Genotyping and Event Delivery Manager - Plant Biology Institute

Ellison Institute of Technology · Oxford, United Kingdom · Full-time · Posted 2026-09-07

Workplace: on_site

Department: Plant Biology Institute

Description

Join us at EIT:

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.

Welcome to the Plant Biology Institute:

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.

Your Role:

EIT is seeking an experienced Event Delivery and Genotyping Manager to join the Crop Transformation Pipeline team within the Plant Biology Institute. This role will lead molecular event confirmation, genotyping assay strategy, event advancement decisions and delivery of high-quality gene edited and transgenic crop events to downstream trait and product teams.

The successful candidate will be a technical authority in genotyping technologies for transgenic and gene edited crops, with strong experience in event characterisation, assay development, sample tracking, molecular data interpretation and project delivery. They will connect transformation, tissue culture, greenhouse, vector design, bioinformatics and trait teams to ensure that events are confirmed, prioritised and handed over with robust data packages.

This role is critical to building an industrial-grade event delivery capability for crops including corn, wheat and other strategic species. The candidate will establish event stage-gate criteria, molecular QC workflows, genotyping vendor strategies, LIMS-enabled sample tracking and performance metrics that improve speed, quality and predictability of event delivery.

The candidate will own the downstream event confirmation and delivery process, ensuring that regenerated plants and events are sampled, genotyped, QC-reviewed, prioritised and handed over with clear molecular data packages.

Your Responsibilities:

Lead the event delivery workflow from transformation output through plant recovery, sampling, molecular confirmation, quality review, advancement decisions and handover to trait, greenhouse or product teams.
Design, validate and implement genotyping assays for transgenic and gene edited events, including transgene presence/absence, edit detection, zygosity, copy number, junction assays, backbone absence, on-target and off-target analysis, segregation tracking and event integrity.
Apply appropriate genotyping technologies such as endpoint PCR, qPCR, ddPCR, KASP, HRM, Sanger sequencing, amplicon sequencing, targeted sequencing, NGS and targeted capture approaches to support event selection.
Partner with the Vector Design Manager to ensure every construct is paired with a fit-for-purpose molecular assay plan before transformation begins.
Develop event stage-gate criteria and decision frameworks for advancing gene edited and transgenic events based on edit outcome, transformation quality, copy number, expression/reporter data, regeneration status and downstream programme needs.
Coordinate sample collection, DNA extraction, plate maps, barcoding, chain-of-custody, sample submission, vendor shipment and data return across internal laboratories and external service providers.
Work with bioinformatics and data teams to analyze edit outcomes, chimerism/mosaicism, indel profiles, sequence confirmation, off-target risk, event integrity and molecular quality metrics.
Own event inventory management, genotype data capture, sample traceability and event status dashboards using ELN, LIMS and structured data systems.
Track key pipeline metrics including event yield, transformation efficiency, edit frequency, assay success rate, QC pass rate, sample turnaround time, regeneration-to-confirmed-event conversion and event delivery timelines.
Manage external genotyping, sequencing and molecular characterisation service providers, ensuring quality, turnaround time, budget and data format expectations are met.
Create SOPs, sample submission templates, assay validation standards, QC checklists, data interpretation guides and event handover templates.
Develop detailed project plans, resource forecasts, risk registers and milestone dashboards for event confirmation and delivery activities.
Train and mentor scientists, research associates and technicians in sample tracking, genotyping workflows, assay interpretation and event advancement criteria.
The successful candidate will combine technical depth in plant genotyping and event characterisation with strong operational discipline. They will ensure that transformation outputs are converted into well-characterised, decision-ready events that can be advanced efficiently and confidently.
The candidate will be expected to support IP creation, regulatory readiness and commercial translation by ensuring event data packages are accurate, traceable and fit-for-purpose for downstream development.

Collaboration and Communication

Collaborate with vector design, crop transformation, tissue culture, greenhouse, trait discovery, bioinformatics, automation/AI, regulatory/IP, legal, procurement and external partner teams.
Present event delivery status, molecular characterisation data, genotyping assay performance, risks and mitigation plans to project teams and leadership.
Define clear standards for event sampling, molecular QC, genotyping interpretation, event advancement and handover across the pipeline.
Contribute to training and capability building across the Plant Biology Institute, including best practice in genotyping assay development, event confirmation and data integrity.
Represent the event delivery and genotyping function in internal and external collaborations, ensuring scientific quality, confidentiality and timely delivery.

