AI & Automation Lead for Plant Transformation - Plant Biology Institute

Location: Oxford, England, United Kingdom

Department: Plant Biology Institute

Workplace: on_site

Employment Type: full

Description

Join us at EIT:

At the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT), we’re on a mission to translate scientific discovery into real world impact. We bring together visionary scientists, technologists, engineers, researchers, educators and innovators to tackle humanity’s greatest challenges in four transformative areas:

• Health, Medical Science & Generative Biology
• Food Security & Sustainable Agriculture
• Climate Change & Managing CO₂
• Artificial Intelligence & Robotics

This is ambitious work - work that demands curiosity, courage, and a relentless drive to make a difference. At EIT, you’ll join a community built on excellence, innovation, tenacity, trust, and collaboration, where bold ideas become real-world breakthroughs. Together, we push boundaries, embrace complexity, and create solutions to scale ideas from lab to society. Explore more at www.eit.org.

Welcome to the Plant Biology Institute:

The Plant Biology Institute, headed by Professor Steve Kelly, is a key part of the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT) Oxford. The institute aims to develop impactful and commercially sustainable solutions for improving global food production and planetary health through pioneering plant science research.

The Plant Biology Institute will unite world-class researchers who are focused on expanding the frontiers of plant science. Our research is focused on enhancing our ability to feed the planet while simultaneously improving the climate and ecosystem outcomes of food production. By embedding cutting-edge plant science research within an organisation that is focused on solving global challenges at scale, we aim to accelerate the timeline from discovery to global impact.

Areas of exploration include:

• Improved plant productivity, both indoors and outside.
• Reduced reliance on inputs including water, fertilisers, pesticides, and herbicides.
• Novel decarbonised plant-based production platforms for food and medicines.
• Advanced technologies that speed up discovery and deployment in plants. 

Researchers will have access to state-of-the-art laboratory and plant growth facilities and have opportunities to collaborate with experts at the forefront of research on AI, automation, and generative biology across the EIT ecosystem. They will also work with global leaders in market development, commercialisation, and impact creation. The Plant Biology Institute has long-term substantial funding to support the unique scale and ambition of its vision.

Your Role:

At EIT we are seeking a highly motivated and skilled Lead for AI & Automation for Plant Transformation to join the Transformation Facility at the pioneering Plant Biology Institute. The candidate will work closely with the AI & Robotics (AIR) team at EIT, and other external partners, providing plant sciences subject matter expertise to co-develop AI and automation solutions that transform and accelerate plant transformation workflows while enhancing pipeline efficiency.

The successful candidate will work within a matrixed, cross functional project team to guide the design and deployment of technology which integrates robotics, computer vision, and data infrastructure to enable scalable, reproducible and data rich transformation platforms, supporting the team with subject matter expertise, structured project planning and execution, and accountability for outcomes.

This role offers a unique opportunity to establish an applied technologies team while collaborating across multidisciplinary teams to drive innovation from lab to global impact. The candidate will be expected to play an active role in translating research into commercially applicable tools to advance trait programs and delivering commercial solutions aligned with EIT’s mission of humane technological advancement. This is an exciting opportunity to develop as a leader in a dynamic, well-supported, and purpose-driven environment.

Your Responsibilities:

• Provide plant sciences subject matter expertise to design, develop and implement automated robotic systems for transformation and tissue culture workflows.
• Co-develop computer vision systems for the transformation pipeline, validation of phenotyping and automation tools, and performance optimization. Lead the data strategy and validation of predictive ML models to optimize transformation efficiency and regeneration success.
• Partner with AIR and data engineering teams to establish robust data pipelines for predictive modelling using multilayer phenotyping and automation data in high-throughput transformation pipelines.
• Provide scientific and project leadership to researchers and engineers in applied AI/ML and automation engineering within a matrix team structure.
• Co-develop and manage project plans, timelines, and reporting frameworks to ensure delivery of technical milestones and progression towards deployable products
• Provide oversight and accountability within PBI for this matrixed project team ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and commitments
• Engage stakeholders across transformation team, wider PBI, AIR, and external partners to ensure transparent communication, progress reporting and expectation management. Contribute to long-term digital transformation strategy.
• Deploy automated robotic systems for transformation and tissue culture workflows.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to incorporate cutting edge applied technologies to develop commercial products.
• Present scientific work at seminars within EIT and at external meetings or conferences, including contributing to laboratory-wide discussions on developments within the field.
• To assist in mentoring graduate students and other members of the research group where appropriate.
• Collaborate with experts at the forefront of research on AI, automation, and generative biology across the EIT ecosystem. 
• Provide regulate structure reporting on progress, risks and delivery status.
• To assist in the translation of scientific results into publications, commercial opportunities consistent with the EIT humane endeavors.
• Recognise the acting on opportunities for the creation of IP and cooperating in patent protection and in impact delivery.
• Experience moving innovations beyond proof of concept and towards validated, scalable and impactful products.

Requirements

Essential Skills, Qualifications & Experience:

• PhD in Plant Molecular Biology, Developmental Biology, or Plant Biotechnology.
• Background in crop transformation enabling technologies in an industrial or academic setting.
• Strong expertise in plant regeneration, morphogenesis, and transformation systems for elite lines or recalcitrant crops.
• Experience manipulating developmental regulators to enhance regeneration and transformation efficiency.
• Track record of innovation in transformation or regeneration biology.
• Ability to translate mechanistic biology into practical applications.
• Experience in planning and management tools like spreadsheets, Microsoft planner, LIMS, ELN or confluence.
• Demonstrated experience in project leadership, cross functional team coordination, and delivery accountability.
• To understand (or have a desire to understand) the path to impact for the research area in question and where appropriate to consider user feedback and market research in designing research experiments.
• Ability to build both internal and external relationships. Working collaboratively with others outside of their discipline.
• Clear and demonstrable problem-solving skills.
• Excellent problem-solving, communication, and collaboration skills.
• Excellent written communication and report writing skills.

Desirable Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

• Experience in plant biology or controlled environment automation systems.
• Experience with computer vision in biological imaging contexts.
• Experience integrating hardware, software, and biological workflows.
• Experience leading matrixed or cross institutional project teams.
• Experience progressing research platforms toward product development.

Benefits

Our Benefits:

• Salary dependent on experience + travel allowance + bonus
• Enhanced holiday + options to buy additional days
• Pension
• Life Assurance
• Income Protection
• Private Medical Insurance
• Hospital Cash Plan
• Therapy Services
• Perk Box
• Electric Car Scheme
• Childcare benefit

What we offer:

• Newly constructed, state-of-the-art laboratories and growth facilities.
• A collaborative research environment with highly skilled team working at the cutting edge of plant science to create commercially sustainable solutions that tackle humanity’s biggest challenges, including enabling sustainable agriculture and improving the climate and ecosystem outcomes of food production.
• Opportunities for professional development include publication, conferences, spin-out generation, and leadership development.