bioactivity data from the scientific literature to other biological entities (proteins, cell-lines etc) using a variety of bioinformatics resources and ontologies

* To identify and validate the potential therapeutic targets of drug molecules and compounds in clinical development from a variety of sources

* To work with data depositors to help them format and curate their data to the standards required for deposition into ChEMBL

* To manually check and annotate data by reference to the original data sources such as the scientific literature, Pharma Company pipelines and prescribing information

* To develop semi-automated processes for identifying and correcting erroneous data

* To be actively involved in training and external user support

* To work with other team members to publish project outcomes in scientific articles in the peer-reviewed literature

You have (Requirements)

* You will have excellent attention to details, strong communication skills and be able to interact with technical experts as well as scientists seeking solutions to their "real world" problems.

* A PhD (or equivalent) in a biological or biomedical science

* Excellent knowledge of pharmacology, potential biological targets and mechanisms of drug action

* Good knowledge of the various experimental techniques used to determine the activity of compounds in different in vitro and in vivo assay systems

* Ability to work accurately and quickly to deadlines

* Able to work both as part of a team and independently

* Good communication skills (both verbal and presentational)

You might also have (Desirable)

* Prior experience of biological data curation and knowledge of bioinformatics databases

* Some knowledge of biological ontologies

* Experience of working in a drug discovery environment

* Experience of working with and manipulating file formats such as FASTA, Excel, XML, OBO and familiarity with regular expressions and text matching

* Experience of querying relational databases using SQL would also be advantageous

Our ideal candidate embraces:

* Open mindset – welcoming diverse ideas and perspectives.

* Professional outlook - ensuring meticulous attention to quality and detail.

* Teamwork – working together for shared success.

* Respect – treating all colleagues with professionalism and kindness

* Inclusivity – allowing everyone space to shine in their own way.

Apply now! Benefits and Contract Information

* Financial incentives: depending on circumstances, monthly family/marriage allowance of £278 monthly child allowance of £336 per child. Non resident allowance up to £569 per month. Annual salary review, pension scheme, death benefit, long-term care, accident-at-work and unemployment insurances
* Hybrid working arrangements
* Private medical insurance for you and your immediate family (including all prescriptions and generous dental & optical cover)
* Generous time off: 30 days annual leave per year, in addition to eight bank holidays
* Relocation package including installation grant (as applicable)
* Campus life: Free shuttle bus to and from work, on-site library, subsidised on-site gym and cafeteria, casual dress code, extensive sports and social club activities (on campus and remotely)
* Family benefits: On-site nursery, child sick leave, generous parental leave, holiday clubs on campus and monthly family and child allowances
* Contract duration: This position is a grant based contract until January 2028
* Salary: Monthly salary starting at £3,064 - £3,303 after tax but excl. pension & insurances) + benefits (Total package will be dependent on family circumstances)
* International applicants: We recruit internationally and successful candidates are offered visa exemptions. Read more on our page for international applicants.
* Diversity and inclusion: At EMBL-EBI, we strongly believe that inclusive and diverse teams benefit from higher levels of innovation and creative thought. We encourage applications from women, LGBTQ+ and individuals from all nationalities.
* Job location: This role is based in Hinxton, near Cambridge, UK. You will be required to relocate if you are based overseas and you will receive a generous relocation package to support you.