Impact

Establish a robust event delivery and genotyping engine that improves speed, predictability and confidence in gene edited and transgenic crop event generation.
Improve event advancement decisions by ensuring transformation outputs are molecularly confirmed, QC-reviewed and prioritised using clear stage-gate criteria.
Reduce wasted downstream effort by filtering events early using robust genotyping, molecular QC and data-driven decision-making.
Support translation of scientific discoveries into commercially applicable crop improvement tools and trait products, including IP and regulatory-ready data packages.

Requirements

Essential Skills, Qualifications & Experience:

PhD in Plant Biotechnology, Molecular Biology, Genetics, Genomics, Crop Science or a related discipline, or MSc with significant relevant industry experience. At least 5-7 years of experience in plant biotechnology, genotyping, molecular characterization or event advancement.
Demonstrated expertise in genotyping technologies for gene edited and transgenic plants, including PCR, qPCR, ddPCR, KASP, Sanger sequencing, amplicon sequencing and NGS-based approaches.
Strong experience designing, validating and interpreting molecular assays for event confirmation, including copy number, zygosity, insertion confirmation, junction analysis, backbone screening, edit outcome analysis and segregation tracking.
Strong understanding of crop transformation workflows and the practical requirements for moving events from transformation through regeneration, sampling, genotyping, greenhouse transfer and downstream handover.
Experience with molecular data interpretation for genome editing outcomes, including indels, precise edits, multiplex edits, chimerism/mosaicism and off-target assessment.
Experience with ELN, LIMS, sample barcoding, plate maps, structured data capture, event inventory management and data integrity practices.
Excellent project management skills, including milestone tracking, resource planning, vendor management, risk management and stakeholder coordination.
Proven ability to manage external vendors, service providers or collaborators for genotyping, sequencing, DNA extraction, assay development or molecular characterization.
Ability to communicate event status, molecular data, risks and advancement recommendations clearly to scientific, operational and leadership audiences.
Strong troubleshooting, documentation and continuous improvement mindset.

Desirable Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Experience in industrial ag-biotech, commercial seed/trait development, molecular breeding, crop transformation platforms or product development pipelines.
Hands-on experience with corn, wheat, soybean or other major crop species, including genotype-dependent transformation and event recovery challenges.
Experience developing regulatory-ready molecular event data packages or working within GLP, QMS or quality-controlled research environments.
Experience with high-throughput genotyping workflows, 96/384-well sample handling, automation, liquid handling, LIMS integration and dashboard reporting.
Experience with whole-genome sequencing, targeted capture, off-target prediction/validation or bioinformatics-supported edit analysis.
Experience building or leading a small technical team and establishing new operational processes in a fast-moving research environment.

Benefits

Salary dependent on experience + travel allowance + bonus
Enhanced holiday. Our annual leave allowance is 25 days plus 8 bank holidays and an additional 3 days between Christmas and New Year. You will also have the opportunity to purchase an additional 5 days annual leave in January and July.
Pension - Employer contribution 7.5%, minimum employee contribution 5%
Life Assurance.
Income Protection
Private Medical Insurance as standard for you, your partner and any dependents. Including hospital Cash Plan
Employee discounts
Electric car scheme
Nursery Salary Sacrifice scheme
Cycle to Work Scheme
Family Planning
Neurodiversity support including advise and assessments
Coaching & Therapy services

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Apply at Ellison Institute of Technology

About the company

The Ellison Institute of Technology brings together science, engineering, policy, and entrepreneurship to tackle global challenges through four focus areas: Health, Medical Science & Generative Biology; Food Security & Sustainable Agriculture; Clean Energy Generation & Storage; and Artificial Intelligence & Robotics. It turns scientific discoveries into commercial products and sustainable companies, reinvesting profits to fund further research, and its GPAS bioinformatics platform helps rapid pathogen analysis to prevent future pandemics. The institute partners deeply with the University of Oxford and uses an alliance faculty model so researchers can work across both institutions, supported by patient capital and major campus development. Its goal is to translate research into tangible solutions that address real-world problems while building self-sustaining research ecosystems.

Company Size

201-500

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

Oxford, United Kingdom

Founded

2023

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

On August 25, 2026, Oxford City Council approved EIT's Daubeny R&D redesign.
April 2026 brought 19 second-cohort Undergraduate Ellison Scholars from 14 countries.
Wild Bioscience's $60 million Series A led by EIT expands climate-resilient wheat output.

What critics are saying

Santa Ono exits EIT Oxford in 2026, exposing succession risk across global operations.
The £200 million Daubeny overhaul restarted after a 2025 pause, signaling execution slippage.
If Ellison funding tightens, EIT's 7,000-person campus model collapses.

What makes Ellison Institute of Technology unique

Larry Ellison bankrolls a 2 million-square-foot Oxford campus, targeting 7,000 employees by 2027.
EIT funds Oxford DPhil scholars and joint programs with the University of Oxford.
Foster + Partners-designed campuses merge labs, clinics, and commercialization under one operational roof.

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Benefits

Health Insurance
Life Insurance
Disability Insurance
Mental Health Support
Paid Holidays
Performance Bonus
Childcare Support

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

12%

1 year growth

12%

2 year growth

Property Week

Aug 24th, 2026

Ellison Institute of Technology gets go-ahead for London HQ revamp.

Ellison Institute of Technology gets go-ahead for London HQ revamp. Westminster City Council has granted permission for a major reworking of the Mayfair headquarters of the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT), the research body founded by Oracle co-founder and billionaire Larry Ellison. The consented project will retrofit the organisation's London headquarters at 11-12 St James's Square, with an extension to the rear of the site built in 1990 to be rebuilt. Around 66% of the listed London buildings will be retained, while the modern two-storey extension at the rear will be demolished to make way for a new rear facade and a string of modern amenities. The Foster + Partners-designed scheme received unanimous approval from the council's planning committee, with the scheme praised for its innovative design and cutting-edge tech facility. The EIT plans to use the space as its flagship London offices. It bought the buildings from Hong Kong billionaire Joseph Lau's Chinese Estates in late 2024 for £163m. Chinese Estates had bought the building from the Employees' Provident Wealth Fund of Malaysia for £174.9m in 2017. The EIT is currently developing a £300m science research facility at the Oxford Science Park that will total more than 2m sq ft. It acquired the land for the expansion of its Littlemore campus in October 2025. It is understood the EIT is investing around £890m in the life sciences campus for the expansion.

Savills

Jul 3rd, 2026

The rise of owner occupiers in the regional office market.

The rise of owner occupiers in the regional office market. 03 July 2026 Market conditions are driving a rise in office owner-occupiers across the UK. Office investment activity across the UK's regional cities is evolving, with owner occupiers emerging as an increasingly influential buyer group. Historically, owner occupiers represented a relatively small segment of the purchaser market; however, changing market conditions and pricing dynamics have accelerated this trend significantly over the last 18 months. Falling capital values are creating acquisition opportunities. According to MSCI, regional office values have decreased by 39% since 2019, creating an opportunity for occupiers to acquire assets at discounted pricing levels. For a growing number of businesses, this shift has presented the chance not only to secure long-term occupational control, but also to strengthen the opportunity for strategic property ownership. This trend is now clearly reflected in investment activity: owner occupiers were the most active investor group in 2025, accounting for 35% of total regional office investment volumes. Momentum has continued into 2026, with owner occupiers representing 30% of investment activity up to the end of May 2026. Major occupiers are increasingly acquiring their own buildings Several high-profile transactions demonstrate the growing confidence of occupiers in acquiring their own real estate. In Manchester, Bank of New York Mellon acquired its headquarters at 4 Angel Square in NOMA for £114 million, having previously occupied the building as a tenant. In Bristol, Lloyds Bank acquired 10 Canons Way for £65 million, reflecting a net initial yield of 8.2%. Other notable occupiers including Adanola, Crew Clothing and Princes Group have also acquired their office buildings as part of longer-term operational strategies in the last 18 months. The trend is not limited to traditional office occupiers. In Oxford, science and innovation-led businesses have also been active: the Ellison Institute has acquired several sites to support its future requirements and ProImmune previously acquired an entire business park for owner occupation purposes. Although these examples are more science and laboratory focused, they reflect the broader shift towards businesses seeking greater control over their real estate. Rental growth is changing the occupational equation. One of the key drivers behind this trend is the scale of rental growth across the UK's major regional office markets. Prime office rents across the Big Six regional cities have increased by an average of 29% over the last five years, materially increasing occupational costs for businesses considering relocation or lease renewal. While many occupiers remain willing to pay premium rents for best-in-class space, acquiring a headquarters building can provide longer-term cost certainty and protection against future rental inflation. In addition, many occupiers recognise the potential for future yield compression over the medium to long term, creating opportunities for value appreciation. A structural shift in occupier behaviour. The increase in owner occupier activity reflects more than opportunistic acquisitions, it signals a broader shift in how businesses are approaching occupational strategy, capital allocation and long-term operational resilience. As market conditions continue to evolve, owner occupation is likely to remain an increasingly important feature of the regional office investment landscape, particularly amongst businesses seeking greater control, cost certainty and strategic flexibility.

