Sr. Scientist — Synthetic Biology

Job Title: Senior Scientist – Synthetic Biology
Job Type: Contract/Full-time

Position Summary:
We are seeking a Senior Scientist with expertise in synthetic biology and natural product biosynthesis. You will lead efforts to reconstruct and express biosynthetic gene clusters in microbial hosts, optimize small molecule production, and collaborate with analytical scientists to characterize novel compounds. This is a high-impact, early hire in a venture-driven startup with clear potential for growth into a scientific leadership role.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design, clone, and express biosynthetic gene clusters in heterologous systems (E. coli, Streptomyces, Saccharomyces, etc.)

• Engineer metabolic pathways to optimize production of natural products and their analogs

• Develop and scale microbial fermentation workflows for compound production

• Lead strain screening, optimization, and production campaigns

• Collaborate with analytical chemistry and mass spectrometry teams for compound identification and prioritization

• Design experiments, analyze data, and present findings to internal and external stakeholders

• Contribute to strategic decisions related to platform development, target selection, and pipeline expansion

• Mentor junior team members and shape lab best practices
  
  

Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Biology, Molecular Biology, Bioengineering, Microbiology, or a related field with 3+ years of relevant industry or postdoctoral experience

• Demonstrated experience in heterologous expression of biosynthetic gene clusters

• Strong foundation in microbial engineering, cloning, CRISPR-based editing, and pathway optimization

• Familiarity with natural product biosynthesis (e.g., PKS, NRPS, RiPPs)

• Experience with fermentation, extraction, and metabolite production workflows

• Independent, detail-oriented, and capable of driving complex projects from concept to execution
  
  

Preferred:

• Experience collaborating with analytical or mass spectrometry teams in natural product characterization

• Familiarity with dereplication workflows and compound prioritization

• Startup or fast-paced biotech experience

• Track record of scientific publications or IP in relevant areas
  
  

Growth Opportunity:
This is a foundational hire. The successful candidate will help shape the company’s scientific direction and grow into a leadership role as the organization expands.

To Apply:
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