Synthetic Biologist (Yield and Photosynthesis) - Plant Biology Institute

At the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT), we’re on a mission to translate scientific discovery into real world impact. We bring together visionary scientists, technologists, engineers, researchers, educators and innovators to tackle humanity’s greatest challenges in four transformative areas:

• Health, Medical Science & Generative Biology
• Food Security & Sustainable Agriculture
• Climate Change & Managing CO₂
• Artificial Intelligence & Robotics

This is ambitious work - work that demands curiosity, courage, and a relentless drive to make a difference. At EIT, you’ll join a community built on excellence, innovation, tenacity, trust, and collaboration, where bold ideas become real-world breakthroughs. Together, we push boundaries, embrace complexity, and create solutions to scale ideas from lab to society. Explore more at www.eit.org.

The Plant Biology Institute, headed by Professor Steve Kelly, is a key part of the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT) Oxford. The institute aims to develop impactful and commercially sustainable solutions for improving global food production and planetary health through pioneering plant science research.

The Plant Biology Institute will unite world-class researchers who are focused on expanding the frontiers of plant science. Our research is focused on enhancing our ability to feed the planet while simultaneously improving the climate and ecosystem outcomes of food production. By embedding cutting-edge plant science research within an organisation that is focused on solving global challenges at scale, we aim to accelerate the timeline from discovery to global impact.

Areas of exploration include:

• Improved plant productivity, both indoors and outside.
• Reduced reliance on inputs including water, fertilisers, pesticides, and herbicides.
• Novel decarbonised plant-based production platforms for food and medicines.
• Advanced technologies that speed up discovery and deployment in plants. 

Researchers will have access to state-of-the-art laboratory and plant growth facilities and have opportunities to collaborate with experts at the forefront of research on AI, automation, and generative biology across the EIT ecosystem. They will also work with global leaders in market development, commercialisation, and impact creation. The Plant Biology Institute has long-term substantial funding to support the unique scale and ambition of its vision.

EIT is seeking a highly motivated and skilled Scientist-level Synthetic Biologist in plant synthetic biology to join its pioneering Plant Biology Institute to contribute to the ‘Photosynthesis and Yield’ programme. This initiative seeks to advance fundamental and applied science in photosynthesis, carbon assimilation, and crop yield improvement to translate findings into commercial opportunities aligned with EIT’s mission of humane and sustainable innovation.

The successful candidate will play a key role in designing and conducting experiments aligned with stage-gated milestones in our plant engineering program. They will bring strong expertise in photosynthesis, carbon fixation, or yield-related pathways, combined with hands-on experience in genome editing, directed evolution, or hypothesis-driven engineering. They should be comfortable changing how biological systems behave, not just describing them.

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in synthetic biology and plant biochemistry. This role offers a unique opportunity to conduct high-impact research at the forefront of plant science while collaborating across multidisciplinary teams to drive innovation from lab to global impact.

• →Work as part of an interdisciplinary team to achieve research goals.
• →Design, conduct and analyse evolution campaigns.
• →Establish new selection schemes suitable for optimization of photosynthetic proteins.
• →Advance protein engineering techniques.
• →Provide expert advice for strategic decision making.
• →Assist in the translation of scientific results into commercial opportunities consistent with the EIT humane endeavours.
• →Recognise and act on opportunities for the creation of IP and cooperating in patent protection and in impact delivery.

• PhD in molecular biology, biochemistry or related discipline.

• Demonstrated competency in relevant research skills including:

-Standard molecular biology techniques.

-Biochemical analysis including protein purification and in vitro assays.

-Bioinformatic analysis and processing genomic data.

• Knowledge of synthetic biology and high-throughput experimental approaches.

• Ability to conduct independent research to the highest standard.

• Ability to perform data analysis, statistical evaluation, and visualisation.

• Experience characterising transgenic plants.
• Experience with gene editing.
• Knowledge of plant physiology.