Droplet Scientific Ltd
Lead Scientist – IVD Assay & Reagent Development
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About Droplet Scientific
Modern hospitals continuously track heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen levels. Yet biochemical measurements still depend on infrequent and intermittent blood samples. Important changes between tests can go unseen, making it harder to recognise trends, assess treatment response and act at the right time.
We are working to change that.
Droplet Scientific is a startup developing a new platform for continuous biochemical monitoring. Using proprietary droplet microfluidics, our technology is designed to measure clinically important biomarkers and therapeutic drug concentrations automatically and in near real time, giving clinicians a clearer and more actionable picture of each patient’s condition.
We are building a multidisciplinary team across engineering, chemistry, product development and manufacturing to turn our established research-use technology into robust, scalable products for healthcare and the life sciences. Join us to help create this new monitoring technology with the potential to improve clinical decision-making and patient care.
About The Role
We are seeking a Lead Scientist – IVD Assay & Reagent Development to lead the development, optimisation and translation of biochemical assays and reagent systems into robust, manufacturable products for our analyser platforms.
You will work closely with the founders and team across microfluidics, engineering, quality, manufacturing and clinical development, you will help translate biochemical assays into robust, manufacturable and regulated products.
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The role will include both in-house new assay development and working with external reagent and assay suppliers to identify, evaluate and adapt commercially available assays, reagents, calibrators and controls for integration into Droplet Scientific's devices.
What you’ll do
- Lead the development, optimisation and validation IVD assays for use on Droplet Scientific’s microfluidic analyser platform.
- Translate user and system needs into assay requirements, performance targets and acceptance criteria.
- Develop and optimise reagent formulations, calibration methods, controls, stability, packaging and shelf-life testing.
- Characterise assay performance, including accuracy, precision, sensitivity, linearity, interference and reproducibility.
- Work closely with engineering teams to optimise assay chemistry alongside microfluidics and optical detections.
- Lead troubleshooting, root-cause analysis and continuous improvement of assay and reagent performance.
- Support analytical performance and clinical studies.
- Support regulatory development and activities within the company’s ISO 13485 Quality Management System & technical file.
- Support supplier qualification and transfer of assay and reagent processes into controlled manufacture.
What you’ll bring
- Proven experience developing biochemical or diagnostic assays in a regulated IVD environment.
- Strong knowledge of reagent formulation, assay optimisation, calibration and analytical performance.
- Experience designing robust experiments and defining meaningful performance criteria and acceptance limits.
- Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving skills.
- The ability to take technical ownership and work effectively across scientific and engineering teams.
- Experience developing IVD products under ISO 13485, including design controls, verification, validation and technical documentation.
- Strong technical communication and documentation skills.
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Particularly valuable experience
- IVD, clinical chemistry or point-of-care diagnostic development.
- Automated analysers, microfluidics or integrated diagnostic systems.
- Reagent stabilisation, shelf-life studies and reagent packaging.
- Transfer of assays or reagent processes into regulated manufacture.
Why join Droplet
- Meaningful ownership: You will shape a core capability rather than inherit a narrowly defined task list.
- A real product challenge: The work spans science, engineering, regulated development and manufacture, with a clear route into clinical use.
- Multidisciplinary collaboration: You will work directly with the founders and colleagues across microfluidics, chemistry, engineering, quality and manufacturing.
- Visible impact: In a small team, your work can quickly become part of a real product, with the potential to improve how patients are monitored and cared for.
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