Ellison Institute of Technology
Laboratory Technician - Plant Biology Institute
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Welcome to the Plant Biology Institute at EIT
The Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT) invites applications for a Laboratory Technician to support cutting-edge research in its Plant Biology Institute, aligned with global challenges in food security, sustainable agriculture, and planetary health.
About EIT At EIT, we bridge the gap between scientific discovery and real-world impact. By combining expertise in Health & Generative Biology, Food Security, Climate Solutions, and AI/Robotics, we foster innovation that drives scalable change. A culture built on excellence, collaboration, and ambition, EIT is transforming ideas into breakthroughs—collaboratively.
The Plant Biology Institute (led by Professor Steve Kelly) advances pioneering plant science to address key challenges:
- Improved plant productivity – Both in controlled and outdoor environments.
- Reduced resource reliance – Cutting reliance on water, fertilisers, pesticides, and herbicides.
- Decarbonised platforms – Developing novel plant-based systems for food and medicine.
- Accelerated discovery – Leveraging AI, automation, and generative biology to speed innovation.
Supported by robust funding and state-of-the-art facilities, the Institute fosters interdisciplinary collaboration with experts across sustainable agriculture, biotechnology, and commercialisation to transition discoveries into impactful global solutions.
Your Role: Laboratory Technician
The role will support critical experimental workflows within EIT’s Plant Sciences research programmes, assisting in hands-on plant propagation, molecular biology, and bioprocessing to accelerate discovery.
As a Laboratory Technician, you’ll play a central role in maintaining experimental integrity, ensuring seamless research operations, and advancing plant biotechnology solutions.
Responsibilities
Experimental Support
- Plant cultivation: Grow and maintain experimental plants under micro-environmental control (e.g., growth chambers).
- Reagent preparation: Prepare buffers, media, transformation constructs, and technical solutions for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation.
- Sample preparation: Assemble media, inoculate cell/microbial cultures, manage antibiotics, and set up controlled environments for experiments.
- Biochemical analysis: Support protein extraction/purification, quantification, SDS-PAGE, and immunodetection techniques (Western Blots). Conduct plate-reader assays.
- Tissue culture: Aseptic maintenance, propagation, and transformation of plant tissues in sterile conditions; manage suspension cultures.
- Cell/microbial processing: Support bioreactor/fermenter operations (small scale), inoculation, growth monitoring, genotyping, metabolic analysis, and downstream processing (sampling, harvesting, extraction).
- Molecular biology: Execute routinely DNA/RNA extraction, PCR, plasmid purification (mini-, midi-, maxiprep), primer design, agarose gel electrophoresis, cloning, and construct preparation.
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Laboratory Maintenance & Safety
- Cleaning & organisation: Maintain benches, instruments, and workspace per sterility protocols.
- Equipment care: Calibrate, troubleshoot, and record maintenance of laboratory tools.
- Reagent/supply management: Track inventory, order supplies, label materials according to protocols.
- GMO/biosafety compliance: Follow quarantine regulations, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and plant pathogen safety protocols.
- Sterilisation: Autoclave waste, disinfect equipment, and ensure aseptic technique.
- Waste disposal: Handle hazardous/biological waste per requirements.
Data Collection & Record Keeping
- Epitomise precision by meticulously recording experimental procedures and raw data in notebooks/digital systems.
- Enhance data robustness: Organise datasets, contribute to experimental summaries.
Inventory & Material Management
- Prioritise efficiency: Oversee the supply chain—track inventory levels, complete orders, ensure timely stock availability.
- Label and store: Align reagents and supplies with workflow demands—ermi-assist with SOPs—providing immediate value.
Logistics
- Transport biological samples between groups, ensuring proper handling/deduplication.
- Deliver consumables/samples per documented workflows.
Skills, Qualifications and Experience
Essential
- Academic background: BSc qualification (or equivalent) in a related field (Biology, Biochemistry, Molecular Genetics, or Horticulture).
- Familiarity? Documented experience with:
- Media/sterilisation techniques (e.g., autoclave reprocessing).
- Growing plants/microorganisms under sterile conditions.
- Molecular biology routine procedures—e.g., PCR, plasmid minipreps/midipreps, DNA/RNA extraction, agarose electrophoresis, cloning, nucleotide quantification.
- Safety awareness: Comprehension of health and safety standards, COSHH (in)forms, and laboratory protocols.
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Desirable
- Agrobacterium transformations: Considerable hands-on experience or basic transformation proficiency.
- Plant tissue culture: Proficient in suspension culture initiation, maintenance, regeneration processes under aseptic techniques.
- Histology: Young leaf tissue histogram, immersion, or cryosection protocols.
- Microscopy mastery: Direct, dissecting, fluorescence, or confocal microscopy.
- Specialized environments: Capability to manage microaerobic or anaerobic manipulation.
Benefits
- Compensation: Competitive salary (adjusted to experience) with educational enhancements like travel allowance/bonus structure.
- Work-life balance: Alumni-enriched holiday packages with additional buy day options.
- Retirement: Offered pension scheme.
- Well-being: Life assurance, income protection, private medical insurance scheme extended in years 1–3.
- Healthcare cover: Optional Hospital Cash Plan, comprehensive therapy services on site.
- Rewards & utility: Perk Box, Electric Car Scheme, generously supported childcare assistance.
Working Together
Location agility: Must possess the ability to work (or relocate to) within commuting distance of Oxford/nearby. Work rights: Entitlement to indefinite UK employment—having secured and operating a permanent residential work permit. Sponsorship will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Embrace the challenge of a distinctive career—where research transforms planetary health through plant-centric innovation—at EIT. Your bold thinking. Our scalable impact. Explore us today.
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