Associate Principal Scientist - Cell Expression Technologies

Associate Principal Scientist - Cell Expression Technologies

Lonza

Cambridge, United Kingdom

Join Lonza in Cambridge as an Associate Principal Scientist and play a leading role in developing next-generation CHO-based expression platforms that enable faster, more efficient production of complex biologics.

What you will do:

• Lead technical projects focused on mammalian (CHO) cell expression systems, acting as a scientific authority within the team.
• Drive the development of next-generation CHO host platforms for complex therapeutic protein production.
• Engineer mammalian cell lines using advanced techniques including CRISPR-based editing, targeted and random integration.
• Design and generate mammalian expression vectors using state-of-the-art molecular biology and assembly technologies.
• Oversee phenotypic and molecular characterisation of engineered cell lines (e.g. NGS, ddPCR, qPCR, flow cytometry, advanced cell culture).
• Mentor and support junior scientists, fostering technical excellence and continuous development.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to ensure timely delivery of innovative expression solutions under rigorous scientific and GMP standards.

What we are looking for:

• Ph.D. or M.Sc. in a relevant life sciences discipline with significant R&D experience in academia and industry.
• Strong expertise in mammalian cell line engineering, ideally with CHO expression systems.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex scientific projects and mentoring or line managing scientists.
• Deep understanding of cell culture optimisation, transfection, stable pool generation, gene editing, and protein expression.
• Proven ability to deliver high-impact projects within defined timelines and quality standards.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to operate autonomously and within multidisciplinary teams.
• Working knowledge of experimental design, statistics, and the IP landscape relevant to biologics platform development.
• Experience with directed evolution or automated screening technologies in mammalian cells is advantageous.