Technical Specialist

Technical Specialist

Do you want to help us improve human health and understand life on Earth? Make your mark by shaping the future to enable or deliver life-changing science to solve some of humanity's greatest challenges.

We are recruiting a Technical Specialist to join Roser Vento-Tormo's lab in our Cellular Genomics Programme.

Reproductive tissues remain underexplored through the lens of molecular and cellular biology compared with other tissues. This limits our understanding of the underlying mechanisms driving highly prevalent gynecological conditions such as Heavy Menstrual Bleeding (HMB).

Our approach integrates cutting-edge genomics technologies to transform menstrual blood into a powerful resource for understanding HMB mechanisms. Following genomic characterisation of host and microbial cells, deep learning models will help predict cellular, molecular, and genetic associations with HMB, enabling the identification of causal pathways and supporting patient stratification and the development of novel diagnostic tools and treatments.

We seek a Technical Specialist to contribute to a major collaborative project, funded by Wellcome LEAP, aimed at using different transcriptomic technologies to profile menstrual blood, the microbiome, and endometrial tissue. Organoid technology will be used to deliver functional validation. The primary goal is to understand the molecular mechanisms driving HMB, which will aid in disease understanding and patient stratification.

You will be responsible for:

• Processing primary samples of tissue and microbiome, and deriving and maintaining organoid and cell lines derived from the primary samples.
• Adapting to the demands of tissue culture and maintaining exceptional accuracy, given the complex logistics and high number of samples envisaged.
• Tracking primary samples and derived organoid and cell lines in an organised manner.
• Collaborating closely with the postdoctoral researcher and Senior Staff Scientist leading these projects and with other members of the project, including clinical partners.
• Organising and executing complex experimental work independently to meet project targets.

Key publications of the team:

• Marečková, Magda, Hassan Massalha, Valentina Lorenzi, and Roser Vento-Tormo. 2022. "Mapping Human Reproduction with Single-Cell Genomics." Annual Review of Genomics and Human Genetics.
• Lorenzi, Valentina, Cecilia Icoresi Mazzeo, Nadav Yayon, Elias R. Ruiz-Morales, Carmen Sancho-Serra, Frederick C. K. Wong, Magda Marečková, et al. 2024. "Spatiotemporal Map of the Developing Human Reproductive Tract at Single-Cell Resolution." bioRxiv.
• Marečková, Magda, Luz Garcia-Alonso, Marie Moullet, Valentina Lorenzi, Robert Petryszak, Carmen Sancho-Serra, Agnes Oszlanczi, et al. 2024. "An Integrated Single-Cell Reference Atlas of the Human Endometrium." Nature Genetics 56 (9): 1925–37.
• Garcia-Alonso, Luz, Louis-François Handfield, Kenny Roberts, Konstantina Nikolakopoulou, Ridma C. Fernando, Lucy Gardner, Benjamin Woodhams, et al. 2021. "Mapping the Temporal and Spatial Dynamics of the Human Endometrium In Vivo and In Vitro." Nature Genetics 53 (12): 1698–1711.

About you:

You are interested in reproductive health and have experience in cellular and molecular biology. You are independent, but comfortable working as part of a bigger team. We welcome your application if you have skills and experience in the following:

• Cell and molecular biology
• Cell culture, including organoids, especially on a high throughput scale
• Processing samples for microbiome analysis

You will work within an interdisciplinary team of wet and computer scientists, with a shared goal of improving our understanding of reproductive health.

Knowledge, skills, and experience required:

Technical:

• MSc (or equivalent experience) or a PhD in a biological science
• Strong experience working within a laboratory environment
• Robust experience in handling cells in culture, including organoids
• Ability to independently follow instructions and protocols accurately & efficiently
• Strict adherence to SOPs and excellent attention to detail when performing routine tasks
• Strong ability to test, implement, and troubleshoot new techniques and protocols
• Excellent record keeping
• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to work to a schedule and successfully manage and prioritise multiple competing priorities
• Writing and reviewing SOPs

Behavioural:

• Proven ability to work effectively within a team
• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to receive and give feedback
• Excellent organisational skills and record keeping
• A team player who enjoys working with others in a friendly and collegiate manner
• Experience working on collaborative projects

Other Information:

Please apply with your CV and a cover letter outlining your suitability for the role addressing the criteria set out above.

Salary: £40,523 - £48,500 per annum

Contract Type: Permanent

Closing Date: 1st October 2025

Hybrid Working at Wellcome Sanger:

We recognise that there are many benefits to Hybrid Working; including an improved work-life balance, with more focused time, as well as the ability to organise working time so that collaborative opportunities and team discussions are facilitated on campus. The hybrid working arrangement will vary for different roles and teams. The nature of your role and the type of work you do will determine if a hybrid working arrangement is possible.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:

We aim to attract, recruit, retain and develop talent from the widest possible talent pool, thereby gaining insight and access to different markets to generate a greater impact on the world. We have a supportive culture with the following staff networks, LGBTQ+, Parents and Carers, Disability and Race Equity to bring people together to share experiences, offer specific support and development opportunities and raise awareness. The networks are also a place for allies to provide support to others.

We want our people to be whoever they want to be because we believe people who bring their best selves to work, do their best work. That's why we're committed to creating a truly inclusive culture at Sanger Institute. We will consider all individuals without discrimination and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees, where everyone can thrive.

Our Benefits:

We are proud to deliver an awarding campus-wide employee wellbeing strategy and programme. The importance of good health and adopting a healthier lifestyle and the commitment to reduce work-related stress is strongly acknowledged and recognised at Sanger Institute.

Sanger Institute became a signatory of the International Technician Commitment initiative In March 2018. The Technician Commitment aims to empower and ensure visibility, recognition, career development and sustainability for technicians working in higher education and research, across all disciplines.