At the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT), we're on a mission to translate scientific discovery into real world impact. We bring together visionary scientists, technologists, policy makers, and entrepreneurs to tackle humanity's greatest challenges in four transformative areas:
* Health, Medical Science & Generative Biology
* Food Security & Sustainable Agriculture
* Climate Change & Managing CO₂
* Artificial Intelligence & Robotics
This is ambitious work - work that demands curiosity, courage, and a relentless drive to make a difference. At EIT, you'll join a community built on excellence, innovation, tenacity, trust, and collaboration, where bold ideas become real-world breakthroughs. Together, we push boundaries, embrace complexity, and create solutions to scale ideas for lab to society. Explore more at
Welcome to the Pathogen Project:
Within this ecosystem, the Pathogen Project exemplifies EIT's dedication to ground-breaking science. It seeks to transform pathogen risk management, detection and response by leveraging Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS)-based metagenomic and pathogen-specific analytical tools. The goal is to power metagenomic devices using long-read sequencing technologies by building a comprehensive database of pathogen information to inform response. Enabled by Oracle Inc.'s cloud-computing scale and security, the Pathogen Project is advancing toward certified diagnostic tools for deployment in laboratories, hospitals, and public health organisations worldwide.
Your Role:
At EIT we are seeking an experienced and detailed orientated Microbiologist to join the Pathogen Program and support EIT's pathogen phenotyping capabilities. This role focuses on the execution and optimisation of antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) for bacterial isolates. The program will later expand to include phenotyping of fungal and viral pathogens.
Working under the supervision of the Senior Microbiologist, you will be responsible for implementing and running EUCAST- and CLSI-compliant assays, maintaining high standards of quality and reproducibility, and contributing to the development of new and improved protocols. While your core focus will be on assay execution and laboratory operations, you will also have the opportunity to contribute creatively to the development of new assays and workflows that enhance data generation and analytical depth.
This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a growing scientific team, helping build a world-class reference laboratory at the intersection of microbiology, automation, and data science.
Key Responsibilities:
Assay Implementation and Development
* Execute AST protocols for bacterial pathogens in compliance with EUCAST and CLSI standards.
* Perform microbial culture, isolation, and identification ensuring biosafety and quality control at all stages.
* Operate and maintain phenotyping instruments such as Thermo Fisher Sensititre, BD Phoenix, bioMérieux VITEK, or equivalent systems.
* Support the establishment and maintenance of MALDI-TOF MS workflows for microbial identification and resistance profiling.
* Participate in developing novel or optimised bacterial assays to increase the quality and richness of phenotypic data.
* Contribute ideas and experimental input to the continuous improvement of assay performance and analytical methods.
Laboratory Operations and Quality Management
* Perform daily laboratory testing with precision, accuracy, and adherence to established SOPs and quality systems.
* Maintain detailed records of experiments, QC results, and equipment logs.
* Assist in the preparation and refinement of SOPs, protocols, and training materials.
* Support laboratory setup, maintenance, and biosafety compliance.
Collaboration and Innovation
* Work closely with the Senior Microbiologist and EIT's automation engineers to integrate and optimise workflows on robotic or semi-automated systems.
* Liaise with data and bioinformatics teams to ensure accurate data capture, management, and interpretation.
* Participate in project meetings and contribute to experimental design discussions and troubleshooting.
* Support method transfer and training activities for EIT's partner laboratories worldwide.
Requirements
Essential Knowledge, Skills and Experience:
* BSc or MSc in Microbiology, Infectious Disease Biology, or a closely related discipline.
* Strong practical experience in bacterial culture, isolation, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing following EUCAST or CLSI standards.
* Hands-on experience with automated or semi-automated microbiology systems (e.g., Sensititre, BD Phoenix, VITEK).
* Good understanding of biosafety procedures within Containment Level 2 (CL2) laboratories.
* Proven ability to maintain accurate laboratory records, perform QC, and troubleshoot technical issues.
* Exposure to MALDI-TOF MS systems for microbial identification.
* Familiarity with digital laboratory tools such as LIMS or data-integrated workflows.
Desirable Knowledge, Skills and Experience:
* Familiarity with automated liquid handling or robotic screening platforms.
* Knowledge of fungal or viral phenotyping methods.
* Experience with assay optimisation, validation, or technology transfer.
* Demonstrated curiosity, creativity, and enthusiasm for innovation in microbiology.
* HCPC registration or eligibility.
Key Attributes:
* Detail-oriented and methodical approach to laboratory work.
* Strong problem-solving and troubleshooting skills.
* Ability to work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary team.
* Commitment to quality, safety, and continuous improvement.
Benefits
We offer the following benefits:
* Enhanced holiday pay
* Pension
* Life Assurance
* Income Protection
* Private Medical Insurance
* Hospital Cash Plan
* Therapy Services
* Perk Box
* Electrical Car Scheme
Working Together – What It Involves:
* You must have the right to work permanently in the UK with a willingness to travel as necessary. In certain cases, we can consider sponsorship, and this will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
* You will live in, or within easy commuting distance of, Oxford (or be willing to relocate).