Research Assistant - Molecular Diagnostics and Immunoassay Development

About the role

NEXSEN is seeking a Research Assistant to contribute to the development of pharmacogenetics and antibody-based diagnostic panels. The role combines hands-on laboratory work, critical literature review, antibody and reagent sourcing, and day-to-day support for a busy research laboratory. The initial focus includes the Cube-Dx pharmacogenetics panel and ELISA/micro-ELISA assay development, including work associated with the GENSPEED programme. Working with the scientific team and project partners, the successful candidate will have opportunities to develop expertise across molecular diagnostics, immunoassays and evidence-led product development.

Key responsibilities

2.1 Cube-Dx pharmacogenetics panel development

• Support literature and database reviews relevant to gene–drug pairs, variants, population coverage and available reference materials, with findings reviewed by the project’s scientific and pharmacogenetics leads.
• Assist with DNA/sample preparation, PCR-related workflows, assay experiments and validation studies, according to approved protocols and training.
• Maintain target and reference-material trackers, experimental records, QC summaries and partner-discussion records to support the panel’s development.

2.2 ELISA and antibody-based assay development

• Assist with reagent preparation, antibody-pair screening and optimisation of assay conditions, including capture/detection combinations, dilutions, blocking and incubation conditions.
• Support experiments examining signal, background, precision, recovery, interference and specificity, as appropriate to the assigned study.
• Organise experimental data and contribute to technical summaries connecting published evidence, supplier information and laboratory findings.

2.3 Literature research and antibody sourcing

• Conduct focused, in-depth searches of primary research papers, technical reports and supplier documentation; produce clearly referenced evidence summaries and comparison tables.
• Identify and compare candidate antibodies, matched pairs, antigens and controls, recording clone/catalogue identity, assay role, available specificity or cross-reactivity evidence, formulation, conjugation and relevant applications.
• Support scientific correspondence with vendors and maintain sourcing records covering availability, sample access, quotations, lead times, lot information and documentation on permitted research/OEM/IVD use for senior review.

2.4 Laboratory operations and documentation

• Contribute to routine laboratory activities, including buffer preparation, reagent stock checks, sample labelling/storage, purchasing requests, equipment checks and shared-workspace organisation.
• Maintain accurate, traceable records and assist with SOPs, inventories and project trackers, working within the laboratory’s safety, confidentiality and quality procedures.

About you

• A bachelor's degree in biomedical science, molecular biology, biochemistry, biotechnology, medical laboratory science or a closely related discipline.
• Experience from a research project, internship or laboratory role, with reliable pipetting, dilution calculations, reagent preparation and sample handling.
• Exposure to at least one of DNA extraction/PCR, ELISA or another antibody-based assay.
• Ability to search and critically read scientific papers, identify relevant methods and controls, and prepare structured summaries with accurate references.
• Competence with Excel or equivalent tools for organising results, basic calculations, tables and plots, together with careful laboratory record-keeping.
• Clear written and spoken English, attention to detail, effective organisation, and the ability to work collaboratively and complete defined tasks with appropriate supervision.
• Relevant undergraduate project and internship experience is recognised; previous full-time research employment is not essential. Experience across both molecular diagnostics and immunoassays would be advantageous, with initial responsibilities aligned to the candidate’s background.