Community Manager Jobs in London 2026 – Apply Now

Substrate Bio is hiring a Community Manager in London to build and lead its technical research community from the ground up. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced community, developer relations, scientific outreach, or technical partnerships professional who understands the worlds of AI, biology, data science, and research.

The successful candidate will become the external voice of Substrate within the growing AI and biology research ecosystem while bringing valuable insights from researchers, scientists, engineers, and potential customers back into the company.

This is much more than a traditional social media or event-management position. You will create relationships, develop technical content, establish community channels, represent Substrate at conferences, and build feedback systems that can influence product, scientific, and commercial decisions.

For someone who enjoys building something from the beginning, this role offers an opportunity to make a meaningful impact. The community does not yet have a finished playbook, established channels, or a defined structure. You will help create all of these while working closely with Substrate’s founders and growing team.

Details of Community Manager Job:

• Job Title: Community Manager Jobs in London 2026 – Apply Now
• Hiring Company: Substrate Bio
• Location: London, UK
• Work Arrangement: Hybrid
• Job Type: Full-time
• Visa Sponsorship: Available for exceptional candidates
• Annual Leave: 30 days
• Equity: Meaningful equity with a standard four-year vesting schedule and one-year cliff
• Salary: Competitive London market compensation, based on experience and role scope

About Substrate Bio:

Substrate Bio is developing a network of fully autonomous wet laboratories designed to support AI-driven biological discovery.

The company aims to provide the infrastructure needed to make high-quality experimental biology more accessible to researchers and AI companies. Its cloud-based facilities are closely connected with AI foundation models and software systems, creating an environment where experimental biology can become easier to access and scale.

Substrate currently has two scientific areas underway: protein characterisation and functional genomics. Its software platform connects API requests with automated laboratory assay execution.

The company is opening its first laboratory and office in London while developing a second location in San Francisco. Its commercial pipeline includes AI foundation model companies, AI-native biotechnology businesses, pharmaceutical organisations, and publicly funded research institutions.

Substrate is a small, rapidly growing company backed by venture funding and government grants, with plans to expand to approximately 30 employees by early 2027.

About the Community Manager Role:

As Community Manager, you will own Substrate’s community strategy from end to end.

Your immediate goal will be to establish a strong presence among the researchers and technical professionals who are already working at the intersection of AI, biology, computational science, and automated experimentation.

You will connect with academic research groups, frontier AI communities, biotechnology companies, pharmaceutical R&D teams, conferences, online research communities, and the wider open-science ecosystem.

The role combines community building with technical communication and commercial insight.

You will create content that demonstrates what Substrate can offer, develop relationships with influential researchers and organizations, represent the company at scientific events, and create feedback loops that help the product and science teams understand what the community needs.

Most importantly, you will help turn initial interest into genuine trust and long-term relationships.

Responsibilities for Community Manager Jobs in London:

Build Substrate’s Technical Community

• Develop Substrate’s community strategy from the ground up.
• Identify the researchers, scientists, engineers, organisations, and communities most relevant to Substrate.
• Establish and manage appropriate online community channels.
• Build meaningful relationships with research groups and technical organisations.
• Develop a structured approach to community engagement and relationship management.
• Create a community environment based on useful information, scientific credibility, and genuine interaction.

Create Technical and Scientific Content

• Write technical articles, research-focused posts, newsletters, and case studies.
• Develop event recaps and educational community content.
• Communicate complex scientific and technical ideas in a clear and accessible way.
• Create content that demonstrates Substrate’s capabilities and relevance to AI-driven biology.
• Establish a consistent content calendar and production process.
• Develop content that appeals to both experienced scientists and technically minded researchers.

Represent Substrate at Events

• Attend AI, biotechnology, biology, and scientific conferences.
• Represent Substrate at research and technology events.
• Help organise community events surrounding the London laboratory opening.
• Develop relationships with researchers and organisations before, during, and after conferences.
• Identify important conferences, podcasts, forums, and other opportunities for Substrate to participate in.

Connect Community Insights With the Business

• Build feedback loops between the community and Substrate’s product and scientific teams.
• Track meaningful community engagement and relationship development.
• Identify opportunities that may contribute to the commercial pipeline.
• Share researcher feedback with product, science, and commercial teams.
• Help identify customer segments and community groups that Substrate should serve more deeply.
• Monitor community activity and report useful insights to company leadership.

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Your First 12 Months

First 90 Days: July to September 2026

During your first three months, you will learn Substrate’s existing network and establish the foundations for its community strategy.

