Technical Specialist - Systems Biology + Biotech Integration

Technical Specialist - Systems Biology + Biotech Integration

Application Deadline: 23 November 2025

Department: Programmes

Location: London

Compensation: £70,000 - £105,000 / year

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• Salary Levels: £70,000, £90,000, £105,000 (offers based on experience and selection criteria)
  
• Location: Kings X, London; Tues - Thurs (3 days) at HQ, Monday + Friday, anywhere
  
• Employment Type: Full-time
  
• Contract: 3 years fixed-term (potential extension)
  
• Closing Date: 23.11.25
  

ARIA is a new kind of R&D funding agency. We fund scientists and engineers to pursue research at the edge of the possible, from climate change to AI. Our mission is to activate the UK’s world‑class R&D in new ways to meet society’s challenges head‑on.

Role Summary

You’ll work alongside Programme Director Nathan Wolfe and his consultant team on Precision Mitochondria, an effort to make the mitochondrial genome programmable.

Meet Nathan Wolfe

Nathan Wolfe is a member of ARIA’s second cohort of Programme Directors. He is a biologist and scientific entrepreneur known for launching high‑risk, high‑impact initiatives at the intersection of life sciences, technology, and global health. He advises and invests in early‑stage technology companies and has worked with governments and philanthropic foundations on transformative science.

He leads an ARIA programme to make the mitochondrial genome programmable—developing a toolkit for reading, writing, and regulating mitochondrial DNA in vivo.

What you’ll do
Programme Integration & Technical Advisory

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• Support the Programme Director in designing and delivering a high‑risk, high‑impact research portfolio across biotechnology, synthetic biology, nanotech, and metrology.
  
• Evaluate proposals and programme milestones for technical depth and originality, providing critical insight on feasibility, experimental design, and opportunities for cross‑pollination.
  
• Engage deeply with lab teams—helping troubleshoot experiments, translate engineering concepts across fields, and identify when a technology is ready to scale or pivot.
  
• Develop or refine simple experimental models, assays, or validation strategies that enable comparability and speed learning across projects.
  
• Identify, scout, and help recruit new creators or technical partners whose tools could transform the programme.
  
• Plan, lead, and contribute to discussions in project meetings, workshops, and formal reviews, bringing depth, challenge, and direction to every interaction.
  
• Provide evidence‑based insight to the Programme Director and the ARIA team to support high‑quality decisions and sharpen the programme��s strategic direction.
  
• Confidently communicate complex scientific ideas surrounding the programme to stakeholders, from government and funders to key players across the ecosystem.
  

Connecting the Programme to the Ecosystem

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• Represent the programme, often on behalf of the Programme Director, at events, workshops and talks.
  
• Build trusted relationships with world‑class researchers, labs, and founders working at the forefront of the programme’s focus area.
  
• Work closely with ARIA’s Activation Partners to ensure Creator teams can access the right tools, platforms, and networks to accelerate translation and achieve impact beyond ARIA’s direct reach.
  

Define and Cultivate ARIA’s Technical Culture

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• Collaborate across ARIA on funding models, budgets, tooling, and operational mechanisms to support effective, flexible funding and programme delivery.
  
• Contribute as a member of ARIA’s team of Technical Specialists (‘T‑Specs’), sharing best practices and learnings between programmes to strengthen ARIA’s portfolio of work.
  
• Help build and sustain ARIA’s scientific and operational culture.
  

Who you are
Essential Criteria

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• Broad fluency across experimental and computational life sciences, comfortable switching between cell biology, materials, physics, and systems engineering.
  
• Hands‑on experimental work, including design, troubleshooting, or building of instruments, assays, or synthetic systems.
  
• Experience in biotech R&D—academic or industrial—and able to interpret technical uncertainty and judge feasibility from first principles.
  
• Strong analytical and conceptual ability to evaluate technologies originating outside traditional biology (e.g., microfluidics, optics, computation, nanomaterials).
  
• Excellent communicator, capable of translating between scientific, engineering, and strategic perspectives.
  
• Highly adaptable, thriving in ambiguity; comfortable shaping programmes where plans evolve rapidly.
  

Desirable Criteria

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• Experience with synthetic biology, nucleic‑acid delivery, measurement or automation platforms, or related enabling technologies.
  
• Familiarity with venture‑backed biotech or translational research environments.
  
• Successful technical assignments requiring unconventional or novel approaches.
  
• Skilled in identifying technical bottlenecks, risk analysis and resolution, tracking technical milestones, and reporting on complex technical projects.
  
• Working knowledge of the UK R&D ecosystem.
  

Qualifications

A scientific qualification, preferably a PhD or similar, in a quantitative life‑science, engineering, or physical‑science discipline.

Benefits

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• 27 days annual leave provision, with option to buy/sell additional days
  
• Hybrid working arrangements; 60% in office / 40% at home
  
• Supportive environment for learning and development opportunities
  
• Enhanced family leave arrangements
  
• Free and confidential 24/7 employee assistance programme
  
• 2 days of paid volunteer days
  
• 5% defined contribution pension scheme with Smart Pension
  
• Cycle to Work scheme
  
• Excellent office location in Kings X, London
  

Not sure you meet 100% of our criteria? Don’t worry. If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply. We want to attract the broadest array of candidates, including those with diverse workplace experiences and backgrounds. Whether you’re new to this, returning to work after a gap in employment, simply looking to transition, or taking the next step in your career path, we will be glad to have you on our radar.

Please use your cover letter to tell us about your interests and what you hope to bring to this role.

If you require any reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process, please notify us and we will make every effort to accommodate you. Disclosing any requests is intended to provide ARIA with the best opportunity to support candidates and will have no negative impact on your recruitment process.

You will be required, as and when necessary, to travel to different locations around the UK and internationally to support projects, depending on the programme you are designated to.

ARIA adopts a highly considered approach to ethical and social responsibility. You can read our policy here. Our research and development activity will abide by the 3Rs principle. You can read about those here.