Scientific Technician
| Posting date: | 27 January 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £24,225 to £26,573 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 18 February 2026 |
| Location: | Harpenden, Hertfordshire |
| Remote working: | On-site only |
| Company: | Rothamsted Research |
| Job type: | Contract |
| Job reference: | 855 |
Summary
Scientific Technician – Plant Molecular Biology & Genetics
9‑month fixed term | Harpenden | Dr Christophe Lambing’s Laboratory
£24,225 - £26,573 per annum
Are you passionate about plant science, genetics, and cutting‑edge molecular biology? Do you want to contribute to high‑impact research uncovering how genetic information is exchanged and inherited? If so, we’d love you to join our team.
We are inviting applications for a Scientific Technician to help the research programme of Dr Christophe Lambing at Rothamsted Research. This is an exciting opportunity for a motivated and curious scientist to gain hands-on experience in a vibrant research environment.
About the Research
Our group investigates the fundamental biology of meiotic recombination—a process crucial for fertility, genetic diversity, and genome evolution. During meiosis, hundreds of programmed DNA double‑strand breaks are repaired through unique germ‑cell pathways. While essential, many aspects of this mechanism remain unknown.
This project focuses on Arabidopsis and aims to:
Decode the molecular pathway driving germ cell differentiation
Understand how these pathways influence meiotic recombination
Develop and apply innovative genetic, epigenetic, and molecular biology techniques to answer long-standing questions in plant reproductive biology
What You’ll Be Doing
You’ll play a key role in supporting experimental work across the lab, including:
Characterising Arabidopsis mutant lines
Collecting and preparing plant samples for genotyping
Conducting DNA extractions, PCR, and microscopy
Assisting with molecular cloning and plant transformation
Contributing to high‑throughput phenotyping of recombination events
Working closely with a postdoctoral researcher to deliver high‑quality data and impactful research outputs
This role offers the chance to broaden your technical expertise and work across a wide range of modern molecular and genetic techniques.
About You
We’re looking for someone who is:
Experienced in genetics and molecular biology
Scientifically curious with a strong understanding of biological concepts
Able to work with precision, accuracy, and attention to detail
A clear communicator with a collaborative, team‑focused mindset
Ideally educated to university level or higher in a relevant discipline
You’ll have expert guidance, but we also value proactive individuals who enjoy taking ownership of their experiments and contributing to the wider success of the team.
Interested?
For informal enquiries or further information, please contact:
Dr Christophe Lambing – christophe.lambing@rothamsted.ac.uk
About The Company
Established in 1843, Rothamsted Research is one of the UK's leading Research Institutes delivering world class agricultural science. Our commitment to learning and development, equality, diversity and inclusion and flexibility in working arrangements creates a positive work life balance and enables a welcoming environment for all prospective employees.
As a Disability Confident Employer we are committed to making reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process and all disabled candidates (as defined by the Equality Act 2010) who satisfy the minimum criteria for the role will be guaranteed an interview. If this is required, please contact us. Applications from candidates irrespective of their background, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion or age are welcomed, providing the required criteria is met.
We have an attractive benefits package including 30 days annual leave, a generous pension scheme, Employee Assistance Programme and an attractive campus offering cultural and recreational activities.
9‑month fixed term | Harpenden | Dr Christophe Lambing’s Laboratory
£24,225 - £26,573 per annum
Are you passionate about plant science, genetics, and cutting‑edge molecular biology? Do you want to contribute to high‑impact research uncovering how genetic information is exchanged and inherited? If so, we’d love you to join our team.
We are inviting applications for a Scientific Technician to help the research programme of Dr Christophe Lambing at Rothamsted Research. This is an exciting opportunity for a motivated and curious scientist to gain hands-on experience in a vibrant research environment.
About the Research
Our group investigates the fundamental biology of meiotic recombination—a process crucial for fertility, genetic diversity, and genome evolution. During meiosis, hundreds of programmed DNA double‑strand breaks are repaired through unique germ‑cell pathways. While essential, many aspects of this mechanism remain unknown.
This project focuses on Arabidopsis and aims to:
Decode the molecular pathway driving germ cell differentiation
Understand how these pathways influence meiotic recombination
Develop and apply innovative genetic, epigenetic, and molecular biology techniques to answer long-standing questions in plant reproductive biology
What You’ll Be Doing
You’ll play a key role in supporting experimental work across the lab, including:
Characterising Arabidopsis mutant lines
Collecting and preparing plant samples for genotyping
Conducting DNA extractions, PCR, and microscopy
Assisting with molecular cloning and plant transformation
Contributing to high‑throughput phenotyping of recombination events
Working closely with a postdoctoral researcher to deliver high‑quality data and impactful research outputs
This role offers the chance to broaden your technical expertise and work across a wide range of modern molecular and genetic techniques.
About You
We’re looking for someone who is:
Experienced in genetics and molecular biology
Scientifically curious with a strong understanding of biological concepts
Able to work with precision, accuracy, and attention to detail
A clear communicator with a collaborative, team‑focused mindset
Ideally educated to university level or higher in a relevant discipline
You’ll have expert guidance, but we also value proactive individuals who enjoy taking ownership of their experiments and contributing to the wider success of the team.
Interested?
For informal enquiries or further information, please contact:
Dr Christophe Lambing – christophe.lambing@rothamsted.ac.uk
About The Company
Established in 1843, Rothamsted Research is one of the UK's leading Research Institutes delivering world class agricultural science. Our commitment to learning and development, equality, diversity and inclusion and flexibility in working arrangements creates a positive work life balance and enables a welcoming environment for all prospective employees.
As a Disability Confident Employer we are committed to making reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process and all disabled candidates (as defined by the Equality Act 2010) who satisfy the minimum criteria for the role will be guaranteed an interview. If this is required, please contact us. Applications from candidates irrespective of their background, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion or age are welcomed, providing the required criteria is met.
We have an attractive benefits package including 30 days annual leave, a generous pension scheme, Employee Assistance Programme and an attractive campus offering cultural and recreational activities.
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.