RSSL Principal Scientist - Biomolecular

Job Description

Reading Scientific Services Ltd (RSSL) is a cutting-edge Contract Research Organisation (CRO), providing research, analysis and consultancy to the pharmaceutical, healthcare and food sectors. Whether we are creating new products, validating medicines or solving investigations, we take pride in being a leader in our field, serving clients from across 60 countries.

In 2019, we’ve been recognised as OBN’s Best CRO, Women in Business Enlightened Employer and Business of the Year award winners.

Enriched by our parent company Mondelēz International, our diverse team includes 22 nationalities from 300 members, creating a family feel as we strive towards our mission of science enhancing lives.

You are an internally recognized expert in analytical sciences and an effective leader of cross-functional teams. Working with cross-functional stakeholders, you plan and technically lead complex analytical programs, interpret findings and define actionable next steps. You also review, approve, and effectively communicate significant technical/scientific results and regularly interact with key senior stakeholders.

How you will contribute

You will provide technical and scientific direction and manage a portfolio of projects or a technically complex project within your technical area of expertise, ensuring effective and accurate performance that is delivered on time and to required quality standards. You will also ensure that the data produced and used by project teams are of the highest quality and are carried out safely and in compliance with industry laboratory standards.

This role will require you to review and approve scientific reports, method development and validations, and to authorize competencies within your area of expertise and then present results that are linked to business needs. You will apply your influencing skills to educate stakeholders regarding technical risks, ensuring clear communication and understanding to allow for cross-functional decision making.

This role demands that you demonstrate your own technical accuracy and expertise and that of your project team by leveraging internal and external resources, continuously identifying opportunities for improvement and being aware of latest relevant best practices. As a people leader, you will advocate for your area of technical expertise, and mentor and coach the technical community to grow their capabilities and to support their career development.

What you will bring

A desire to drive your future and accelerate your career and the following experience and knowledge:
• Relevant laboratory experience
• Your technical area of expertise and the business environment including regulatory requirements, and quality and consumer science
• Communicating and influencing your network and managing internal/external scientific relationships
• Organizing, project management and priority setting
• Technical credibility to develop good working relationships with internal and external clients
• Solving complex technical and analytical problems by devising strong solutions

Main Responsibilities

Technical

• Provide high quality customer service at all times by ensuring effective organisation of assigned workload, integrity of analytical data generated and timely/accurate provision of results.
• Provide technical direction in a wider area of expertise across departments.
• Supervise & perform a range of analysis using techniques including SDS-PAGE, Western Blot, ELISA, PCR, LC-MS, Tissue Culture/Cell-based assays, Capilliary Electrophoresis, RP-HPLC, SEC-HPLC within the team.
• Review, Authorise & Execute complex method development and design validation protocols.
• Perform maintenance and troubleshooting of lab equipment.
• Perform data checking and provide interpretation of results for complex analysis.
• Write, review and authorise scientific reports.
• Expert user of lab-specific software and proficient in the use of generic and specific software packages require for the role: Laboratory’s LIMS system, Q-Pulse, OpenLab.
• Provide training and supervise junior staff in routine activities and methods and interpretation.
• Responsible for a portfolio of projects or a technically complex project within their technical area of expertise.
• Strong technical contributor of cross regional strategic plans and initiatives.
• Keeps current on developments inside and outside of the company that are pertinent to the job and activity efforts through continuous education and training.
• Contributed to creative and innovative solutions to technical challenges and support creation of new business opportunities (global, cross regions).

Communication & Influence

• Work as part of an efficient analytical team
• To liaise with clients, business development and line management to ensure effective communication of project proposals and results.
• Provide expert advice and lead client and stake holders meetings as required
• Deliver external presentations of data and internal presentations to senior technical stakeholders e.g. directors, vice presidents
• Contributes to technical strategies & influences senior management

Leadership and supervision

• Plan own workload and plan routine projects for junior staff
• Train junior members of the team as required.
• Manage a team of Senior Scientists to Technicians

QEHS

• Work to the highest standards of safety and quality by ensuring that appropriate COSHHs, risk assessments and SOPs are understood and followed.
• To complete assigned quality actions in a timely manner, including review and approval
• Write and approve SOPs and Test Methods
• Generation and approval of Risk Assessments and COSHH
• Understand and provide technical regulatory leadership in client audits
• To maintain a clean, tidy and safe working environment.
• To understand and work to the requirements of GMP and UKAS.
• Ensure training records are accurate.

Candidate Requirements

Knowledge: including education, qualifications and training

• Educated to Degree or PhD in a relevant scientific discipline or equivalent relevant experience in a laboratory.
• Proven track record of relevant laboratory experience.
• In-depth knowledge of both technical area of expertise & business environment including regulatory requirements.
• Good knowledge of laboratory quality and accreditation systems (GMP/UKAS).

Skills/Leadership Competencies

• Strong written and spoken communication skills, with the ability to influence, network and manage internal/external relationships.
• Excellent organisational skills including time management and priority setting.
• Meticulous attention to detail, well organized and strong team working ethos. able to organise own work and others to maximise output.
• Strong project management and planning skills, experienced in managing project teams and leading resourcing allocation.
• Technical credibility to develop good working relationships with internal and external clients.
• Ability to solve complex analytical problems.
• Computer literate in standard MS office applications.

Experience

• The individual in this position is a recognized expert in their discipline and has a demonstrated track record of applying their knowledge across different business areas.
• Proven experience of authoring technical reports and presenting findings at relevant symposia.
• Career evidence of report publication, with a track record of success (Preferred).
• Good knowledge of laboratory quality and accreditation systems (GMP/UKAS).
• Experience of working for, or with, a CRO (Preferred).

Languages

• English fluency (written and spoken).

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