Laboratory Technician

The John Innes Centre; Norwich; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A renowned plant science research institute in Norwich is seeking a Laboratory Technician for a 6-month contract. The role involves supporting vector design, genotyping, and other vital lab tasks. Candidates should have a background in plant science or molecular biology, with essential skills in laboratory procedures. The position offers a competitive salary of £23,493 - £24,250 per annum, depending on qualifications and experience.

Qualifications

• GCSEs A*-C in science required.
• BSc, Masters or PhD in relevant fields advantageous.
• Experience in laboratory tasks like genotyping and transformation.

Responsibilities

• Support vector design/construction and genotyping.
• Conduct Arabidopsis transformation and seed harvest.
• Assist researchers with lab tech tasks as needed.

Skills

Plant science and plant genetics

Ability to follow instructions/Standard Operating Procedures

Demonstrated ability to work independently

Excellent communication skills, both written and oral

Excellent time management and organisational skills

Good interpersonal skills

Education

GCSEs A*-C (or equivalent), including science

BSc/Masters/PhD in plant science, molecular biology, genetics

Job description

Hours per week 37 Project Title Technical support for vector design/construction, genotyping, transformation, seed harvest, and other lab tech tasks.

Job Description

Main Purpose of the Job

The Ding Lab is looking to hire a casual worker for 6 months to help with vector design/construction, genotyping, Arabidopsis transformation, Arabidopsis seed harvest, and other lab tech tasks.

Main Activities & Responsibilities

Technical support for vector design/construction, genotyping, Arabidopsis transformation, Arabidopsis seed harvest, and other lab tech tasks 100% as agreed with line manager. Any other duties commensurate with the nature of the role.

Person Profile

Education & Qualifications

• GCSEs A*-C (or equivalent), including science – essential (Importance 5)
• BSc/Masters/PhD in plant science, molecular biology, genetics – essential
• Desirable – (Interest)

Specialist Knowledge & Skills

• Plant science and plant genetics – essential
• Good understanding of general Health and Safety requirements for laboratory environment – desirable
• Arabidopsis sowing, harvesting, genotyping and plant transformation – essential
• Experience in growing Arabidopsis – essential
• Previous laboratory experience – desirable

Interpersonal & Communication Skills

• Ability to follow instructions/Standard Operating Procedures – essential
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, using initiative and applying problem solving skills – essential
• Excellent time management and organisational skills – essential
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral – essential
• Good interpersonal skills, with the ability to work as part of a team – essential

Additional Requirements

• Attention to detail – essential
• Promotes equality and values diversity – essential
• Willingness to embrace the expected values and behaviours of all staff at the Institute, ensuring it is a great place to work – essential
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and security of information where appropriate – essential
• Able to present a positive image of self and the institute; promoting both the international reputation and public engagement aims of the institute – essential
• Willingness to work outside standard working hours when required – essential

Who We Are

The John Innes Centre is an independent, international centre of excellence in plant and microbial genetics, carrying out fundamental and strategic research, to train scientists and making our findings available to society.

Our research makes use of a wide range of disciplines in the biological and chemical sciences including; cell biology, biochemistry, chemistry, genetics and molecular biology.

We pride ourselves on being a welcoming and inclusive working environment for all. We have a diverse and multicultural scientific community and thrive on our European and international links, appointing staff from across the world. Any candidate who would like further information on current or anticipated immigration requirements can contact the HR Team on [phone] or [e-mail].

We are proud to hold a prestigious Athena SWAN Gold award, recognising the impact of our work in promoting gender equality in science. We are also a proud member of the Stonewall Diversity Champion’s programme, a founding signatory of the Technician Commitment and, as a Disability Confident employer, guarantee to offer an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post.

The John Innes Centre is a registered charity (No. 223852), limited by guarantee (registered in England No. 511709).

Department

Cell & Developmental Biology

Development continues throughout the life of the plant. While many linear pathways affecting development have been discovered and were illustrated by elegant genetic studies, the challenge of the future will be to understand how these developmental pathways are integrated, both with themselves as well as with environmental signals, to enable a mature plant to grow from a seed. Guided by evolutionary principles, the Department uses its knowledge of biological processes obtained in laboratory organisms such as Arabidopsis to understand processes in crop plants such as Brassicas and cereals. To study this interaction of the plant genome with internal developmental networks and the environment, the Department uses a combination of genetic, cell biological, molecular and evolutionary strategies. The insights we are gaining provide both an increasingly detailed knowledge of the proteins involved in diverse regulatory mechanisms and a conceptual framework in which this knowledge can be related and eventually integrated into a molecular description of plant cell function. The knowledge the department is creating is relevant to agriculture. Genes that control plant stature, form, over‑wintering responses and growth are potentially useful for improving crop performance.

Laboratory Technician

Salary: £23,493 - £24,250 per annum depending on qualifications and experience.

Contract: 6 months, Full time or part time

Location: John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK.

Closing date: 4 January 2026

Reference: 20825

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Laboratory Technician to join the Cell & Developmental Biology Department, to support the cutting‑edge science of the John Innes Centre.

About the John Innes Centre:

The John Innes Centre is an independent, international centre of excellence in plant and microbial sciences. We nurture a creative, curiosity‑led approach to answering fundamental questions in bioscience, and translate that knowledge into societal benefits. Our strategic vision, Healthy Plants, Healthy People, Healthy Planet sets out our ambitious long‑term goals for the game‑changing impact of our science globally.

Our employees enjoy access to state‑of‑the‑art technology and a diverse range of specialist training opportunities, including support for leadership and management. Click here to find out more about working at the John Innes Centre.

About the Ding Group:

The Ding lab investigates the role of RNA structure in the post‑transcriptional regulation of gene expression, including translation, polyadenylation, RNA splicing, RNA stability, and RNA processing. We are also exploring how RNA structure alters in response to environmental changes and developing new experimental and analytical approaches for revealing RNA structure and RNA‑protein interactions.

We developed novel and powerful platforms to study RNA structure in vivo and across diverse species at both the genome‑wide scale and in individual RNAs. These breakthroughs have removed technological barriers and opened up new avenues for RNA biology research. Our lab utilises multidisciplinary knowledge and approaches in the areas of nucleic acid chemistry, RNA biology and bioinformatics.

The role:

The post holder will assist the Postdoctoral Researchers in conducting experiments on vector design/construction, genotyping, transformation, seed harvest, and other lab tech tasks.

The ideal candidate:

You will have a good general level of education, with a BSc, Masters, or PhD in biology or plant biology being advantageous. The post holder will have knowledge in plant and molecular biology, as well as experience working on vector design/construction, genotyping, transformation, seed harvest, and other lab tech tasks.

Additional information:

We are an equal opportunities employer, actively supporting inclusivity and diversity. As a Disability Confident organisation, we guarantee to offer an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for this vacancy. We are proud to hold a prestigious Gold Athena SWAN award in recognition of our inclusive culture, commitment and good practices towards advancing gender equality. We offer an exciting, stimulating, diverse research environment and actively promote a family friendly workplace. The Institute is also a member of Stonewall’s Diversity Champions programme.

The John Innes Centre is a registered charity (No. 223852) grant‑aided by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.