Senior Scientist, Protein Production & Assay

Our mission at Xyme is to transform markets through transformative molecules by using a new class of physics-first AI that designs chemistry, proves it in the lab and converts it into proprietary molecular IP. As an innovative startup based in Oxford and Manchester, UK, we bring together interdisciplinary teams of scientists, engineers, and data specialists to push the boundaries of protein design. Our dynamic, collaborative work environment is fuelled by a passion for innovation. We cultivate a culture of continuous learning and improvement, where every team member can make a lasting impact on groundbreaking research and real-world applications.

As Senior Scientist, Protein Production & Assay, you will work as part of a small, collaborative team to help establish Xyme’s experimental pipeline. You will contribute to the workflows and team culture needed to deliver reliably produced designs and characterise them to provide high-quality data to drive Xyme's Design engine.

Your initial focus will be recombinant protein production in bacterial expression systems, together with multi-property enzymatic characterisation and development. As the business grows, you will help develop and implement plans to automate high-throughput protein production and screening assays. You will collaborate closely with analytical chemistry, and computational design teams to close the loop between design and experimental validation.

The bullet points below represent our ideal setup, but we don't expect anyone to check every box. If you bring a unique blend of skills, a passion for learning, and a drive to make an impact, we want to hear from you.

• Contribute to establishing the data generation function, helping to define capabilities and standard operating procedures for high-throughput protein expression, purification and characterisation
• Design, optimise, and execute protein production campaigns in E. coli, Bacillus and cell-free expression systems, from construct design through to purified protein delivery with a view towards automation
• Support the scale-up of cellular expression processes from microplate screening to mid-scale fermentation, ensuring consistent yield and quality
• Implement and maintain automated liquid handling workflows for high-throughput protein production and assays, integrating with laboratory information management systems
• Ensure quality control of produced proteins using techniques such as SEC, DSF, SDS-PAGE, and intact mass analysis
• Develop, validate, and run robust plate-based (96/384-well) enzyme activity assays, working with automated liquid handling
• Characterise enzymatic performance through kinetics, substrate conversion, and product quantification
• Support reaction optimisation (e.g. pH, temperature, cofactor, substrate) using design of experiments approaches
• Collaborate with the computational design team to align production priorities with design iterations, feeding data back to inform the next design cycle
• Follow and promote best practices in molecular biology, protein science, data analysis and annotation, and lab safety, sharing your expertise to support decisions within the team

• A PhD in biochemistry, molecular biology, biotechnology, or a closely related field, with 3+ years of relevant research or industry experience in recombinant protein production and characterisation
• Deep hands-on expertise in E. coli and Bacillus protein expression and purification techniques (IMAC, SEC, and IEX), and with biophysical characterisation methods for quality control (DSF, DLS, SDS-PAGE)
• Proven track record in scaling protein production from small- to mid-scale fermentation or bioreactor systems
• Experienced in design, execution, and data analysis of enzyme screening and kinetic characterisation experiments
• Experience designing and operating automated liquid handling workflows (e.g., Hamilton, Tecan, or Opentrons platforms)
• Excellent molecular biology skills including cloning, transformation, plasmid design, and DNA/RNA handling
• A willingness to share knowledge and support colleagues
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams bridging wet-lab and computational science
• A collaborative team player who takes shared ownership of the laboratory environment, helping colleagues to service, maintain, and care for equipment and shared spaces so the lab runs safely and smoothly

• Experience with fungal and or yeast expression host systems
• Familiarity with high-throughput 96- or 384-well plate-based expression screening and colony picking workflows
• Experience with flow cytometry and FACS screening methods
• Hands-on experience for preparation of NGS libraries, sequencing, and data analysis
• Experience with bioprocess development or fermentation optimisation
• Experience with Python or R for data analysis, or familiarity with laboratory information management systems (LIMS)

• The opportunity to work on groundbreaking technology with real-world impact, making significant contributions to synthetic chemistry and protein design
• A unique opportunity to help shape the Company's scientific research from the ground up and contribute to scientific direction
• Experience working on complex scientific projects, balancing competing demands and delivering against ambitious timelines
• A supportive and collaborative work environment that nurtures creativity and innovation, providing genuine ownership and autonomy
• Continuous learning and development opportunities, including the chance to attend and present at relevant conferences and industry events
• Competitive compensation and benefits package commensurate with your skills and experience

Xyme is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace where all individuals feel valued, respected, and empowered to contribute to our mission. We encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds and experiences.

This role is based on-site in Oxford, with the expectation of being on-site at least four days a week.