Associate Principal Scientist

Associate Principal Scientist – Cell Expression Technologies Cambridge, UK (Hybrid working available 1 day a week)

The actual location of this job is in Cambridge, UK. Relocation assistance is available for eligible candidates and their families, if needed.

Join Lonza in Cambridge as an Associate Principal Scientist and play a leading role in developing next-generation CHO‑based expression platforms that enable faster, more efficient production of complex biologics.

• Compensation programs that recognize high performance. • A variety of benefits dependent on role and location.

The full list of our global benefits can be found here: https://www.lonza.com/careers/benefits.

• Lead technical projects focused on mammalian (CHO) cell expression systems, acting as a scientific authority within the team.

• Drive the development of next‑generation CHO host platforms for complex therapeutic protein production.

• Engineer mammalian cell lines using advanced techniques including CRISPR‑based editing, targeted and random integration.

• Design and generate mammalian expression vectors using state‑of‑the‑art molecular biology and assembly technologies.

• Oversee phenotypic and molecular characterisation of engineered cell lines (e.g. NGS, ddPCR, qPCR, flow cytometry, advanced cell culture).

• Mentor and support junior scientists, fostering technical excellence and continuous development.

• Collaborate cross‑functionally to ensure timely delivery of innovative expression solutions under rigorous scientific and GMP standards.

• Ph.D. or M.Sc. in a relevant life sciences discipline with significant R&D experience in academia and industry.

• Strong expertise in mammalian cell line engineering, ideally with CHO expression systems.

• Essential: Proven experience in Protein Expression, typically gained through hands‑on work with CHO and/or HEK expression platforms.

• Demonstrated experience leading complex scientific projects and mentoring or line managing scientists.

• Deep understanding of cell culture optimisation, transfection, stable pool generation, gene editing, and protein expression.

• Proven ability to deliver high‑impact projects within defined timelines and quality standards.

• Strong communication skills, with the ability to operate autonomously and within multidisciplinary teams.

• Working knowledge of experimental design, statistics, and the IP landscape relevant to biologics platform development. Experience with directed evolution or automated screening technologies in mammalian cells is advantageous.

At Lonza, our people are our greatest strength. With 30+ sites across five continents, our globally connected teams work together every day to manufacture the medicines of tomorrow. Our core values of Collaboration, Accountability, Excellence, Passion and Integrity reflect who we are and how we work together. Everyone’s ideas, big or small, have the potential to improve millions of lives, and that’s the kind of work we want you to be part of.

Innovation thrives when people from all backgrounds bring their unique perspectives to the table. At Lonza, we value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. If you’re ready to help turn our customers’ breakthrough ideas into viable therapies, we look forward to welcoming you on board.

Ready to shape the future of life sciences? Apply now.