Scientist

about 2 years ago
Full time role
Hayward, CA, US... more
Hayward, CA, US... more

Company

Half of our world’s food supply is dependent on synthetic nitrogen fertilizer, yet it has serious environmental impacts. Fertilizer contributes ...

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Job Description

About Pivot Bio:  

Fueled by an innovative drive and a deep understanding of the soil microbiome, Pivot Bio is pioneering game-changing advances in agriculture. Our commercial products harness the power of naturally-occurring microbes to provide nutrients to crops.  We provide new and sustainable ways for farmers to improve yield as they work to help feed the world’s growing population. Read/Hear more about Pivot Bio on Forbes or PBS News Hour. 

Job Description:

We are seeking a detail-oriented Scientist to join our growing Plant Analytics team. This individual will be an integral part of our plant biology team and will be expected to contribute to assay design while also being responsible for plant care. In addition to working on established protocols, the successful candidate will collaborate within and across teams to analyze data to identify novel nitrogen producing microbial strains.
 

Primary Location: Hayward, California with occasional travel to Berkeley Headquarters 

Responsibilities: 

  • Develop assays and procedures to generate reliable, quantitative data on plant growth metrics and product performance including morphological measurements of vegetative and root tissues and visualization of microbe/ plant interactions 
  • Develop and optimize substrate and solution combinations for optimal plant phenotypic response and microbial efficacy 
  • Analyze experiment outcomes and communicate results 
  • Troubleshoot and assist protocol iterations, and proactively find ways to increase efficiency and automate processes as applicable 
  • Perform routine tasks such as watering/ fertilizing plants as well as monitoring and adjusting growth facility conditions 

Required Skills and Experience:

  • PhD with 1+ year of experience, MS in biological sciences (plant biology, horticulture, or agronomy strongly preferred) with 5+ years of relevant experience or equivalent related experience 
  • Experience optimizing plant phenotyping experiments, with a preference for a strong background in assay development 
  • Experience phenotyping using image-based platforms and analysis of extracted traits 
  • Advanced computer skills including data capture/ visualization as well as management and statistical analysis of complex data sets 
  • Experience with plant care/greenhouse management and previous work in maize or other row crops 
  • Superior communication and teamwork, and ability to forecast time and resource needs 
  • Comfortable with or willingness to learn standard microbiology techniques such cell growth and assessment of viability/titer 

*Must be authorized to work in the U.S. 

What we offer: 

  • Competitive package in a disruptive startup 
  • Stock options 
  • Health/Dental/Vision insurance with employer-paid premiums 
  • Life, Short-Term and Long-Term Disability policies 
  • Employee Assistance Program with free referrals and discounts 
  • 401(k) plan, 3% Match 
  • Commuter benefits 
  • Annual Training & Development support 
  • Flexible vacation policy with a generous holiday schedule 
  • Exciting opportunity to work with a talented and fun team 

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