Your priorities will include:

• Mapping existing relationships across research institutions, AI laboratories, pharmaceutical companies, AI-native biotechnology companies, and the wider AI-biology ecosystem.
• Identifying the most valuable communities and relationships for Substrate.
• Establishing a presence across relevant newsletters, online communities, forums, podcasts, and conferences.
• Publishing Substrate’s first substantial technical community content.
• Identifying approximately 10 to 15 research groups, laboratories, or organizations that could become important community relationships.
• Beginning meaningful outreach and relationship development with these groups.

Months 4 to 8: October 2026 to February 2027

As Substrate develops its London presence, you will help turn the initial community strategy into an active network.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Building community engagement around the London laboratory opening.
• Supporting the launch event and researcher outreach.
• Creating content documenting Substrate’s early operational work.
• Establishing a structured community-to-product feedback process.
• Developing Substrate’s presence within the San Francisco AI-biology ecosystem.
• Identifying important organizations, conferences, and communities in the Bay Area.
• Creating a sustainable content calendar.
• Improving community channels, moderation processes, engagement metrics, and reporting systems.

Months 9 to 12: March to June 2027

By this stage, the community should begin becoming a measurable part of Substrate’s broader growth strategy.

You will:

• Develop researcher referrals and community-driven inbound interest.
• Measure how community relationships contribute to potential commercial opportunities.
• Identify which community relationships are becoming commercially valuable.
• Create a detailed community playbook for future growth.
• Document successful channels, content formats, events, and relationship-building methods.
• Continue developing the community infrastructure supporting the San Francisco laboratory.

What Substrate Is Looking For

The ideal candidate will combine scientific or technical credibility with strong community and commercial experience.

You should have approximately five or more years of experience working close to research communities, particularly through community management, developer relations, scientific outreach, technical partnerships, or a related function within AI, technology, biotechnology, life sciences, or research-focused organisations.

You should understand how researchers, engineers, and data scientists evaluate information and build professional trust.

You should also be comfortable communicating with highly technical audiences. Whether you are writing a scientific article, hosting a panel discussion, managing an online community, or speaking with a potential partner, you should be able to communicate clearly and confidently.

This position is particularly suited to someone who wants to build rather than simply maintain.

The community strategy does not already exist. You will help determine who the community should serve, why it should exist, where members should interact, and how its success should be measured.

Must-Have Qualifications:

• Five or more years of experience in community management, developer relations, scientific outreach, technical partnerships, or a similar role.
• Experience working with research, life sciences, AI, biotechnology, or technical audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to build and grow a technical community from a relatively low starting point.
• Experience producing credible technical, scientific, or specialist content.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Scientific or technical literacy sufficient to communicate with biology, AI, data science, and engineering professionals.
• Ability to build relationships with researchers, scientists, engineers, and technical organisations.
• Willingness to work from London or San Francisco.
• Willingness to travel between London, San Francisco, and relevant scientific conferences.

Nice-to-Have Qualifications

• A BSc or higher qualification in biology, biochemistry, computer science, or a related discipline.
• Developer relations or community experience at a platform or infrastructure company.
• Existing relationships within the AI and biology research ecosystem.
• Experience working with AI biotechnology companies, pharmaceutical R&D teams, frontier AI laboratories, or academic research groups.
• Knowledge of conferences and events related to AI-driven biological discovery.
• Experience building communities around data products or API-based platforms.

Why This Community Manager Job Is Different:

Many community positions begin with an existing product, established audience, and defined community structure.

This role is different.

At Substrate, the community is still being created.

You will work with researchers, computational biologists, data scientists, ML engineers, pharmaceutical teams, biotech companies, academic institutions, and AI laboratories. These audiences have different priorities, professional environments, and expectations.

Your challenge will be to discover what brings these groups together and create a community that provides genuine value.

The role is also closely connected to business development. Community is not simply about increasing followers or generating impressions. The relationships you build can influence product development, scientific priorities, customer relationships, partnerships, and commercial growth.

That makes this an opportunity for someone who wants their work to have a visible impact on a company’s direction.