Milton Park

Apr 22nd, 2026

Oxford spinout Wild Bioscience secures $57M Series A led by Ellison Institute to scale climate-resilient wheat at Milton Park

Wild Bioscience, a University of Oxford spinout developing climate-resilient crops, has expanded its operations at Milton Park following a £45 million Series A investment led by the Ellison Institute of Technology. Oxford Science Enterprises, Braavos and the University of Oxford provided continued support. The company has increased its footprint by 4,560 square feet to total 16,000 square feet, including new laboratory and office space. The expansion has enabled Wild Bioscience to triple its plant output within months, with particular focus on precision-bred wheat. The 40-person company has strengthened its leadership team with two senior appointments: Lisa Flashner, EIT's chief operating officer, joins as non-executive director, whilst Dr Stuart Harrison becomes chief business officer after 24 years at Syngenta. Wild Bioscience uses AI-driven modelling to identify traits from wild plant species for developing climate-resistant crops.

Oxford Student Publications Limited

Mar 24th, 2026

Ellison Institute of Technology unveils designs for Oxford Science Park.

Ellison Institute of Technology unveils designs for Oxford Science Park. 24th March 2026 New designs for buildings in Oxford Science Park were revealed last month, drafted by Foster + Partners and funded by the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT). The designs are part of The Daubeny Project, which involves the construction of three new buildings with "enhanced lab infrastructure designed to support cutting-edge research", including over 70% of space on each floor available for laboratories. EIT owns the buildings, with revisions to the initial three building designs lodged in February. These designs reduce the number of parking spaces available to the buildings, outline plans for a Generative Biology Institute (GBI) and a Plant Biology Institute (PBI), and include atria to connect the structures of The Daubeny Project. The first of the three spaces of The Daubeny Project had a "topping out" in April of 2025, which is usually when the tallest part of the structure is added. The Project was scheduled for completion in 2026, although it is unclear how the revisions affect those plans. Oxford Science Park, located southeast of Oxford in Littlemore, is primarily owned by Magdalen College. It is a growing research area for almost 100 firms interested in STEM. The Park employs over 3,000 people, with 250,000 square feet of building development underway. Foster + Partners, the architectural firm involved in this project and in EIT's campus, designs a wide range of buildings internationally, including office parks and airports. A spokesperson for EIT told Cherwell: "Foster + Partners has been a trusted, long-term and integral partner in the design of EIT's master plan vision of a campus built for impact. EIT sought [Foster + Partners'] engagement for GBI & PBI because EIT knew they could deliver a unique and thoughtful design. They've thoroughly engaged with GBI & PBI to understand their requirements, and EIT very much look forward to executing this vision." EIT also owns land on the western section of the park, which it has allotted to its own campus. It includes both new and pre-existing buildings, some of which are already under construction. It will include teaching, meeting, clinical, and laboratory spaces. Event spaces include "a 250-seat auditorium" at Littlemore House (one of the originally existing structures) and "a wooden geodesic dome, with rotating solar shading" in a new structure. The campus is also "targeting BREEAM Outstanding and WELL Platinum accreditation". A "topping out" ceremony for Littlemore House was celebrated earlier in February. EIT's Senior Director of Real Estate Matt Abney stated: "From the very beginning, EIT's Oxford campus has been far more than just creating a functional space. It is being built as the future home for exceptional minds across the science, technology, and engineering disciplines - and as a catalyst for meaningful innovation." The EIT press office told Cherwell that the EIT campus buildings are set to be in use in 2027. While funding from the institute was restructured and reduced last fall, EIT's construction projects appear to continue. EIT's Global President is Santa Ono, now a senior research fellow at Worcester College. Foster + Partners has been approached for comment. 20th March 2026 4th March 2026 11th March 2026 4th March 2026 8th March 2026

