Laboratory Technician, Production (Contract)

About us

At the forefront of farming and food, UPSIDE Foods is innovating new ways to produce real meat, without the need to breed, feed and slaughter animals. Our process begins with an animal cell, which is cultivated and harvested as meat. The founding company of the industry, UPSIDE Foods is a mission-driven organization focused on bringing to meat lovers an authentic product that is truly humane, sustainably produced, nutritious and delicious! We are now expanding our team of dedicated professionals across disciplines to make better meat for a better world.

About this job

The Laboratory Technician will be responsible for supporting cell cultivation lab operations and large-scale cellular bioprocessing. The technician should be capable of executing experiments and production plans as directed by their manager. This laboratory-based position requires fulfilling support activities for experiments within the set timeframe, followed by reliable collection of routine data. Your responsibilities will encompass every aspect of tissue production from start to finish. You should be able to follow directions well, engaged with the team, and enthusiastic about the job. This position is up for consideration for a contract to hire role.

Duties include

• Strictly following R/SOP's to perform assigned tasks ranging from routine to complex lab procedures 
• Cell/tissue culture work including thawing, culturing, and freezing
• Participating in large-scale bioprocessing procedures for cell and tissue production
• Reagent, buffer, and fresh media preparation
• Preparation, assembly, cleaning, and sterilization of glassware and equipment
• Monitoring lab supply inventory and maintaining a clean workspace
• Operating laboratory equipment and maintaining it in proper working order (autoclave, microscope, centrifuge, incubator, etc)
• Improve the quality and efficiency of existing and new protocols
• Proficient data collection and management
• Supporting weekends as needed by the work schedule

About you

• Associates or Bachelors degree in a scientific field, biotechnology certificate or professional experience in cell biology, bioengineering, or closely related science. 
• Competent with Google Suite and Microsoft Suite: Excel, PowerPoint, Word  
• Strong written and oral communication skills 
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, evolving, and cross-functional environment to develop a scientific knowledge base
• Fosters a strong team environment by collaborating with team members
• Regularly maintains laboratory notebooks with detailed experimental documentation and results
• Ability to work in a lab setting and sit/stand for long periods of time

Desirable skills

• Hands-on experience with fermentation lab operations in bench-scale and/or scale-up
• Working knowledge and hands-on experience of cell culture processes 
• Understanding of aseptic/sterile technique with a track record of operation under minimal microbial contamination, including familiarity with sterilization and common lab equipment (autoclaves, glasswashers, sterile hoods) 
• Background in biochemical engineering, bioprocessing, cell biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, or closely related science 

UPSIDE Benefits!

• Stock options for all full-time incoming team members!
• 100% employer-paid healthcare premiums for team members (medical, dental, vision)
• Unlimited PTO / 3 Weeks PTO Accrued Annually
• DE&I (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) Council and People Engagement Programs
• Company-sponsored learning & development opportunities

UPSIDE Foods is an equal opportunity employer and we value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. Our company-wide mission is to create a product for everyone, so we are deeply committed to having teams and leaders that reflect this mission.