Senior Group Leader, Industry - Plant Biology Institute

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

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:

EIT is seeking a visionary and accomplished Senior Group Leader, Industry to lead a transformative research programme at the forefront of plant biotechnology. This senior leadership role is integral to shaping a newly established and rapidly scaling Plant Biology Institute that aspires to become a global leader in delivering scientific breakthroughs with real-world impact. The successful candidate will establish and lead a world-class research programme working at the cutting edge of plant biotechnology, focused on advancing fundamental and applied science in photosynthesis, carbon assimilation, nitrogen fixation or other physiological process to enable a step change in the productivity and input requirements of modern agriculture. The Senior Group Leader will build and manage a high-performing, interdisciplinary team, develop cross-sector collaborations, and ensure research excellence is translated into commercial opportunities aligned with EIT's mission of humane and sustainable innovation. This is a rare opportunity to define the scientific direction of a next-generation research hub addressing some of the planet's most pressing challenges.

Your Responsibilities:

• Leadership Contribute to the development and expansion of a newly established plant science institute which will scale rapidly over the next 5 years to become a global leader in plant science research aimed at tackling humanity's greatest challenges.
• Establish, lead, and continuously evolve a flagship research programme designed to increase the fundamental yield potential of major agricultural systems while decreasing unsustainable input requirements through a focus on biotechnological engineering of processes such as photosynthesis, carbon assimilation and biological nitrogen fixation in plants.
• The Senior Group Leader will both coach and oversee programmes led by Group Leaders within the Yield Productivity team while also leading their own independent research programme directly.
• To work with internal teams to define the path to impact for the research program.
• To design and execute research programs and to ensure that all research programs are value and purpose driven.
• To recruit and lead a top talent team of Group Leaders, research scientists, post docs and PhD candidates.
• To hire based on competency, experience and values.
• To manage based on clear performance targets and with accountability.
• To maintain a positive, engaged culture, in line with EIT Oxford values.
• To lead the Plant Biology Institute's Scientific Leadership

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