Description of Job: Lead internal upstream process development efforts at the Sumitomo Biorational Company Biorational Research Center by conducting fermentation experiments in laboratory- and pilot-scale bioreactors. Evaluate the performance of microbial strain candidates by analysis and interpretation of fermentation data. Work with a team of fermentation scientists, downstream process engineers, formulations scientists, microbial engineers and analytical chemists to develop sustainable biorational solutions within the expanding field of BioAgriculture.
Principal Responsibilities:- Design and implement upstream processes to optimize strain performance of bacterial and fungal microorganisms to produce microbial products, metabolites and proteins
- Mentor junior team members by training safe and proper use of fermentation and analytical equipment required to execute process development and improvement experiments
- Provide guidance to research associates and support their professional development
- Take primary responsibility for the operation and troubleshooting of pilot scale fermentation equipment
- Design scale up and scale down experiments to execute seamless technology transfer between Research and Manufacturing operations
- Build strong relationships with supporting research departments and deliver fermentations on time or ahead of schedule to biology, downstream processing, formulations, and product development teams
- Travel to manufacturing site to launch new fermentation processes and troubleshoot current commercial processes
- Maintain and further develop collaborative relationship with the pilot and production fermentation team at the manufacturing site
- Execute sophisticated process development experiments utilizing statistical tools to ensure process robustness
- Work alongside data scientists, IT, and engineering to build and maintain a digital system to organize and archive run data and electronic batch records
- Maintain and update laboratory data and documents including electronic lab notebook and SOPs
- Conduct all work in strict compliance with all applicable safety requirements, containment requirements, standards operating procedures and/or guidelines while maintaining a clean and orderly workspace
- Work both independently and with interdisciplinary research teams while maintaining a positive and collaborative environment
Required skills/experience:- Expertise in culturing microorganisms, including filamentous fungi, to increase metabolite productivity using aseptic techniques Hands-on experience using lab-scale or pilot-scale SIP bioreactor systems for microbial cultivations and metabolite production, particularly with non-model bacterial and fungal organisms
- Experience training junior scientists in the use of fermentation equipment and execution of process development experiments
- High degree of competency in the Microsoft Office 365 suite and statistical analysis software
- Strong communication, presentation, and listening skills in cross-functional teams
- Willingness to foster a culture of diversity and inclusion.
- Able to lift up to 25 lbs
Education: Degree in Fermentation Science, Chemical/Biochemical/Biosystems Engineering, or closely related field with industrial fermentation experience (5 years with PhD, 8 years with MS, 12+ years with BS).
Travel: Limited travel will be required. (
What We OfferWe recognize that compensation and benefits play a crucial role in your career decisions. That's why we're dedicated to equitable pay practices and transparency in how we reward our employees.
Base Salary: The estimated annual base salary for this position ranges from:
$124,000 to $145,000. Individual pay is based upon location, skills, experience, and other relevant factors.
Incentives: All full-time employees are eligible for an incentive program or profit-sharing program in addition to their base salary.
Benefits:- High-quality healthcare coverage starting on day one, with options for medical (HSA/HRA), vision, and dental plans
- 5% company contribution to your 401(k), plus a quarterly discretionary bonus
- Immediate 100% vesting of all retirement contributions
- Financial assistance programs to support your goals
- Life and disability insurance for added security
- Generous paid time off, including vacation, holidays, and volunteer days
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