Principal Scientist: Cell Biology & Genome Editing

Job Details

Reporting Lines

Job Purpose 

The Center of Excellence for Abiotic Resilience and Crop Genomics (ARC-Gen) is a partnership between Silal, the UAE’s leading agri-food and technology company, and Limagrain Vegetable Seeds (LVS), the world leader in Vegetable Seeds. This partnership is aiming to develop a world class research facility in UAE with state-of-the-art capabilities in plant physiology and gene editing, with the ultimate goal of enhancing crops’ ability to withstand extreme conditions such as heat, drought, and salinity.

As a Principal Scientist in Cell Biology and Gene Editing, you will contribute to the development of the GE-Research Unit at ARC-Gen. You will manage research projects in plant cell biology, tissue regeneration, delivery systems, and advanced genome editing methodologies.

This position plays a pivotal role in supporting the development of genome-edited plants designed to withstand abiotic stress in arid and desert-like growing conditions. 

Your work will contribute directly to global priorities such as food security, sustainable agriculture, and climate resilience.

Key Responsibilities

• Explore, adopt and implement state-of-the-art technologies in plant cell biology and genome editing.

• Develop novel tools and methodologies for cellular studies.

• Investigate plant cell and tissue developmental processes using advanced microscopy and cell biology techniques.

• Optimize protocols for gene delivery and transformation in SILAL strategic vegetable crops.

• Design and implement genome editing strategies using CRISPR/Cas9 and other genetic engineering tools.

• Contribute to functional genomics studies to elucidate gene functions and regulatory networks related to abiotic stresses.

• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams (geneticists, bioinformaticians, trait experts, pre-breeders) to integrate cell biology findings with genomic data.

• Work closely with trait experts for rapid assessment of plant performance.

• Present research findings internally and at scientific conferences contribute to publications.

Project Leadership & Management:

• Propose, design, and manage research projects independently.

• Act as an expert in your domain and collaborate across research areas for timely delivery.

• Drive innovation and continuous improvement to accelerate research processes.

• Ensure efficient transfer of deliverables and know-how to end users.

• Participate in building collaborations with world-class experts and maintain cutting-edge knowledge in the field

• Contribute to project budgeting and research workplan development.

• Mentor and supervise technicians in best practices for technology use.

Stakeholder Management

Key Internal Stakeholders

Key External Stakeholders

• All Sectors, Departments and Offices.

• Any other concerned internal stakeholders as required.

• Concerned government, semi-government and private sector entities. 

• Any other concerned external stakeholders as required. 

Required Qualification

Professional Experience

• Ph.D. in Plant Cell Biology, Plant Biotechnology, or related field.

• Fluent in English.

• Professional Experience of a minimum of 12+ Years. 
• Deep understanding of genome editing principles and molecular biology.
• Proficiency in bioinformatics tools for guide RNA design and off-target analysis.
• Excellent problem-solving and data analysis skills.
• Knowledge of regulatory constraints and quality processes
• Experience with in vitro plant culture and genetic transformation (monocots and dicots) is a plus.

Competencies

Technical Competencies

Competency

Proficiency Level

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert