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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 across three tiers — Lab Technician, Scientist, and Principal Scientist in functional genomics. You will be the bench scientists who develop, validate, and operate the screens through the transition from manual to autonomous execution.

Responsibilities

Develop, validate, and operate screens that will eventually run autonomously on Substrate’s workcells.
In the first phase, perform manual screen development: cell line preparation, library cloning and QC, lentivirus production, screen execution, sequencing sample prep, and readout pipeline.
Set reproducibility and quality thresholds.
Prove each step out before it moves onto instrumentation.
As workcells arrive, shift focus to instrumented execution, equivalence validation, and engineering judgment calls for automation.
For Principal Scientists: Own a slice of the screening workflow end to end, including scoping, designing manual protocols, validating them, authoring SOPs, and overseeing automated execution.
For Scientists: Execute experiments alongside Principal Scientists, contribute to validation, and grow into protocol authorship.
For Lab Technicians: Execute established SOPs, prepare reagents, maintain equipment, and run routine steps.
Work directly with automation engineering and software teams at the boundary between scientific protocols and autonomous execution.
Design and run screens that are automation-ready from the first manual experiment.
Contribute to the proprietary dataset program that turns the lab into a commercial asset.
Design and run screens that affect the orchestrator, data flow to model partners, and which manual judgments get re-engineered out of the workflow.

Requirements

Hands-on cell culture experience, including CL2 wet-lab work with mammalian cell lines.
Hands-on experience in at least one component of pooled screening: cell line preparation, library cloning and QC, lentivirus production, screen execution, or sequencing sample prep.
Comfortable executing protocols at the bench through manual, semi-automated, and instrumented phases.
Track record of working alongside non-scientist colleagues (automation, software, computational) on a shared workflow.
For Lab Technicians: Relevant hands-on lab experience (including A-level lab work, apprenticeships, or technician roles).
For Lab Technicians: Comfortable following written SOPs precisely and flagging deviations.
For Lab Technicians: Hands-on familiarity with basic wet lab techniques: pipetting, buffer preparation, sample handling, and equipment maintenance.
For Lab Technicians: Comfortable working in a fast-paced, early-stage environment where protocols are still being written.
For Scientists: Three or more years of post-PhD or equivalent industry experience in functional genomics, cell biology, or molecular biology with a screening-adjacent focus.
For Scientists: Strong hands-on competence in cell culture and in at least one of: library cloning, lentivirus production, single-cell capture, or NGS sample prep.
For Scientists: Ready to grow into protocol authorship and SOP ownership over the first 12 months.
For Principal Scientists: Seven or more years of experience in functional genomics or related disciplines (target validation, perturbation screening), with at least one screening modality (CRISPR knockout, CRISPRi knockdown, or analogous) run end to end: cell line preparation, library design, screen execution, sequencing readout, and hit calling.
For Principal Scientists: SOP and protocol authorship that other scientists have run successfully.
For Principal Scientists: Has supervised at least one junior scientist or technician.
Nice to have: Hands-on experience in cell line engineering, particularly iPSC differentiation or CRISPR-edited stable cell line generation.
Nice to have: Direct experience moving screens from manual workflows onto lab automation platforms.
Nice to have: Familiarity with structured experimental data capture, LIMS, ELN, or analogous data infrastructure.
Nice to have: Experience working with computational or AI/ML colleagues on closed-loop perturbation programmes.
Nice to have: Background at an AI-native biotech or foundation model company.

Skills

Functional genomics
Cell line engineering
Perturbation library design
Screen execution
Bulk sequencing readouts
Single-cell sequencing readouts
Cell line preparation
Library cloning and QC
Lentivirus production
Sequencing sample prep
Readout pipeline
Protocol authorship
SOP authoring
Automation
Software engineering
AI/ML
Cell culture
CL2 wet-lab work
Mammalian cell lines
Pooled screening
Pipetting
Buffer preparation
Sample handling
Equipment maintenance
Cell biology
Genomics
Molecular biology
CRISPR knockout
CRISPRi knockdown
Hit calling
iPSC differentiation
CRISPR-edited stable cell line generation
Lab automation platforms
Structured experimental data capture
LIMS
ELN
Data infrastructure
Closed-loop perturbation programmes

Location

King's Cross, London

Work Type

In-person
Lab-based

Experience Level

Lab Technician
Scientist
Principal Scientist

Education Level

Post-PhD or equivalent industry experience

Benefits

Options on the standard four-year vest with a one-year cliff
30 days annual leave
A learning budget for conferences, courses, books, and time

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.
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.

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.