Research and Development Scientist – Enzyme Engineering

at  Watchmaker Genomics

Position: Research and Development Scientist - Enzyme Engineering
Department : Research and Development
Position Type: Full-Time Employee
Location: Cape Town, South Africa (onsite)
Experience: MSc + 3 years experience, or PhD
Indeed Link

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Watchmaker Genomics is inviting applications for a full-time R&D Scientist position to be based in Cape Town, South Africa. This position reports to the Enzyme Engineering Team Lead. This opportunity is part of expanding the capacity of the Enzyme Development Group. It will involve the support of a research program aimed at developing and characterising novel, proprietary products for various genomics and molecular diagnostics applications. There is a strong emphasis on enzyme rational design and directed evolution to achieve these goals. This individual will be responsible for developing, executing, and documenting experiments and will work closely with the broader scientific and commercial teams.
The successful candidate will thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced working environment and contribute directly to our company culture and success. The position provides an opportunity to develop engineered enzymes that will be part of our products, creating value for customers in life science and clinical diagnostics markets.

SKILLS AND REQUIREMENTS

The following skills and experience are requirements for the position:

• Experience in molecular biology including cloning, PCR and qPCR..
• Experience in setting up and troubleshooting enzyme assays.
• Experience in protein expression and purification.
• Experience in analysing NGS data would be an advantage.
• Specific knowledge of DNA- and RNA-modifying enzymes would be an advantage.
• Strong interest in protein biochemistry and genomics.
• Desire to develop products of practical and commercial value.
• Demonstrated ability to plan, execute, troubleshoot, and interpret high quality experiments.
• Track record of successfully proposing and executing research projects.
• Excellent organisational skills and meticulous attention to detail.
• The ability to multitask, perform consistently under pressure and work without supervision.
• Strong interpersonal skills and an ability to work as an effective member of a team.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent personal task management skills with a high level of self-motivation and initiative.
• A creative and disciplined approach to problem-solving.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• PhD or MSc in biochemistry, molecular biology, or a related discipline. Relevant work experience and a proven track record are preferred.

• Design, plan, and perform molecular biology experiments, including plasmid vector design and construction.
• Plan and perform microbiology experiments including: cell transformation and protein expression in shaking flask cultures and bioreactors.
• Plan and perform protein purification experiments including: cell lysis; small scale affinity purification; FPLC-assisted affinity purification.
• Plan and perform protein characterisation experiments including: SDS PAGE and enzyme assays.
• Systematically and methodically develop, trouble-shoot and optimise biochemical assays.
• Plan and perform molecular biology experiments including PCR, qPCR and preparation of NGS libraries.
• Accurately document details of all experiments in an electronic lab notebook; meticulously analyse and interpret data; and regularly present results and project status updates to managers and peers for discussion.
• Contribute to conceptualising and inventing technologies for the genomics and molecular diagnostics markets.