Job Title: Senior Scientist - Cell Line Engineering & Protein Expression

Company: Scarlet Therapeutics

Location: Science Creates Old Market, Midland Road, Bristol

Application closing date: 10th January 2026

Start date: Flexible, H1 2026

Salary: Flexible, (depending on experience)

Job Description:

We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Senior Scientist to lead cell line development and protein expression efforts. The ideal candidate will have deep experience in growing and engineering cell lines, preferably red blood cells, and a strong track record of optimizing protein expression using lentiviral vectors. This role will also contribute to enzymatic assay development and analysis. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop, culture, and maintain mammalian cell lines, with a preference for red blood cell or erythroid lineage systems 
• Design, optimize, and implement lentiviral expression vectors to enhance protein expression 
• Lead vector optimization strategies, including promoter selection, construct design, and transduction efficiency improvements 
• Drive strategies to increase protein yield and stability in engineered cell lines 
• Perform and analyze enzymatic assays to evaluate protein function and activity 
• Design and execute experiments independently, including data analysis and interpretation 
• Document experimental results and contribute to reports, protocols, and internal presentations 
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to support research and development goals 

Key Qualifications:

• PhD in Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, or a related field 
• Minimum of 3 years experience in mammalian cell culture and protein expression 
• Extensive hands-on experience in cell line culture and protein expression 
• Demonstrated expertise in lentiviral vector design, production, and transduction 
• Proven experience optimizing protein expression levels in mammalian cells 
• Experience with enzymatic assays and biochemical characterization techniques 
• Strong experimental design, troubleshooting, and analytical skills 
• Excellent communication and documentation skills 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working with red blood cells or erythroid progenitor systems 
• Background in gene therapy, synthetic biology, or advanced vector engineering 
• Familiarity with scaling expression systems or translational research environments 

About Scarlet Therapeutics:

Scarlet Therapeutics is a biotechnology company developing transformative therapies. Building on more than a decade of world-renowned research in Bristol, UK, the team at Scarlet is pioneering unique technology to harness the potential of blood as medicine, positioning the company to become the global leader in the field of therapeutic red blood cells.

We offer a fantastic working environment that is part of Science Creates, a Bristol-based deep tech ecosystem, combining specialist incubator facilities, a network of strategic partners and a dedicated venture capital fund. 

Scarlet Therapeutics is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. We believe in the power of diverse perspectives to drive our innovation and progress. To qualify for this position, you will need to be authorized to live and work in the UK. 

In your application, please send a CV and a covering letter stating your motivations and what you think you could bring to the role to leanne.parks@scarlet-tx.com.