Strain Engineering: Scientist I/II

Company Description

Lygos develops novel microbial technologies for the fermentative production of commodity and specialty chemicals. Lygos identifies expensive, environmentally hazardous, and harmful processes used today and develops safe, renewable routes to the same products in order to achieve a more sustainable future. Lygos is seeking to hire a skilled Scientist I/II to drive our development of new microbial strains to produce organic acids and cannabinoids. We offer a diverse, respectful and supportive workplace.

Position Description

The successful applicant will work as part of a collaborative team to engineer microbial strains for improved production of bio-based chemicals. The position will involve the design and construction of DNA expression and integration cassettes, building and screening combinatorial strain/enzyme libraries, measurement and analysis of strain performance, and the development and application of assays to improve enzyme properties or interrogate cellular conditions. At Lygos, a Scientist I/II is expected to be a leader in the lab, and to be capable of working independently.

Requirements

Primary Responsibilities

• Work within the Biotechnology team to efficiently and accurately develop and test new strain engineering hypotheses and overcome production bottlenecks.
• Lead design and construction efforts of DNA expression and integration cassettes and generate genetically engineered microbes and protein engineering libraries.
• Develop new molecular biology tools and methodologies to enable more efficient strain engineering and optimization
• Design experiments to screen production performance of new microbial strains and libraries and interpret resulting data
• Engage in technical discussions, research planning, and regularly present results at company meetings.
• Maintain good laboratory practices and participate in the development of standard operating protocols
• Mentoring and day-to-day supervision of Research Assistants.

Additional Responsibilities

The candidate will also be expected to work collaboratively with Lygos’ fermentation, downstream processing and analytical departments. The Lygos team works closely with all employees to support career development and facilitate the learning of new skill sets.

Education and Experience Requirements

• Ph.D. in chemical engineering, bioengineering, molecular biology, or biochemistry (or related field), with 0-2 years of experience for Scientist I, and at least 2 years industrial experience for Scientist II.
• Proficient with microbial genetic engineering and molecular biology bench work.
• Experience with general lab procedures, sterile technique, data interpreting/reporting and be comfortable in a fast-paced, multitasking environment.
• Demonstrated technical proficiency, scientific creativity, and collaboration.
• Strong organization skills and proven ability to manage details.
• Energetic, creative, team player.
• Experience in a synthetic biology/metabolic engineering startup a plus.

Secondary Knowledge and Skill Considerations

• Knowledge and experience working with yeast or other fungi
• Past work on other metabolic engineering and protein engineering projects
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to motivate team members and support a strong, healthy, collaborative laboratory culture.
• Ability to deliver on projects and assignments within timeframes.

Authorization to work lawfully in the United States for Lygos required. Visa sponsorship unavailable.