Your Role
At EIT we are seeking a visionary and accomplished Group Leader in Plant and Cell-Based Production to contribute to a transformative research programme at the forefront of plant biotechnology. This leadership role is integral to shaping a newly established and rapidly scaling Plant Biology Institute that aspires to become a global leader in delivering scientific breakthroughs with real‑world impact. The successful candidate will spearhead innovative focused research programs in either plant specialized metabolism discovery and engineering, plant cell culture optimisation or the genetic regulation of the identity, metabolism and growth of plant cells in culture with the overall programme goal of advancing plant cell culture for novel decarbonised plant‑based production of food and/or medicines, guiding projects from fundamental discovery through to technological development and scalable application. You will build and manage a high‑performing team, ensure research excellence and ensure research can be translated into impact and commercial opportunities aligned with EIT's mission of humane and sustainable innovation. This is a rare opportunity to define the scientific direction of a next‑generation research hub addressing some of the planet's most pressing challenges.
Your Responsibilities
Leadership
* Contribute to the development and expansion of a newly established plant science institute which will scale rapidly over the next 5 years to become a global leader in plant science research aimed at tackling humanity's greatest challenges.
* Establish and lead a research group focused on plant specialised metabolism discovery and engineering, plant cell culture optimisation or the genetic regulation of the identity, metabolism and growth of plant cells in culture, designing and executing projects that advance both foundational understanding and applied innovation.
* Work with internal teams to define the path to impact for the research programme, design and execute research programmes, and ensure that all research programmes are value‑driven and purposeful.
* Recruit and lead a top‑talent team of research scientists including postdocs and PhD candidates; hire based on competency, experience and values; manage on clear performance targets and accountability; maintain a positive, engaged culture in line with EIT Oxford values.
Research Excellence
* Contribute to planning and communicating the scientific direction of the advanced genome technology programme aimed at changing the art of the possible in plant cell‑based production.
* Direct the activities of the research group by supervising some projects personally and overseeing projects delegated to group members, providing intellectual energy and independent thinking to lead a programme of cutting‑edge research.
* Drive rigorous experimental design, execution, and data interpretation, ensuring robust and reproducible scientific outcomes.
* Manage the research programme through stage‑gated milestones with active, no‑go decisions based on validated research data; design research programmes to enable delivery requirements to be considered through development and implementation; identify pre‑emptive decisions to enable future scale‑up.
* Manage project resources – including personnel, equipment and budgets – in coordination with senior leadership.
* Ensure research is conducted ethically and in compliance with EIT policy, regulatory guidance and best scientific practice.
* Generate, maintain and manage collaborations with key teams across EIT Oxford and the wider scientific and commercial ecosystem to accelerate the path to discovery and impact; maintain key stakeholder relationships.
* Work, where appropriate, with the commercial team within EIT to translate research results into commercial opportunities consistent with EIT's humane endeavours; recognise and act on opportunities for the creation and protection of intellectual property.
Plant Specialized Metabolism Discovery and Engineering
* Design and lead research projects focused on understanding and engineering plant specialised metabolism in plant cell cultures for the production of high‑value plant natural products with applications in health and medicine.
* Develop and apply novel engineering and synthetic biology strategies to optimise biosynthetic pathway flux and product accumulation.
* Collaborate with EIT Oxford computational modelling and robotics teams to establish model‑driven engineering and rapid iteration of engineering cycles.
Requirements
* Strong background in plant specialised metabolism.
* Experience in specialised metabolite analysis including mass spectrometry.
* Experience in plant metabolic engineering and synthetic biology to modify or enhance metabolic outputs.
* Proficiency in applying advanced plant biotechnology approaches to interrogate and re‑programme metabolic networks.
* Expertise in utilising plant cell culture systems as platforms for metabolic studies and compound production.
* Experience with the use of laboratory automation and robotics.
* Experience with cross‑disciplinary collaboration, especially with computational modellers.
* Leader of research groups within academia or industry.
* Recognised thought leader in their field.
* Proven ability to manage scientific output for a team of PhDs/Post‑doctoral researchers.
* Demonstration of commercial awareness and versatility of research that could serve a wide range of applications (e.g., oils, pharmaceuticals, foods); development of partnerships with engineering, technical partners and licensees or channel partners.
* Project management, communication and resource allocation experience.
* Ability to build both internal and external relationships; working collaboratively with others outside their discipline.
Benefits
* Competitive salary + travel allowance + bonus.
* Enhanced holiday + options to buy additional days.
* Pension.
* Life Assurance.
* Income Protection.
* Private Medical Insurance.
* Hospital Cash Plan.
* Therapy Services.
* Perk Box.
* Electric Car Scheme.
* Childcare benefit.
What We Offer
* Newly constructed, state‑of‑the‑art laboratories and growth facilities; core scientific and operational support; and substantial core funding to support a research group.
* A collaborative research environment with highly skilled team working at the cutting edge of plant science to create commercially sustainable solutions that tackle humanity's biggest challenges, including enabling sustainable agriculture and improving the climate and ecosystem outcomes of food production.
* Opportunities for professional development including publication, conferences, IP portfolio creation, spin‑out generation, and leadership development.
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