Laboratory Technician

About us At Shiru we believe that food should be delicious and nourishing without negatively affecting our planet. Acknowledging our growing global population as well as the imminent effects of climate change, Shiru’s mission is to create better protein ingredients that will catapult us into a sustainable food future. 
With our mission in mind, Shiru makes high quality, functional food proteins through better leveraging our precious environmental resources. To do this, we employ technologies originally  created to solve problems in adjacent industries, including computational biology, machine learning, and industrial fermentation and bioprocessing.
We apply computational intelligence to find the most functional natural food proteins in the world, harnessing the inherent ability of microflora to produce them. We then partner with food and beverage companies to incorporate these unique protein ingredients into everyday products. Shiru is now expanding our team of dedicated professionals across multiple disciplines to make enhanced protein ingredients for a better world.
About the roleWe are looking for an enthusiastic and detail-oriented laboratory technician to join our team. As a laboratory technician, you will work closely with our scientists to develop and execute the assays critical to our protein discovery pipeline.
In this role, you will be mentored by experienced protein scientists and will learn methods essential to protein structure-function analyses. You will support Shiru’s scientists by carefully executing these methods and you will become a steward of select assays essential to our platform. You will work with a diverse set of food proteins and sophisticated instrumentation used for their purification and characterization. You will have ample opportunities to learn cutting-edge science in a collaborative environment, hone your laboratory and analytical skills, and contribute to our collective mission with ever-increasing autonomy.
About youYou are analytically minded, well-organized (perhaps you find color-coding oddly satisfying?), and you know how to manage your time. You find yourself “in the flow” when you are working with your hands and at the bench. Your curiosity and attention to detail help you spot problems, ask questions, and identify solutions. You have a positive attitude, a growth mindset, and a passion for science, food, and sustainability.

Responsibilities

• Execute and refine SOPs for select biochemical, biophysical and food science assays
• Organize and maintain inventories of samples, reagents, and consumables (including purchasing and vendor-facing conversation) to ensure smooth and consistent analytical and laboratory operations
• Keep a detailed electronic record of results using Electronic Notebook and Laboratory Inventory Management Systems and assist in designing digital templates to increase the efficiency of data capture, analysis, and distribution
• Analyze and summarize data in the form of short reports and brief presentations
• Assist in the setup and upkeep of analytical instrumentation

Attributes

• You enjoy working on scientific problems and applying your analytical and problem-solving skills
• You bring a positive attitude to individual and collaborative projects
• Good organizational habits and time-management skills
• Ability to work independently and troubleshoot resourcefully; you’re not afraid to make or discuss mistakes and you’re keen to continuously improve your skills and the quality of your work
• Solid communication skills and a demonstrated ability to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment
• You expect work to be meaningful and to be part of a business dedicated to having a positive impact on the planet

Responsibilities

• AS/BS in chemistry, biology, engineering, materials science, food science, or a similar field
• General laboratory experience and some prior experience working with analytical instruments (e.g. UV-Vis/fluorescence, HPLC, spectrometry, mechanical/thermal testing instruments, etc.) 
• Familiarity with protein characterization and quality assessment methods (SDS-PAGE, SEC, Western Blotting, proximates testing, PDCAAS, etc.) is desirable
• Basic knowledge of analytical and sterile technique
• Solid foundation in math and experience using common software (e.g. MS Excel or similar) for data processing

At Shiru, we're looking for people with passion, grit, and integrity. You're encouraged to apply even if your experience doesn't precisely match the job description. We’re expecting your skills and passion to stand out—and set you apart—especially if your career has taken some extraordinary twists and turns. Please join us in this singular opportunity to create the future of food!  
Shiru is an equal opportunity employer who values diversity. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. Shiru offers competitive compensation and employee benefits along with an attractive equity package commensurate with candidate qualifications.