Synthetic Biologist

Are you passionate aboutPlant Biotechnology, Synthetic Biology and the future of sustainablematerials?Do you want to use your scientific expertise to makereal-world impact?We have animmediate opening for anR&D Scientist in Synthetic Biology / Plant Sciences.Apply fast, check the full description by scrolling below to find out the full requirements for this role.Location:Edinburgh, UKFull-Time (12-month contract, potential to extend to permanent)Salary: 34,598-37,067About LeafyCollThe LeafyColl team is driven by the potential of plants to transform the production of structural proteins.We are a fast-growing engineering biology startup, developing a next-generation platform to producebioidentical proteins such as collagenusing plant-based systems. LeafyColl is building a scalable and sustainable alternative to animal-derived collagen, with applications across cosmetics, food, and biomaterials. Working with a multidisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, and commercial experts, we are rapidly developing a first-of-its-kind protein manufacturing platform.Whom are we looking for:We are seeking people driven by excellence, with a strong interest in using their passion for science and plants to create innovations with real-world impact. You will be engaging with pioneering work, building and optimising biological systems to enable recombinant protein expression using synthetic biology tools across plant and microbial systems. xjdpvnf Qualifications:PhD in Synthetic Biology, Molecular Biology, Plant Biotechnology, Biochemistry, or related disciplineExperience in genetic construct design and molecular cloningExperience in recombinant protein expression (E. coli, algae, or plants)Experience with gene editing tools (e.g., CRISPR-Cas9)Experience in working on non-model plants or crops.Experience with plant-based expression systems (transient or stable)Key accountabilities:Design and optimise genetic constructs for protein expressionDevelop and test recombinant protein expression systems (e.g., collagen)Perform molecular cloning, plasmid assembly, and validationConduct transient expression and plant-based assaysGenerate and characterise stable plant linesAnalyse protein expression and optimise yield and functionalityContribute to experimental design, data analysis, and reportingWork collaboratively in a fast-paced, innovation-driven environment

Created: 2026-04-07