Environmental Biologist

Location: Sandwich, Kent
Position: Full-time
Reports to: CEO
Posted: March, 2025

About the role

Please note: You must have the right to work in the UK for this role, based onsite at Discovery Park, Kent. 

We are seeking a passionate Environmental Biologist (inc. Microbiologist, Molecular Biologist, Ecologist or similar), as we continue to enhance our agricultural soil intelligence solutions. The successful candidate will likely have a background in academic research, with post-doc or industry experience preferred but not essential. 

The role will include management of Elaniti’s agricultural soil science laboratory at Discovery Park, Sandwich, Kent. As such only candidates who are able to be onsite during normal working hours should apply.   

Key Responsibilities

• Establish and lead robust DNA/RNA extraction and QA processes on soil and other environmental samples

• Manage customer samples in, ensuring SOPs are followed to preserve sample integrity

• Perform experimental research to test and validate microbial functional annotations

• Work collaboratively with bioinformatics and data science personnel to develop and test hypotheses using various analytics techniques

• Provide line management support to the lab team (technicians, research scientists) as we scale our capabilities

• Actively contribute to driving forward Elaniti’s vision and mission

About you

Education

PhD degree in Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Ecology or similar, along with relevant work experience.

Experience

• Have previously worked in positions of significant responsibility 

• Strong experience leading projects from ideation through to completion

• Handling and organising large sample sets (desirable)

• Lab protocol automation to increase sample throughput (desirable)

Technical Skills

• Proficiency in nucleic acid extraction, purification, amplification, analysis and optimisation of protocols for challenging matrices

• User / operator of commonly used DNA sequencing techniques 

• Microbial culturing and genetic engineering experimental design and delivery for functional annotation and validation

• Familiar with common bioinformatics workflows for taxonomic and functional annotations of microbial communities (desirable)

• Basic programming skills for data handling / custom analysis (desirable)

Soft Skills

• Excellent problem-solving and parallel thinking abilities

• Accountability seeking behaviour, adaptability, and strong work ethic

• Diligent and pragmatic, paying very close attention to detail

• Impact-driven, with a passion for nature-based solutions addressing the climate emergency

We have an open mind in terms of the experience and background a successful candidate may bring. If you do not meet all the criteria on the list but still think you are a good fit, please reach out. If you are passionate about our work, and excited to learn, we would love to hear from you!

Benefits

• Competitive salary

• Share options in a fast growing company for this integral role

• 30 days annual leave (including Bank Holidays)

• Full time onsite at Elaniti’s lab in Discovery Park, Sandwich, Kent

• Pension scheme

• Personal development budget

Recruitment process

Send your CV to careers@elaniti.com and a brief note describing your interest. If you are selected to go further, the process will proceed as follows:

• Initial video call with one of the team

• Chat with CEO

• Chat with Head of Bioinformatics 

• Offer

About Elaniti

We are Elaniti and we help farmers and agronomists unlock the power of their soil microbiome for healthier harvests. 

Soil is fundamental to life on Earth - our soils are responsible for 95% of the food we eat. But through conventional farming, our soils are becoming increasingly degraded. The transition to sustainable and regenerative agriculture has become urgent and inevitable, and must be expedited if we are to reach our Net Zero goals. 

Elaniti works within the agricultural sector to support yield, nutrient use efficiency and disease management objectives, leveraging advancements in DNA sequencing, bioinformatics, and Machine Learning / AI to provide increasingly precise decision support to growers.