Join us as a Senior Scientist and make an invaluable contribution to our Food Safety & Biosecurity
As a Senior Scientist/Delivery Manager, you will play a key role in supporting and growing Microbiology delivery within the Specialist Microbiology Services team. With practical experience in traditional food and environmental microbiology, you will support new proposals, products or process improvements and/or areas of research within the SMS team. You will act as delivery lead for PTG projects and be the key point of contact for external customers, ensuring the successful delivery of all projects. You will work closely with the Team manager, team members and science leads to help grow the business' client portfolio.
What you'll be doing:
* Provide day-to-day functional management and leadership for CL2 microbiology staff, ensuring effective team performance and compliance.
* Act as Delivery Lead and Project Manager for all FAPAS schemes, including Food, Legionella, Parasitology, Drinking Water, Bathing Water, and Spa Water, along with associated R&D activities.
* Oversee daily microbiology operations, including ad-hoc support across Business Units, ensuring consistent and high-quality delivery.
* Drive the development of Fera's Biopesticide offering, supporting future GLP-compliant microbiology delivery now that methods are established and validated.
* Expand CL2 microbiology capabilities, including Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) testing and bespoke commercial projects.
* Provide expert technical advice on CL2 microbiology to internal stakeholders across Fera.
* Serve as UKAS Technical Manager for CL2 delivery, leading continuous improvement initiatives and maintaining accreditation standards.
What we're looking for:
* Ideally you will be degree qualified with significant work experience ideally in microbiology or a related scientific discipline (no degree but equivalent experience will also be considered).
* Strong understanding of foodborne and environmental pathogens, with the ability to apply scientific expertise to meet customer and project needs.
* Experience in functional staff management and project coordination, including training delivery and support for quality and health & safety audits.
* Excellent communication and planning skills, with the ability to report progress, troubleshoot issues, and engage with customers and stakeholders.
* Proven experience working in high containment CL2 microbiology laboratories, with strong knowledge of traditional microbiological methods and ISO 17025 standards is desirable.
* Skilled in molecular method development and optimisation, including rapid and alternative techniques; awareness of GLP requirements is desirable.
* Eligible for SC enhanced security clearance (must have lived in the UK for at least 5 years).
What's in it for you?
* ?25 days' holiday (rising to 29) with the opportunity to buy & sell extra leave.
* Flexible working hours, on-site gym, restaurant, and free parking
* The opportunity to take a paid day out of the office, volunteering for our charity partners or a cause of your choice
* Company matched pension, life assurance, a cycle2work scheme, 15 weeks' fully paid maternity, adoption and shared parental leave, paternity pay of two weeks…and plenty more.
* Voluntary benefits designed to suit your lifestyle – from discounts on retail and socialising, to health & wellbeing, travel and technology
* Fera operates a LTIP ( Long Term Incentive Plan) under which all employees are awarded points towards shares in the Employee Benefits Trust on an annual basis. The Employee Benefits Trust holds shares on behalf of our employee, at the point of an equity event the shares will realise a cash value.
What we hope you'll do next:
Choose 'Apply now' to fill out our short application, so that we can find out more about you. If you have any questions you'd like to ask before applying, you can contact
We're an equal opportunity employer, which means we recruit and develop people based on their merit and passion. We're committed to providing an inclusive, barrier-free recruitment process and working environment for everyone. If you need the job description or application form in an alternative format or if you'd like to discuss other changes or support you might need going forward, please email at and we'll get back to you.
At Fera, we're making the world a better, healthier and safer place. We're a joint venture partnership between Bridgepoint and Defra and we're working proactively to protect the world we live in and the food we eat. Our teams are investigating plant and bee health, crop protection and sustainable agriculture. Join us and discover better as you deliver world-class science for the future.