ABOUT US

At Quell we seek to deliver truly innovative, life-changing therapies for our patients. Our vision as a company is to build a major global biopharmaceutical company bringing transformational and valued therapies for a range of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, as well as preventing rejection in organ transplantation, based on modular engineered Tregs. 

OUR COMPANY

Quell was founded in March 2019 in partnership with six prominent immunological experts from King’s College London, University College London, and Hannover Medical School, and is led by Iain McGill, a leading pharmaceutical executive with extensive relevant experience, having spent most of his 25 years in the industry in immunology, including the areas of solid organ and cell transplantation. The Company was founded with initial series A financing, led by Syncona Ltd who committed £34M with a further £1M contributed by UCL Technology Fund.

THE ROLE

Research Associate – Treg Biology

Quell is looking for a Research Associate to join the Treg Biology team. This individual will report to the Associate Director of Product Research and will be involved in exploring the biology of Tregs to produce next generation Treg therapies. The successful candidate will work closely with the Scientists and Research Associates within the sub-team to conduct experiments, analyse data, and present findings. The Research Associate will also collaborate with other teams in R&D and CMC to progress our understanding of our cellular products.

This position offers an excellent opportunity for a talented and motivated Research Associate to contribute to a key part of our work. Quell offers an exciting and highly dynamic environment focused on developing cutting-edge Treg therapies.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Culture primary T-cells.
• Perform immunological cell-based assays.
• Assess Treg parameters through e.g. multi-parameter Flow Cytometry.
• Isolate primary cells using immunomagnetic technologies and FACS.
• Provide technical support for assay setup, protocol optimisation and troubleshooting.
• Analyse data in a timely manner and present findings at team/departmental meetings.
• Maintain highly organised and detailed documentation of experimental procedures.
• Collaborate and coordinate work with other teams to meet deadlines and goals.
• Help to maintain the laboratories to a high standard.
• Manage databases and assist in establishing relevant SOPs.
• Provide guidance and training to new or junior staff. 

ESSENTIAL SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE 

• Solid understanding of cell biology.
• Competent understanding of immunology.
• Competent handling of mammalian and primary human immune cell cultures using aseptic techniques.
• Experience with immunological cell-based assays.
• Good understanding of and skilled with multi-parameter Flow Cytometry.
• Familiarity with data analysis softwares such as Prism and FlowJo.
• Excellent organisational skills to adhere to deadlines and reach goals.
• Work co-operatively as part of a team as well as independently.
• Good attention to detail and record keeping.
• Master’s degree in Immunology or related subject and 2 years of relevant industry experience. Bachelor’s degree in Immunology or related subject and 3 years of relevant industry experience. 

DESIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Solid understanding of T-cell immunology.
• Experience with the use of the Cytek Aurora and NxT Attune flow cytometers.
• Excellent time and project management skills aligned with an ability to prioritise activities.
• Understanding of process optimisation and assay development.
• Ability to efficiently identify and implement solutions.
• Previous experience using electronic lab notebooks.
• Proven commitment to high quality work and maintenance of high standards.
• Contribute to a culture that embraces scientific excellence, integrity, urgency, patient centricity and continuous improvement 

PERSONAL QUALITIES

• Ability to work collaboratively within a team, supporting one another and held accountable for project deliverables.
• Professional and personable communication skills.
• Driven to solve problems pragmatically.
• Passionate about science.
• Good working attitude, reliability, and flexibility.
• Desire to work with integrity and act as an ambassador for Quell and the wider business.

BENEFITS

• Holidays: 25 days per year.
• Life Assurance: 4 x base salary.
• Group Personal Pension: Auto enrolled at 4% employer contribution, 4% employee contribution.
• Private Medical Insurance for your whole family.
• Annual Bonus. 

PERKS

• Fantastic collaborative environment at Translation & Innovation Hub
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• £62 Million Investment including brand new lab equipment, innovative methods, and exposure to cutting edge technology.
• Flexible working.
• Fast paced and progressive company looking for future leaders and innovators.