Assistant Scientist - Authenticity

Join us as an Assistant Scientist and make an invaluable contribution to our Food Safety & Biosecurity!

As an Assistant Scientist you will be working in the Authenticity and Novel Foods team delivering a range of project work. You will support the analysis of diverse sample types, preparing and extracting materials to assess their authenticity, safety, and quality. In this role, you will be responsible for the accurate preparation and testing of samples for both chemical and biochemical analyses. All work will be carried out in accordance with standard operating procedures, research protocols, risk assessments, and COSHH requirements, ensuring adherence to the highest quality and compliance standards.

What you’ll be doing:

• Follow standard operating procedures to prepare and analyse samples for Authenticity analysis by techniques such as isotope ratio, liquid chromatography and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
• Extraction and clean-up of samples in preparation of analysis.
• Engage in weekly instrument maintenance tasks.
• Be aware of and follow the appropriate quality assurance and safety procedures.
• Support project delivery and work flexibly across the Business Unit when required.

What we’re looking for:

• Ideally, you’ll have a qualification in a relevant science subject, or equivalent experience.
• Previous laboratory experience, preferably within a chemistry environment.
• An organised individual with the ability to follow written and verbal instructions efficiently and keep clear written records.
• A strong attention to detail and ability to recognise when things have potential to go wrong.
• Flexible, adaptable and “can do” approach to work.
• Self-motivated and have an ability to develop good working relationships with colleagues and other team members.
• Practical IT experience, in particular Microsoft Packages such as Word and Excel.
• Experience of operating within a quality system (e.g. UKAS) is desirable.

What’s in it for you?

• A Salary of £25,500
• 25 days’ holiday (rising to 29) with the opportunity to buy extra leave.
• Flexible working hours, on-site gym, restaurant, and free parking
• The opportunity to take a paid day out of the office, volunteering for our charity partners or a cause of your choice
• Company matched pension, life assurance, a cycle2work scheme, 15 weeks’ fully paid maternity, adoption and shared parental leave, paternity pay of two weeks…and plenty more.
• Voluntary benefits designed to suit your lifestyle – from discounts on retail and socialising, to health & wellbeing, travel and technology
• Access to our Employee Network Groups, which represent every strand of diversity and allow colleagues to connect and learn from each other on an open, inclusive platform
• Fera operates a LTIP ( Long Term Incentive Plan) under which all employees are awarded points towards shares in the Employee Benefits Trust on an annual basis. The Employee Benefits Trust holds shares on behalf of our employee, at the point of an equity event the shares will realise a cash value.

What we hope you’ll do next:

Choose ‘Apply now’ to fill out our short application, so that we can find out more about you. If you have any questions you’d like to ask before applying, you can contact

We’re an equal opportunity employer, which means we recruit and develop people based on their merit and passion. We’re committed to providing an inclusive, barrier-free recruitment process and working environment for everyone. If you need the job description or application form in an alternative format or if you’d like to discuss other changes or support you might need going forward, please email at and we’ll get back to you.