For 75 years, Charles River employees have worked together to assist in the discovery, development and safe manufacture of new drug therapies. When you join our family, you will have a significant impact on the health and well-being of people across the globe. Whether your background is in life sciences, finance, IT, sales or another area, your skills will play an important role in the work we perform. In return, we’ll help you build a career that you can feel passionate about.
The Role
Are you an experienced in vitro biologist with a passion for leading teams and delivering high-quality, client-driven scientific projects within a drug discovery environment?
Do you have the expertise and leadership capability to guide complex immunology studies while mentoring scientists and driving exceptional project outcomes?
Based at our Portishead site, this is a laboratory-based leadership role within the In Vitro Biology team.
The Associate Group Leader will provide both scientific and managerial oversight to their direct reports, ensuring effective day-to-day leadership and the successful delivery of high-quality scientific leadership for client projects.
The role carries accountability for team development, operational coordination, and advancing scientific excellence across assigned studies.
Main Tasks
- Lead scientific activities within in vitro biology or as part of an integrated project team, providing clear technical and scientific direction.
- Use strong scientific judgement to guide decisions, influence study outcomes, and ensure high‑quality project delivery.
- Provide project leadership, overseeing scientific planning, execution, and delivery against client objectives and financial expectations.
- Engage directly with clients and internal stakeholders to understand requirements, define deliverables, and maintain high levels of client satisfaction.
- Maintain current knowledge of relevant scientific literature, industry trends, and contemporary laboratory practices, sharing insights with the wider team.
- Support training and development of direct reports in core techniques such as flow cytometry, Incucyte assays, ELISpot, Luminex, high‑content imaging, complex primary cell culture, and molecular biology.
- Act as project lead when required, ensuring accountability for delivery across scientific areas and effective communication with external stakeholders.
- Proactively share scientific knowledge to foster continuous learning, collaboration, and scientific excellence across the group
- Effectively manage direct reports on a day-day basis, through meaningful onsite interactions ensuring optimal performance and delivery to assigned client projects.
- Demonstrate strong business awareness, identifying issues that affect operations and proposing practical plans and actions to address them.
- Establish strong working relationships across the management community, identifying any potential areas for improvement and/or development and facilitating those opportunities for self and direct reports where possible.
- Promote a strong safety culture, ensuring teams always work safely and in full compliance with CRL policies and laboratory standards.
- Be a positive influence across the group, able to coach, guide and mentor more junior staff and peers as needed to achieve strategic goals as set out by the Senior Leadership Team and Director cohort.
- Contribute to the management and performance of the Portishead In Vitro Biology team by taking on selected responsibilities.
- Support Talent Acquisition in recruitment process, hosting candidate interviews and/or participating as part of interviewing panels.
Skills and Qualifications
- MSc within relevant discipline
- Demonstrable lab-based industry led experience within a drug discovery environment.
- Previous experience of leading client projects within a similar CRO/drug discovery/biotech environment
- Proven leadership or supervisory experience, overseeing smaller teams on a day-day basis.
- Strong communication skills, able to foster working relationships with peers and reports alike in a professional manner.
- Able to effectively guide, mentor and coach junior team members positively, outlining clear expectations of what is expected.
- Experience with working in an in vitro biology lab.
- Strong understanding of immunological techniques and principles.
Advantageous, but not essential:
- PhD within relevant discipline.
- Previous experience of leading client projects within a similar CRO/drug discovery/biotech environment.
- Effectively managed a team previously, with strong passion for developing and training others.
What We Offer
At Charles River Discovery UK, we offer a competitive and comprehensive benefits package designed to support our employees’ health, wellbeing, and professional growth. A generous Bonus and non-contributory pension, health, dental and much more.
About Discovery
Discovery from Charles River is industry-proven in the successful development of novel therapies, with over 350 patents and 80 preclinical drug candidates delivered to our sponsors in the past 17 years. Backed by more than 650 scientists, our comprehensive, integrated portfolio employs the latest technology and platforms to provide chemistry, biology, and pharmacology services that support clients from the earliest stages of hit identification all the way through to IND. Our client-focused, collaborative approach creates true partnerships that anticipate challenges, overcome obstacles, and move us forward together on the journey of getting new drugs to market.
About Charles River
Charles River is an early-stage contract research organization (CRO). We have built upon our foundation of laboratory animal medicine and science to develop a diverse portfolio of discovery and safety assessment services, both Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) and non-GLP, to support clients from target identification through preclinical development. Charles River also provides a suite of products and services to support our clients’ clinical laboratory testing needs and manufacturing activities. Utilizing this broad portfolio of products and services enables our clients to create a more flexible drug development model, which reduces their costs, enhances their productivity and effectiveness to increase speed to market.
With over 20,000 employees within 110 facilities in over 20 countries around the globe, we are strategically positioned to coordinate worldwide resources and apply multidisciplinary perspectives in resolving our client’s unique challenges. Our client base includes global pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, government agencies and hospitals and academic institutions around the world.
