Role Overview

We are looking for a Media QC Scientist with deep curiosity about cell nutrition and a systematic approach to experimental work — someone who understands that getting the medium right is one of the most powerful levers available for improving the performance, cost, and scalability of cultivated meat production.

Cell culture media is at the heart of everything Meatly does. The composition of our media — every amino acid, vitamin, and supplement — directly determines how well our cells grow, how consistently they perform, and what it will ultimately cost to produce cultivated meat at scale. As a Media QC Scientist, you will work within the media optimisation and quality control function of R&D, reporting to the Media Optimisation & QC Lead, to systematically investigate, develop, and improve the media formulations that support Meatly's production processes. You will own the quality control of media and raw materials used across Meatly’s R&D and production processes and apply structured experimental approaches to characterise variability and qualify new materials.

We are seeking a scientist who finds satisfaction in making a process reliable, enjoys structured experimental design, and wants ownership of the standards that everything else depends on.

Key responsibilities

• Design and execute systematic screening experiments to evaluate the effect of individual media components on cell growth, viability and metabolic performance
• Develop and test serum-free and chemically defined media formulations, with a focus on reducing cost, improving consistency and meeting regulatory requirements for food-grade production
• Apply design of experiments (DoE) and other structured approaches to multi-variable testing: component screening, concentration ranges and interaction studies
• Qualify new raw material lots and suppliers, comparing performance against reference materials with predefined acceptance criteria
• Perform routine quality control testing of media batches, raw materials and supplements in support of the broader QC programme led by the Media Optimisation & QC Lead
• Investigate media-related deviations and batch failures, applying root cause analysis and implementing corrective actions
• Develop and maintain analytical methods for media characterisation, including pH, osmolality, nutrient profiling and stability assessment
• Design and execute cell-based performance testing of media batches and new or modified formulations, under conditions representative of Meatly’s production processes
• Interpret cell culture performance data — including growth kinetics, metabolic profiles, viability and product quality attributes — in the context of media composition, identifying mechanistic links between formulation and biological response
• Write and maintain SOPs, formulation records and batch documentation, and train others in them

Essential

• Degree in biochemistry, cell biology, biotechnology or a related discipline, or equivalent industry experience. MSc is preferred
• Hands-on mammalian cell culture experience
• Demonstrable experience applying DoE or other systematic approaches to multi-variable experimental work
• Experience with cell culture analytics: viability assays, metabolite measurement, osmolality
• Experience of quality control in a regulated or semi-regulated environment: specifications, release testing, batch records, deviation handling
• Strong attention to detail and excellent written documentation
• Good quantitative data analysis skills (Python, R, Excel or equivalent)

Desirable

• Raw material qualification or supplier comparison experience
• Media or reagent preparation at volume, including sterile filtration and release testing
• Statistical software for DoE (JMP, Design-Expert, Minitab or similar)
• Cultivated meat, cell-based food or alternative protein experience

What We Offer

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience, £32,000-38,000
• Up to 20% annual bonus, depending on performance
• 10% company pension contributions
• Company health insurance
• Equity participation in a high-growth, mission-driven company
• 24 days annual leave plus 8 UK bank holidays
• Learning & development budget, including support for relevant training, courses, and conferences
• Mentorship and career development within a growing, world-class R&D team
• Access to well-equipped laboratory facilities
• The opportunity to work on one of the most impactful and least-solved problems in cultivated meat — making cell culture media that is effective, safe, and affordable at scale