Research Scientist Apprenticeship (level 7) - UCB – Find an apprenticeship

Summary

The apprentice will work within the UK Discovery Chemistry group. We work on both ‘small molecule’ projects and peptide projects, join our mission design and make peptides as potential medicines.

Wage

£28,000 a year

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Annual salary review. Apprenticeship programme has a salary structure with annual increases subject to progress on the apprenticeship and performance in the workplace.

Training course

Research scientist (level 7)

Hours

Monday to Friday 09:00am- 17:30pm 1 hour unpaid lunch break.

37 hours 30 minutes a week

Start date

Monday 7 July 2025

Duration

2 years 6 months

Positions available

1

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you’ll do at work

Following training the apprentice will play a vital role supporting peptide research at UCB, through solid phase peptide synthesis and solution phase peptide chemistry, purification and analysis.

Training will include:

Use of automated peptide synthesiser
Use of automated purification equipment
Application of solution-phase chemistry to peptide synthesis
Analysis of peptides using a variety of instrumentation

The apprentice would have additional responsibilities in the Compound Management team, to support the registration and shipment of samples worldwide. Compound Management is a critical activity to ensure that newly synthesised compounds are shipped to the right destination, in the right format and at the right time. The apprentice would work primarily with the Compound Management team in Belgium and the UK and coordinate shipments to our US sites. This will be an opportunity to learn more about the drug discovery process and work with colleagues in different departments. Training will include:

Use of Compound Management IT systems
Reformatting of compounds and preparation of samples for shipment

We anticipate that the apprentice will allocate approximately 80% of their time to peptide-related tasks and 20% to compound management responsibilities.

Where you’ll work

216 Bath Road
Slough
SL1 3WE

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

College or training organisation

THE UNIVERSITY OF KENT

Your training course

Research scientist (level 7)

Equal to master’s degree

Course contents

Application of Scientific Knowledge: Apply a range of advanced, new and emerging practical and experimental skills appropriate to the role (e.g. chemical synthesis, bio analysis, computational modeling).
Data Collection and Reporting: Capture and evaluate data critically drawing a logical conclusion, e.g. Case Report Forms, Data Management Plans, Data Review Plans, edit checks and User Acceptance Testing Plans.
Commercial and Business Issues: Identify issues, including intellectual property and the commercial demands of the business environment. Understand the scientific objectives of work undertaken and its relevance to the organisation.
Communication Skills: Write extended reports and critique others' work across a range of documentation, e.g. protocols, consent forms and scientific reports. Deliver oral presentations and answer questions about their work and/or the work of their team. Utilise interpersonal skills, communication and assertiveness to persuade, motivate and influence. Discuss work constructively and objectively with colleagues customers and others; respond respectfully to and acknowledge the value of alternate views and hypothesis.
Project Management and Leadership: Generate effective project plans to include management of scope, schedules, budget and risk. Organise resources, budgets, tasks and people. Co-ordinate team activities to meet project requirements and quality processes. Adapt scientific strategy/delivery to be consistent with requirements. e.g. client, regulatory, ethical, geographic.
Critical Thinking: Conceptualise, evaluate and analyse information to solve problems.
Research and dissemination: Frame research questions and methodology drawing from current sources e.g., literature and databases. They can produce intellectual insight and innovations in their own discipline to be shared with colleagues, peers and wider stakeholders internal and external to the business.
Developing others: Apply a range of coaching and mentoring techniques with colleague’s peers and team members, selecting the correct method to suit the situation and the person being coached / mentored.
Application of Scientific Knowledge: Apply a range of advanced, new and emerging practical and experimental skills appropriate to the role (e.g. chemical synthesis, bio analysis, computational modeling).
Data Collection and Reporting: Capture and evaluate data critically drawing a logical conclusion, e.g. Case Report Forms, Data Management Plans, Data Review Plans, edit checks and User Acceptance Testing Plans.
Commercial and Business Issues: Identify issues, including intellectual property and the commercial demands of the business environment. Understand the scientific objectives of work undertaken and its relevance to the organisation.
Communication Skills: Write extended reports and critique others' work across a range of documentation, e.g. protocols, consent forms and scientific reports. Deliver oral presentations and answer questions about their work and/or the work of their team. Utilise interpersonal skills, communication and assertiveness to persuade, motivate and influence. Discuss work constructively and objectively with colleagues customers and others; respond respectfully to and acknowledge the value of alternate views and hypothesis.
Project Management and Leadership: Generate effective project plans to include management of scope, schedules, budget and risk. Organise resources, budgets, tasks and people. Co-ordinate team activities to meet project requirements and quality processes. Adapt scientific strategy/delivery to be consistent with requirements. e.g. client, regulatory, ethical, geographic.
Critical Thinking: Conceptualise, evaluate and analyse information to solve problems.
Research and dissemination: Frame research questions and methodology drawing from current sources e.g., literature and databases. They can produce intellectual insight and innovations in their own discipline to be shared with colleagues, peers and wider stakeholders internal and external to the business.
Developing others: Apply a range of coaching and mentoring techniques with colleague’s peers and team members, selecting the correct method to suit the situation and the person being coached / mentored.

Your training plan

The delivery model for this apprenticeship is online

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

Degree in:

relevant Applied Chemistry discipline (grade 2:2 or above)

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

Communication skills
IT skills
Attention to detail
Organisation skills
Problem solving skills
Analytical skills
Logical
Team working
Initiative

Other requirements

Please ensure that you currently live within or can relocate to a commutable distance of the site The individual will be required to handle hazardous materials (e.g. chemicals, microorganisms) and so must adhere to the relevant procedures.

About this company

As the specialists in skills for science and technology, our purpose is to make sure your business; your people and our industry are future ready. We are a not-for-profit charitable organisation with a family of commercially focused companies committed to supporting the skills, needs and ambitions across the UK science and technology sector.

Disability Confident

A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.

You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.

After this apprenticeship

Upon successful completion of the apprenticeship, you will be eligible to apply for other positions within the business
The training will expose the apprentice to a wide range of skills and competencies which would make them well placed for further study or suitable for many job opportunities in the life sciences sector

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

Cogent Ssc Limited

Tom Bretherton

thomas.bretherton@cogentskills.com

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000315104.

Apply now

Closes in 23 days (Thursday 8 May 2025)

When you apply, you’ll be asked to sign in with a GOV.UK One Login. You can create one at the same time as applying for this apprenticeship.

After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.

Company’s application instructions

Please complete the application form on the Cogent Skills website.

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Research Scientist Apprenticeship (level 7) - UCB

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