At Charles River, we are passionate about our role in improving the quality of people’s lives. Our mission, our excellent science and our strong sense of purpose guide us in all that we do, and we approach each day with the knowledge that our work helps to improve the health and well-being of many across the globe. We have proudly supported the development of 86% of the drugs approved by the FDA in 2021.
At Charles River Laboratories, we recognize and recruit all talent. We are a company committed to the principle of diversity and inclusion and work daily in this direction.
Helping you find your moment
You take great care and effort when you apply for a job with us. Rest assured that we’ll be just as diligent in finding the role that’s right for you. Here’s how our hiring process works:
Job Search
Learn about CRL, our culture, and why we do the work we do while also searching for roles that match your interests and expertise.
Application
Create a profile and apply to as many roles as you have an interest.
Note: Depending on the role, you may be required to include a resume in your application.
Assessment and application review
Complete assessments, if requested, to determine whether the role is likely to be a good fit for you – and vice versa. The recruiter will review your resume and qualifications against the requirements of the role and will determine next steps.
Note: At any point in the process, you can log into your profile to review the status of your application.
Interview
Engage in our interview process by meeting with a group of interviewers who will provide information on the company, culture, and your role while also asking you questions to assess your skills, interests, and expertise. This is also a great time for you to ask questions and better understand how we foster a sense of belonging at Charles River.
Note: Charles River leverages technical and behavioral-based interview questions based on our DNA (Care, Lead, Own, and Collaborate). Please familiarize yourself with the DNA and be prepared to relate your experiences to them.
Job offer and onboarding
Receive a competitive offer either by phone or email from a Charles River recruiter or hiring manager. The offer will include your title, salary, location, and other relevant information.
Note: Upon acceptance, you will work with your recruiter to confirm a start date and will receive paperwork to electronically complete prior to your start. For US-based roles, upon your acceptance, you will be required to take a pre-employment drug screen and pass a criminal background check.
Job Search
Learn about CRL, our culture, and why we do the work we do while also searching for roles that match your interests and expertise.
Application
Create a profile and apply to as many roles as you have an interest. Note: Depending on the role, you may be required to include a resume in your application.
Assessment and Application Review
Complete assessments, if requested, to determine whether the role is likely to be a good fit for you – and vice versa. The recruiter will review your resume and qualifications against the requirements of the role and will determine next steps.
Note: At any point in the process, you can log into your profile to review the status of your application.
Interview
Engage in our interview process by meeting with a group of interviewers who will provide information on the company, culture, and your role while also asking you questions to assess your skills, interests, and expertise. This is also a great time for you to ask questions and better understand how we foster a sense of belonging at Charles River. Note: Charles River leverages technical and behavioral-based interview questions based on our DNA (Care, Lead, Own, and Collaborate). Please familiarize yourself with the DNA and be prepared to relate your experiences to them.
Job offer and onboarding
Receive a competitive offer either by phone or email from a Charles River recruiter or hiring manager. The offer will include your title, salary, location, and other relevant information. Note: Upon acceptance, you will work with your recruiter to confirm a start date and will receive paperwork to electronically complete prior to your start. For US-based roles, upon your acceptance, you will be required to take a pre-employment drug screen and pass a criminal background check.
Featured jobs
Important things are happening every moment at Charles River. This means exciting new career opportunities for you to explore. Take a look and apply today!
Looking for something else? Search all jobs.
Moment by moment
At Charles River, you’ll be able to contribute to incredible breakthroughs while experiencing exciting opportunities for growth and development.
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UX/UI Designer
Advocate for user-centered design solutions. Create distinctive, consistent, branded digital experiences across multiple platforms, devices, and channels.
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Sr. UX/UI Designer
Define and drive UX/UI strategies and interaction designs – from scratch and for scale – that solve business and user problems.
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Associate Director
Work with Sr. UX/IX Designers and developers to assess problems and develop solutions. Execute on plan by building coding standardisations and automating processes.
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Director, Digital Data Enablement
Lead UX management and operational teams across business units and technical teams. Identify and define fit-for-purpose strategies to integrate best practices.
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Sr. Director UX/UI Design
Mentor, coach, and guide designer teams on design strategy related to research insights, execution, continuous integration, and automated deployment.
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Animal Care Technician I-IV
Maintain the well-being of our animals by providing food, water, and a clean environment.
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Animal Care Technologist I-IV
Provide specialised care to maintain and monitor our animal's health and physical environment.
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Veterinary Technician
Help monitor, document, and triage all laboratory animal health cases.
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Team Leader / Supervisor
Supervise, train, mobilise, empower, and develop a high-performing team.
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Research Associate
Coordinate and plan activities according to study plan guidelines.
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Intern Level I
Support process/procedure improvement based on site and department needs. Gain knowledge of our corporate environment to navigate cross-functional department collaboration.
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Intern Level II
Complete comprehensive departmental projects incorporating mentorship of Level I interns as a professional development component.
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Biomanufacturing Technician I-III
Oversee the production, formulation, and banking of cellular products while maintaining compliance with GMP, GDP, and aseptic guidelines.
