Contract: Full-time, Permanent

Salary: A competitive salary, dependent on experience will be offered along with a defined contribution pension scheme, paid holiday and other benefits.

Chromatrap are seeking a dynamic individual to join our team as a project chemist working in new product development and technical support to customers.

Background - Chromatrap

• Chromatrap is an innovative and fast growing brand that develops and manufactures products for use in the filtration and purification of genetic materials.
• Its patented technology provides a revolutionary solid state platform for chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) using spin columns or filter plates.
• ChIP is a technique used to study protein-DNA interactions. Studies in this area are undertaken in epigenetics, cancer research, drug discovery, developmental and wider molecular biology.
• Chromatrap offers a protein substrate alternative to traditional methods of magnetic or agarose beads. It uses an inert polypropylene permeable frit (BioVyon), onto which protein A/G is covalently bonded. The frit is placed in a spin columns or multiwell plate.
• Chromatrap offers a series of advantages over existing ChIP methods. It is faster, easier more, more efficient (signal to noise) and has the capability of high throughput.
• The total market for epigenetics products is expected to grow from $413m in 2014 to $783m in 2019 at a CAGR of 14%
• Geographical markets of note are the UK, France, and Germany. Asia is the fastest growing market at 16% CAGR, with the US at 15%
• Chromatrap have a wide range of epigenetic products including variations on ChIP kits, ChIP validated antibodies and DNA purification plates.
• The epigenetics product range will continue to expand but the proprietary material will also be used to develop novel products in the proteomics market for protein isolation/purification.
• Manufacturing is based in Wrexham, but product development, technical support, marketing and business management is based in Swansea
• Sales are direct to customers, mostly research scientists, and through distributors worldwide.
• Chromatrap’s sister company, Porvair Sciences (porvair-sciences.com), is closely involved in offering sales, marketing and logistical support.
• Chromatrap is owned by Porvair plc (porvair.com), a specialist filtration company listed on the London Stock Exchange. A key part of Porvair’s corporate strategy is to grow its presence and capabilities in the bioscence market, so Chromatrap is a high profile business within the Group.

Project Chemist role

• As the epigenetics product range continues to expand we need to develop novel products and affinity chemistries using BioVyon.
• The role will therefore require experience in chemistry and molecular biology at an advanced academic level.  
• Working closely with the Business Manager and technical team, the role will require involvement in all aspects of Chromatrap including:
  • Developing novel frit chemistries for application in affinity chromatography
  • Identifying key commercial chemistry technologies
  • Producing protocols and SOP’s for the frit chemistry manufacturing process
  • Supplying necessary support for the technical team at Swansea and manufacturing team in Wrexham.
  • Optimising and validating downstream product development and application
  • Conducting experiments to validate new protein purification assays and demonstrate their utility against current state of the art purification strategies
  • Presenting and reporting on research progress and outcomes to the wider Chromatrap team
  • Writing applications notes as necessary
  • Helping in any other aspects of the project
• The Project Chemist will report directly to the Chromatrap Business Manager, who reports through the Chromatrap Steering Group.
• The role will be based in Swansea, although the successful candidate will need to both spend time in Wrexham and be prepared to relocate there if the project moves.
• A certain amount of national and international travel will be necessary

Required skills

• Strong background in Chemistry, Biochemistry and/or Life Sciences with strong academic qualifications in these fields.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, ability to get on well with colleague and work in a small team.
• Strong self-starting and motivational skills- the ability to work unsupervised and set appropriate goals and challenging time frames.
• A good track record in product development, problem solving and technical communication
• Good organisation and project management skills.
• Good commercial instincts.
• An innate understanding of the need to represent one’s team to the outside world at all times.

How to apply

Send an e-mail to Dr Amy Beynon with your current fully updated C.V. to amy.beynon@chromatrap.com