Research And Development Scientist
Navira · London, England ·
(Senior) Research Scientist for in vivo work Location: Navira Ltd, at the Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 (on site) Closing date: 30 Sep 2026 Start date: Flexible; priority for early joiners Salary: £40,000–£55,000 depending on experience Contact: careers@navira.bio About Navira Navira is a spin-out of the Francis Crick Institute developing the next generation of AAV-based delivery systems.
Our engineered AAV capsids are built to solve the problem that limits most CNS gene therapies: getting vectors across the blood-brain barrier, into the right cells, at a dose that is safe. We are a team of 6 scientists working out of lab space at the Crick, with a multi-year programme funded by a UK government body and venture funding.
We combine capsid engineering, protein design and in vivo validation, which means the person doing the animal work sits at the centre of the programme rather than at the end of it. The Role We are seeking a passionate and enthusiastic (Senior) Research Scientist to join our team to accelerate the validation of our vector designs in vivo .
In this role, you will contribute to assessing the performance and refinement of Navira’s AAV platforms in vivo using mice, in the spirit of the 3Rs of animal research. As such, you will be part of the team responsible for the pre-clinical validation of our delivery systems, with particular focus on applications to neurological conditions.
These experiments are pivotal to the success of our research programme and therefore you will be highly involved in the activities performed by the entire team. The position is based at our research laboratory within the Francis Crick Institute in central London (NW1), near King’s Cross, where the work will be carried out in person.
If you’re excited about advancing gene therapies and their impact, we’d love to hear from you! Key responsibilities Work collaboratively with your colleagues to ensure effective coordination Design and write study plans for experiments autonomously Perform regulated procedures on animal models in compliance with the relevant regulatory framework Maintain a high-quality record of all experiments performed Report and present research findings and developments including status and results clearly and efficiently both internally and externally, verbally and in writing, in a fast paced environment.
About you Essential A current Home Office Procedural Individual Licence (PIL A/B/C) Experience with stereotactic intracranial and IV injections Confidence in animal handling Ability to independently troubleshoot and implement research projects Strong organisational and record-keeping skills Comfortable working in a fast-moving start-up research environment Ability to work on a team-based project with experimental researchers Proficiency in efficient time management Ability to deliver work within the necessary timelines Desirable (but not required) Neuroscience background and/or experience Experience with the use of viral vectors, such as AAV Experience with tissue processing for protein/RNA/DNA quantification Experience with Bioluminescence Imaging (BLI) Experience with pre-clinical disease models Experience with cell culture and AAV production What benefits Navira has to offer A central role in a small team, where your data decides which candidates advance Secured multi-year programme funding, so the R