Benefits of Community Manager Job:

• Competitive Salary and Equity: Community Manager Jobs in London offer an average salary around £38,465 annually, alongside meaningful equity opportunities and a competitive compensation structure based on experience, seniority, and responsibilities.
• Visa Sponsorship Opportunities: Exceptional international candidates may receive visa sponsorship for London positions, creating an opportunity to pursue an innovative career while contributing to Substrate Bio’s growing AI and biology research community.
• Hybrid Working Environment: Employees benefit from flexible hybrid working while maintaining valuable in-person collaboration at Substrate Bio’s King’s Cross laboratory and office, particularly during the important early stages of community development.
• Generous Annual Leave: The position provides 30 days of annual leave, giving employees valuable time away from work to rest, recharge, travel, and maintain a healthy balance alongside a demanding technology-focused career.
• Learning and Development Support: A dedicated learning and development budget supports continuous professional growth, helping Community Managers strengthen their technical knowledge, communication abilities, industry expertise, and leadership skills throughout their career.
• Meaningful Career Impact: This founding community position provides an opportunity to build Substrate Bio’s technical community from the ground up, collaborate directly with founders and researchers, and influence product, scientific, partnership, and commercial decisions.

Hybrid Working and Location:

The position is hybrid, with a strong emphasis on in-person collaboration.

London-based employees are expected to spend most working days during the first six months at Substrate’s King’s Cross laboratory and office.

San Francisco-based employees will follow a similar in-person working pattern once the San Francisco node becomes operational.

Remote working days are available, but because this is a relationship-focused position, Substrate places significant value on face-to-face interaction with colleagues, researchers, partners, and the wider community.

The Team

You will report to Anna Huyghues-Despointes, Co-Founder and leader of partnerships and go-to-market at Substrate.

Anna previously served as Chief Corporate Development and Strategy Officer at Owkin and worked as an investor at Balderton Capital.

You will work closely with the founding team, including:

• Oli Hoy, who leads infrastructure development and laboratory delivery.
• Alexey Morgunov, who leads AI and scientific intelligence.
• Mostafa ElSayed, CEO and founder of Automata, who leads investor and government engagement.

As Substrate grows toward approximately 30 employees, this will remain a highly connected role with direct access to founders and senior decision-makers.

Your work will not sit on the sidelines. Community insights can directly influence scientific, product, commercial, and strategic decisions.

Visa Sponsorship:

Substrate states that it sponsors visas for exceptional candidates at both its London and San Francisco locations.

International candidates with strong relevant experience may therefore be considered, although visa sponsorship is subject to the company’s assessment and applicable immigration requirements.

How to Apply for Community Manager Jobs in London 2026?

Applications are made through Substrate’s Ashby recruitment platform.

Candidates should provide:

• An up-to-date CV.
• A short message explaining who they are.
• Why the Community Manager position is the right opportunity for them now.
• Their thoughts on the hardest part of building a technical research community from scratch.
• Links to relevant technical, scientific, community, or other content they have created, where available.

The recruitment process consists of three stages:

1. An initial conversation with Anna.
2. A short content task.
3. An in-person founder team session.

If you are unsure whether your background is a perfect match, Substrate encourages you to reach out. Because this community is being built from the beginning, the company is interested not only in previous experience but also in how candidates think about creating a valuable technical research community.

Apply Now

Equal Opportunity

Substrate Bio is an equal opportunity employer. Hiring decisions are based on merit, suitability for the role, relevant experience, and the potential for a strong working relationship.

Applications are welcomed from candidates of all backgrounds.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

For an experienced community professional, this position offers something unusual: the chance to build a technical research community from zero while working alongside founders, scientists, engineers, and commercial leaders.

Your work could help determine how researchers discover substrates, how they understand their technology, and how the company builds trusted relationships across AI and biology.

If you enjoy technical subjects, meaningful relationships, scientific innovation, and the challenge of creating something that does not yet exist, the Community Manager role at Substrate could be an opportunity worth exploring.

Is the Community Manager position fully remote or hybrid?

The Community Manager position is hybrid rather than fully remote. London employees are expected to spend significant time at Substrate Bio’s King’s Cross laboratory and office, particularly during the first six months, because collaboration and relationships matter.

Does this role include annual leave and development benefits?

Yes, employees receive 30 days of annual leave, a learning and development budget, quarterly offsites, hybrid working arrangements, meaningful equity, and an evolving benefits package. These benefits support professional development, well-being, collaboration, and long-term career growth.

Can international candidates apply for London Community Manager roles?

Yes, international candidates can apply, particularly those with strong technical community experience. Substrate Bio welcomes exceptional candidates and may sponsor visas. Applicants should demonstrate relevant experience, scientific or technical understanding, excellent communication skills, and community-building ability.