Oxford Student Publications Limited

Nov 12th, 2025

Oxford University launches equitable innovation partnership

Oxford University launches equitable innovation partnership. A regional partnership, Equinox, launched at Rhodes House on Monday. Equinox stands for Equitable Innovation Oxford and includes the University of Oxford, the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT), and Oxfordshire County Council. Vice-Chancellor Irene Tracey, Anneliese Dodds, MP for Oxford East, and Chair of Oxford Growth Commission Neale Coleman were among the speakers at the launch. Speaking at the launch, Lord Patrick Vallance, Minister for Science, Research, and Innovation, described Oxfordshire's innovation ecosystem's success as "vital for [the UK's] national missions of growth". One of the flagship measures of the new initiative is to dynamise the local economy, particularly through the development of local transport infrastructure. Keynote speakers emphasised the reopening of the Cowley branch line, the construction of the East-West rail line to Cambridge via Milton Keynes, as well as the synchronisation of bus schedules and train arrivals to avoid long wait times at the station. Neale Coleman OBE, Chair of the Oxford Growth Commission, also highlighted the need to transform the Oxford railway station, including plans to "build two new platforms" and "two new station buildings". He added that there was a "need to transform the entrance to the city", describing it as "not worthy of Oxford", particularly given the popularity of its touristic activity. A recurring theme underscored by the various speakers was the "equitable" aspect of the Equinox initiative, each eager to ensure the interests of all actors and communities were represented. A senior official speaking to Cherwell said they took particular attention to "think about who wasn't at the table". The Oxford Cambridge Arc, initially announced in February 2025, was described as playing a key role in the Equinox initiative. The Vice-Chancellor particularly stressed the creation of a "super-cluster" of competitiveness in the two university towns, that others would struggle to rival with. The Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT) is an Oxford-based commercial research institution, housing departments focusing on artificial intelligence (AI), clinical medicine, generative biology, and sustainable energy. EIT was founded by the Chief Technology Officer of Oracle Larry Ellison, who recently earned the title of the "world's richest man", and is reported to be a close ally of Donald Trump. EIT has recently launched a number of projects, including a £118 million investment in Oxford AI vaccine research. The Chief Operations Officer of the EIT stated: "By connecting leading universities, businesses, and government, this partnership addresses a critical investment gap and will help groundbreaking ideas reach their full potential." Another initiative announced at the Equinox event was the launch of the NatWest Accelerator for early-stage ventures. This aims to encourage entrepreneurship in the region, particularly among those graduating from Oxford University, and to provide "tailored growth support with specialist banking expertise to help start-ups", in order to access funding and scale their businesses. Tracey said: "Oxford University has always been a place where great and ground-breaking ideas begin - but its responsibility is to ensure they can develop, thrive and have impact here in its region. Equinox brings together the extraordinary talent, research and entrepreneurial drive of Oxfordshire to create a more connected, equitable innovation ecosystem where everyone benefits. "By working in true partnership - across universities, business, government and communities - we can turn discovery into opportunity, and opportunity into shared prosperity. This is the power of Oxford's innovation: generous service to society."

Ellison Institute of Technology

Genotyping and Event Delivery Manager - Plant Biology Institute

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