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Biomanufacturing Lead / Specialist
Maintain in-depth knowledge of specialised equipment to address questions as a Subject Matter Expert for the required equipment.
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Clinical Veterinarian I-III
Responsible for delivering professional veterinary services and helping to manage all phases of health care for the animal colony.
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Senior Clinical Veterinarian
Utlise knowledge of laboratory animal medicine to optimise the scientific objectives of animal research protocols.
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Principal Veterinarian / Associate Director
Conduct veterinary consultations, make treatment recommendations, communicate with study directors, and follow cases through to resolution.
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Director, Laboratory Animal Medicine
Provide technical and professional oversight of all animal care and use functions involving site laboratory animals.
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Technician I-III
Follow SOP and protocols in the areas of animal handling, husbandry, and blood/urine collection.
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Technician IV-V
Handle advanced technician duties, including anesthesia, leadership and specialised sample collections.
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Project Leader (Scientific)
Serve as a scientific expert for the Lab with responsibility for staff-conducted studies.
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Team Leader (People Leader)
Oversee team activities and gain leadership skills on the path to becoming a Team Supervisor.
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Team Supervisor (People Leader)
Responsible for overall employee supervision, staff development, and team success.
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Financial Analyst
Help analyse financial data, extract/define relevant information, and interpret data.
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Financial Analyst II
Responsible for analysis, forecasting, budgeting, accounting administration, and reporting of projects.
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Senior Financial Analyst
Handle weekly and monthly forecasting and annual budget preparation. Prepare financials and key indicators for business reviews.
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Manager, Business Finance
Partner with operating businesses to raise standards in key decision areas. Present a dynamic industry, competitor, and economic context.
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Finance Director, Operation
Support all business aspects, working with site teams to direct weekly/monthly forecasting and annual budget preparation.
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Biomanufacturing Technician I
Support the production, formulation, and banking of novel cellular products (including cGMP, GDP, and aseptic processing).
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Biomanufacturing Technician II
Perform specialised activities in the production, formulation, and banking of novel cellular products (including cGMP, GDP, and aseptic processing). Train Biomanufacturing Technician 1.
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Biomanufacturing Technician III
Help advance the production, formulation, and banking of novel cellular products (including cGMP, GDP, and aseptic processing) while interacting with clients.
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Biomanufacturing Lead / Specialist
Maintain in-depth knowledge of specialised equipment to address questions as a Subject Matter Expert for the required equipment.
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Biomanufacturing Supervisor
Oversee biomanufacturing personnel, ensuring compliance with cGMP’s, CRL quality systems, and process documents in biomanufacturing.
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Biomanufacturing Manager
Lead biomanufacturing activities in the start-up and cGMP production of novel cellular products. Schedule and manage staff, ensuring a safe and compliant working environment.
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Client Manager
Ensures high-quality customer service through multi-site coordination. Deliver timely, accurate, and comprehensive responses to sponsor requests.
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Business Development Director
Deliver profitable sales growth by targeting and visiting clients to build strong relationships and customer loyalty.
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Senior Business Development Director
Plan and execute a territory-based field sales strategy. Drive growth through targeted long- and short-term account plans.
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Regional Sales Manager
Manage sales team within North America's Safety Assessment sales region to achieve sales and profit goals.
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Director
Partner with site leadership to achieve performance goals, develop staff, and deliver succession planning.
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Senior Director / General Manager
Lead a multi-functional team to ensure integrated operations. Collaborate with senior leadership to form plans, objectives, and policies.
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Executive Director
Lead a global, mutidisciplinary team. Develop short and long-term strategic plans tp maximise growth and profitability.
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Corporate Vice President
Provide leadership, direction, and advice to leadership and finance teams. Accountable for financial planning, directing, and controlling.
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About Charles River
Charles River is an early-stage Contract Research Organisation (CRO). Here, we are passionate about our role in improving the quality of people’s lives. With 100 sites around the globe, we are strategically positioned to coordinate worldwide resources and apply multidisciplinary perspectives in resolving our clients’ unique challenges. Our client base includes global pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, government agencies, hospitals, and academic institutions around the world.
Supporting your well-being
Your dedication and passion make a life-saving difference in lives around the world. We’re committed to providing you with benefits that elevate your quality of life.
Financial
- Earnings + incentives
- Retirement benefits
- Holidays + time away
- Recognition
- Employee Assistance
Career
- Professional development opportunities
- Career development
- Awards
- Educational support
Health & wellness provision
- Employee well-being support
- Family Support Assistance
- Parental benefits + family formation benefits
- Work-life balance flexibility
Social and Community
- Culture of inclusion
- 11 employee resource groups (ERGs) with >3,000 members
- Opportunities for paid volunteer time off
- Community outreach + matching gift + engagement activities
About Charles River
Charles River is an early-stage Contract Research Organisation (CRO). Here, we are passionate about our role in improving the quality of people’s lives. With 100 sites around the globe, we are strategically positioned to coordinate worldwide resources and apply multidisciplinary perspectives in resolving our clients’ unique challenges. Our client base includes global pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, government agencies, hospitals, and academic institutions around the world.