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About the Role

Substrate is building a network of fully autonomous wet labs for AI biology, integrated with foundation models to become the critical infrastructure layer for AI-driven biological discovery. We are hiring a Head of Functional Genomics to build and lead the functional genomics vertical from scratch, covering cell line engineering, perturbation library design, screen execution, and sequencing readouts. This role is crucial for developing our AI-first, autonomous lab platform and producing structured, machine-readable experimental data for foundation model training.

Responsibilities

Own functional genomics end-to-end, from scoping the priority screening menu against customer demand to developing and validating screens manually.
Set quality thresholds for each transition stage and decide which manual judgment calls need to be re-engineered for automation.
Work with automation scientists to shape the workcells for screen execution.
Define the screening menu and scope it against early customer demand.
Build the team that operates the function at scale, including hiring Principal Scientists, Scientists, and Lab Technicians.
Co-design protocols with software and automation engineering teams for automation-readiness.
Begin co-design conversations with commercial customers, including foundation model partners.
Move validated screens onto workcells, running with instrumentation and human intervention before full autonomous operation.
Validate equivalence of automated screens against manual baselines.
Grow the team to support throughput as the screening menu opens to customers.
Ship the first revenue on the functional genomics vertical from manual and semi-automated services.
Act as an executive partner to the co-founders on functional genomics roadmap, proprietary dataset program, and customer conversations.
Design screens for full AI-in-the-loop automation from day one.
Work directly with model partners on screen co-design.
Collaborate with software and intelligence teams on data flow back into customer pipelines and Substrate's data factory.

Requirements

Seven or more years of experience in functional genomics or related disciplines (target validation, perturbation screening).
At least three years in a senior or team-leading role at a biotech, pharma R&D, or CRO.
End-to-end hands-on experience in at least one screening modality (typically CRISPR knockout or CRISPRi knockdown), covering cell line preparation, library design, screen execution, and sequencing readout.
Working familiarity across single-cell readouts and validation workflows.
Track record of leading a small scientific team end to end: hiring, setting quality standards, and managing performance against scientific outputs.
Customer-facing experience, either as a CRO scientific lead working with external customers, or as a pharma or biotech scientist embedded with internal customer teams.
Experience in functional genomics or related disciplines.
Experience in a senior or team-leading role.
Experience in cell line preparation, library design, screen execution, and sequencing readout.
Experience with single-cell readouts and validation workflows.
Experience leading a scientific team, including hiring, setting quality standards, and managing performance.
Customer-facing experience.
Comfortable in the detail at the bench and setting direction for a team.
Pragmatic about being hands-on at the bench in the first six to nine months.
Enjoy interviewing, hiring, mentoring, and setting standards.
Will be in the lab at our King’s Cross site at the cadence the science demands.
Comfortable with the cadence of work, which will be heavy in the manual development phase and ease as the function grows.

Skills

Functional Genomics
Target Validation
Perturbation Screening
Cell Line Engineering
CRISPR knockout
CRISPRi knockdown
Library Design
Screen Execution
Sequencing Readout
Single-cell sequencing
Team Leadership
Quality Management
Customer Relationship Management
iPSC differentiation
CRISPR-edited stable cell line generation
Lab Automation Platforms
Structured Experimental Data Capture
LIMS
ELN
AI/ML Collaboration

Location

King's Cross, London

Work Type

Hybrid
Full-time

Experience Level

Senior
Head of

Benefits

30 days annual leave
Learning budget for conferences, courses, books, and time
Meaningful equity with vesting on a standard four-year schedule and a one-year cliff

About the Company

Substrate is building a network of fully autonomous wet labs, cloud-based data production facilities for AI biology, integrated with foundation models to become the critical infrastructure layer for AI-driven biological discovery.
Our first node opens in King’s Cross, London, with several integrated workcells and two scientific verticals online by mid-2027.
Our customers range from foundation model labs to global pharma.
Substrate is spinning out of Automata, the UK lab automation company that has built the workcell platform our labs run on.
We are funded in parallel by a combination of venture funding and government grants.
We are not a cloud lab and we are not a CRO.
We are an autonomous lab platform with closed-loop integration available as one operating mode for foundation model partners.
We are aiming to have ramped up to 32 people by the end of Q1 2027.

Equal Opportunity

Substrate is an equal opportunity employer.
We make hiring decisions on merit, scope-fit, and the strength of the working relationship we expect to build with each hire.
Applications welcome from candidates of any background.