Senior Research Scientist - In vitro cardiac disease modelling

Translational Genomics team

Hays Life Sciences is now looking to recruit a Senior Research Scientist - In vitro cardiac disease modelling to join the Translational Genomics team for a 1-year contract assignment at AstraZeneca in Gothenburg.

Are you an experienced scientist in the field of stem cells and gene editing? Would you like to contribute to the development of novel therapies?

This might be the next challenge for you!

At AstraZeneca in Gothenburg, Sweden we have an exciting opportunity for you to join us in Applied Stem Cell Sciences group in Translational Genomics, Discovery Sciences, Biopharmaceuticals R&D, as a bench-based Senior Research Scientist to be a key player in developing therapeutics to change patients' lives.

The role
You will be based in Gothenburg Sweden, working alongside our stem cell scientists, disease area specialists and genome editing group. Using your strong knowledge and experience in stem cell biology, cell model development and CRISPR technology you will have the opportunity to work on in vitro aspects of therapeutic genome editing projects. This includes culture, genome-engineering and differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and genetic and functional validation of engineered lines.

The role is focused on laboratory-based activities. Your biggest impact will be through significant contributions to the practical delivery to projects in compliance with AstraZeneca corporate responsibility, policies and relevant safety standards.

It is essential to have good social and communication skills, be collaborative and a strong team player. Candidates should be able to work independently, take own initiatives and have a positive, goal oriented and problem-solving attitude.

Good organizational, data management and documentation skills are required, and you should be comfortable in presenting your results. English language is required, both spoken and in writing.

Key Responsibilities:

* Culture and differentiation of human iPSC lines to cardiac and skeletal muscle
* Perform molecular biology, biochemical, and cellular assays to evaluate the outcomes of gene editing experiments on genomic DNA, mRNA, protein, and functional levels.
* Culture of human primary cells and various mammalian cell lines.
* Effectively collaborate within a matrixed research team to facilitate the success of projects.
* Maintain complete experimental records.

Minimum Requirements:

* PhD in Developmental Biology, Cell Biology, Gene Editing or a BSc/MSc degree with significant experience
* Proven experience with PSC biology and directed-differentiation to cardiac and/or skeletal muscle
* Demonstrable experience with cell line engineering using CRISPR/CAS9
* Design, develop, and optimize in vitro transfection/transduction experiments using a variety of perturbagens, including lentivirus/AAV-mediated infection
* Hands-on experience with the following assay platforms: RT-qPCR, ddPCR, Flow Cytometry, ELISA, Western blots, and cellular functional assays
* Experience with the culture of multiple mammalian cell types including primary cells
* Excellent communication skills with ability to build open and collaborative relationships and work effectively as a member of a multidisciplinary team
* Excellent organizational skills and documentation practices

The following skills are highly desirable:

* Experience with NGS library prep, bioinformatic analysis, and cutting-edge molecular biology methods
* Expertise with liquid handling automation technologies
* Experience of setting up cell based pharmacological assays