Biopharmaceutical Cell Line Development Senior Scientist

The Biopharm Cell Line Development (CLD) group is seeking to expand its team of enthusiastic and passionate scientists, dedicated to driving the progression of GSK’s Biopharmaceutical portfolio by the delivery of high-quality cell lines, expressing Biopharmaceutical molecules, which are destined for commercial manufacturing.

CLD sits within the wider Biopharm Process Research (BPR) group whose key remit is to accelerate the development of Biopharmaceutical assets into clinical manufacture by linking drug discovery and product development. Recent investment in automated cell line development and upstream platforms, combined with cutting edge analytical techniques and advanced data analysis, is enabling us to better understand our cell lines and platform processes to progress GSK’s ever growing Biopharmaceutical portfolio.

By the application of techniques varying from traditional molecular biology and cell culture through to bespoke automation programming, cellular analysis and data visualisation; CLD scientists facilitate the development of thousands of cell lines per year in support of multiple projects running concurrently. CLD scientists work together with their process development and analytical colleagues in triaging final cell lines to meet strict quality criteria. CLD scientists then engage and collaborate with colleagues within GSK’s GMP facility to transition project cell lines into a manufacturing environment. Regulatory facing documentation is required to support these cell line transfers and CLD scientists are accountable for demonstrating scientific rigour in all aspects of their work and experimental recording.

We currently have a number of Senior Scientist roles available within CLD reporting to the Cell Line Engineering / Cell Line Triaging / Cell Line Selection Team leaders. These are fast-paced lab-based positions and we are looking for autonomous individuals with a strong interest in cell biology, preferably with experience in mammalian cell culture and with an aptitude to independently design and deliver work packages to advance the CLD platforms. We are looking for individuals who are capable and willing to learn new techniques and who are confident interpreting complex data sets. The ability to work collaboratively within a team - in addition to delivering on individual objectives is fundamental to these roles. Therefore, the successful applicants must demonstrate strong interpersonal and communication skills.

In this role you will

• Support CLD project campaigns in the laboratory and as a representative for the department by communicating updates to key stakeholders as required. The roles will include the application and optimisation of all aspects of cell line development from host cell engineering, transfection optimisation, routine maintenance / analysis / passaging of suspension CHO cells, single cell cloning and imaging, cellular phenotype fingerprinting, ambr15 bioreactor screenings and offline PQ analyses, clone selection through to cryopreservation of project critical cell banks. There are numerous opportunities for personal development and training, particularly due to the cross-functional interactions that will be a key to success in this role and the applicants must be able to show a willingness to learn and develop themselves.
• Assisting in the authoring of detailed technical reports and process transfer documents required for cell bank transfer to GSK’s GMP facility and as primary information for regulatory facing documents.
• Contribute to wider cell line understanding, automation and data analysis work packages within BPR, from conceptual ideas through to experimental delivery and data analysis. Openly sharing findings and pro-actively seeking scientific input and critique to support platform development and a predict-first ambition.
• Be an active and adaptable member of an established and highly effective BPR team, willing to support and prioritise wider team deliverables when portfolio demands require.
• Play an active role in maintaining a high-performing lab environment, by managing your own time effectively, contributing to the daily upkeep of business-critical equipment and by supporting other team members to achieve shared objective.

Why you?

Qualifications & Skills:

We are looking for professionals with these required skills to achieve our goals:

• Have a degree and/or MSc in biology, biochemistry or associated discipline or 3+ years industrial experience.
• Have hands on experience in mammalian cell culture for antibody or protein production
• Have excellent planning, communication and interpersonal skills
• Be able to independently multitask to deliver objectives to specific timelines.
• Have an enthusiastic and adaptable attitude to learning and applying new skills in a multidisciplinary environment

Preferred Qualifications & Skills:

If you have the following characteristics, it would be a plus:

• Hands on experience in Cell Line Development in an industrial setting and a good understanding of typical workloads, challenges and bottlenecks that may be encountered
• Experience in any of the following would be a benefit
  • Cell culture (liquid-handling) automation and programming / Flow cytometry / high-content imaging / genome engineering / Next generation sequencing
  • Practical experience with ambr15 systems for mammalian cell processes
  • Working knowledge and/or experience of antibody product quality analyses
  • Hands on experience with standard molecular biology techniques and comfortable in interpreting basic bioinformatic outputs.
  • Experience of data visualisation and analysis using Spotfire or similar software

Why GSK?

Uniting science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together

GSK is a global biopharma company with a special purpose – to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together – so we can positively impact the health of billions of people and deliver stronger, more sustainable shareholder returns – as an organisation where people can thrive. Getting ahead means preventing disease as well as treating it, and we aim to impact the health of 2.5 billion people around the world in the next 10 years.

Our success absolutely depends on our people. While getting ahead of disease together is about our ambition for patients and shareholders, it’s also about making GSK a place where people can thrive. We want GSK to be a place where people feel inspired, encouraged and challenged to be the best they can be. A place where they can be themselves – feeling welcome, valued and included. Where they can keep growing and look after their wellbeing. So, if you share our ambition, join us at this exciting moment in our journey to get Ahead Together.

Find out more:

Annual Report 2022

Closing Date for Applications: Tuesday 11th April 2023 (COB)

Please take a copy of the Job Description, as this will not be available post closure of the advert.
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#LI-GSK

GSK is a global biopharma company with a special purpose – to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together – so we can positively impact the health of billions of people and deliver stronger, more sustainable shareholder returns – as an organisation where people can thrive. Getting ahead means preventing disease as well as treating it, and we aim to impact the health of 2.5 billion people around the world in the next 10 years.

Our success absolutely depends on our people. While getting ahead of disease together is about our ambition for patients and shareholders, it’s also about making GSK a place where people can thrive. We want GSK to be a workplace where everyone can feel a sense of belonging and thrive as set out in our Equal and Inclusive Treatment of Employees policy. We’re committed to being more proactive at all levels so that our workforce reflects the communities we work and hire in, and our GSK leadership reflects our GSK workforce.

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