Research Associate - Aptamer

Skip to main content Research Associate - Aptamer Level Zero Health London Area, United Kingdom Apply Research Associate - Aptamer Level Zero Health London Area, United Kingdom 3 days ago 69 applicants See who Level Zero Health has hired for this role Apply Save Report this job About Level ZeroLevel Zero is pioneering next-generation biosensor technology for precise, real-time monitoring of critical endocrine biomarkers. Recognised as one of the top 20 startups across all categories worldwide at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 - and backed by top-tier organisations like SOSV and Entrepreneur First - we’re pushing the boundaries of biochemistry and nanotechnology to revolutionize personalised health.Founded by two seasoned engineers, we bring extensive experience in R&D, technical innovation, and commercial strategy to transform the way people monitor their health. Our mission is bold: to revolutionise health management by delivering clinical-grade data directly to individuals, wherever they are.We’re seeking driven innovators to join us in pushing the boundaries of biosensing and health tech, making personalised health monitoring a reality for everyone. To achieve this ambitious vision, we’re assembling the best team in the world - dedicated to turning cutting-edge science into life-changing, real-world solutions.About This RoleWe’re looking for a Research Associate to help drive aptamer discovery and early-stage biosensor R&D at Level Zero. Working closely with R&D and sensor design leadership, you’ll run SELEX campaigns for small-molecule targets, execute core wet-lab workflows (affinity chromatography, qPCR, gels, nucleic acid purification, NGS), and combine experimental rigor with oligo design and bioinformatic analysis to identify and validate top aptamer candidates.What You'll DoConduct SELEX experiments for small molecule targets to identify new aptamers, involving wet lab bio/chem processes including affinity chromatography, qPCR, gel electrophoresis, nucleic acid purification, and next-gen sequencingConduct nucleic acid oligo design and bioinformatic analyses to identify aptamer candidatesValidate aptamer binding using methods such as Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC), Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR), plate-based fluorescence assay, melt curve analysis and other methodsContribute to early-stage R&D, and collaborate with sensor design leadership to define and refine future directionsWhat You BringThe ideal candidate must have:A Bachelors degree or higher with at least 2 years of industry experience (full-time wet lab)Proficiency in molecular biology and chemistry lab workflows such as affinity chromatography, qPCR, gel electrophoresis, nucleic acid purification, and binding assaysNice to have:Knowledge or experience in the handling and study of hydrophobic compounds (e.g., hormones), the handling and study of bio-fluids, and the development of simulated bio-fluid model solutions, biosensing principles,Bioinformatics experience, Bash, Python, R languages, next-gen seq data processing, sequence motif analysis, nucleic acid 2D-prediction, or nucleic acid design (e.g., primer design)Knowledge or experience next-gen sequencing and Illumina systems, nucleic acid synthesis and purificationKnowledge or experience with biophysical characterization, ITC, SPR, CD spectroscopy, biosensing, fluorescence characterization approaches, or macromolecular structural characterization using...