Transformation Team Leader

Contract: Full-time, indefinite

Location: John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK.

An exciting vacancy has arisen for a Transformation Team Leader to lead and manage a team at the John Innes Centre, focusing on transformation and gene editing in a range of non-cereal crops.

About the John Innes Centre:

The John Innes Centre is an independent, international centre of excellence in plant and microbial sciences. We nurture a creative, curiosity-led approach to answering fundamental questions in bioscience, and translate that knowledge into societal benefits. Our strategic vision, Healthy Plants, Healthy People, Healthy Planet, sets out our ambitious long-term goals for the game changing impact of our science globally. 

Our employees enjoy access to state-of-the-art technology and a diverse range of specialist training opportunities, including support for leadership and management. Click here to find out more about working at the John Innes Centre.

The role:

The main purpose of the role is to lead and develop a small team delivering transformation and gene editing in a range of non-cereal crops, including oilseed rape, vegetable Brassicas and legumes. The post holder will be responsible for the normal day to day activities of the team including tendering for jobs, managing research budgets and developing the skills of team members to deliver a successful service to public and private sector users.

An important facet of the role will be to drive innovation, expanding our capabilities and ensuring state-of-the-art gene editing techniques are accessible to crop scientists both nationally and internationally. Working with staff within the Institute Strategic Programmes you will build relationships with academics and businesses, developing partnerships and new projects that make a key contribution to the John Innes Centre's national and international reputation as a hub for innovation in crop science.

The ideal candidate:

The ideal candidate will have previous experience delivering innovation in crop transformation or gene editing and will be responsible for developing new capabilities alongside managing the team to deliver a first-class service to users in the United Kingdom and internationally. Experienced in plant molecular biology, the successful candidate will have excellent organisational skills, the ability to manage budgets and deliver high quality work to agreed deadlines.

Candidates should have a PhD in a relevant subject or equivalent post-graduate experience in crop science and a sustained track record of research and delivery in crop transformation and/or plant gene editing.

Additional information:

Informal enquiries are welcome, please contact Professor Steven Penfield (steven.penfield@jic.ac.uk).

Interviews will be held on 2 September 2024.

Please note, this post does not meet UKVI requirements to provide visa sponsorship.

For further information and details of how to apply, please click on the ‘Apply’ button above, reference 1004706 .

We are an equal opportunities employer, actively supporting inclusivity and diversity. As a Disability Confident organisation, we guarantee to offer an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for this vacancy. We are proud to hold a prestigious Gold Athena SWAN award in recognition of our inclusive culture, commitment and good practices towards advancing of gender equality. We offer an exciting, stimulating, diverse research environment and actively promote a family friendly workplace. The Institute is also a member of Stonewall’s Diversity Champions programme.

The John Innes Centre is a registered charity (No. 223852) grant-aided by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.

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