Manager, Sampling and DNA Extraction

Inari • West Lafayette, IN

3d • $90,000 - $124,000 • Onsite

About The Position

About Inari... Inari is the SEEDesign™ company. We embrace the diversity and complexity of nature in every aspect of our business to drive innovation – to push the boundaries of what is possible. Through our unrivaled technology platform, Inari uses predictive design and advanced multiplex gene editing to develop step-change products. We are taking a nature positive approach to unlock the full potential of seeds that will transform the food system. The results will lead to more productive acres delivering value creation for farmers and a more sustainable future for our planet. Our success is dependent on great minds, collaborating to generate bright ideas and deliver exceptional outcomes. We have 200 employees, with research sites in Cambridge, MA (USA) and Ghent (Belgium), as well as a product development site in West Lafayette, IN (USA). We’ve deliberately built a team that brings diversity of thought to all aspects of our business, to generate new ideas, approaches, and ways of operating. And we've intentionally combined experience with potential, bringing agriculture industry experts with the desire to innovate together with bright minds from academia, human therapeutics, software, and consulting. If you want to be part of a diverse and inclusive team developing unique solutions to feed the world while protecting our planet’s natural resources, we’d love to hear from you! About the role... We are looking for a highly motivated, creative, and detail-oriented individual with experience in high throughput plant sample collection and processing for DNA extraction. This candidate will join the Molecular and Genomics Analysis team. The candidate will have opportunities to work with different functions to support various gene editing projects through facilitating molecular characterization in high-throughput fashion. Primary objectives of this position are to process samples, DNA extraction for subsequent molecular analysis, collaborations with other research and development functions, and team management. In addition, the candidate will support other molecular screening and genotyping sample processing activities to support the entire molecular screening pipeline. Creativity, excellent communication skills, and willingness to work and learn in a dynamic team environment are musts for the candidate to thrive in this role. This position is located in West Lafayette, Indiana. Beyond our science, we live our core values: Collaboration, Bold, Open, Integrity, Inclusivity and we welcome challenging ideas and thrive on Innovation!

Requirements

• BS/MS (or equivalent) in Molecular Biology, Biology, Agronomy or related field with 3+ year(s) of relevant experience
• 4+ years of experience in handling plant samples and DNA extraction at industry level R&D operations.
• 2+ years of people leadership or management experience in high performance teams
• Comfortable spending a significant port of time performing hands-on plant sampling and DNA extraction
• Must have excellent organizational and time management skills, and attention to detail.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Excel in automation related technical expertise on high-throughput DNA extraction protocol development and implementation.
• A sense of adventure and excitement to work in a highly dynamic multidisciplinary team environment
• Proven ability to troubleshoot technical and scientific issues, both individually and as part of a team
• Experience with LIMS or sample tracking systems

Nice To Haves

• Experience with gene editing and CRISPR-Cas technologies
• Tissue culture plant care and health management experiences
• Experience with other molecular biology techniques (e.g., PCR/RT-PCR amplification is a plus)
• General knowledge of plant physiology and molecular biology, and biotechnology

Responsibilities

• Team Leadership & People Management Lead, mentor, and develop a team of research associates
• Manage training, performance evaluations, and workload distribution
• Foster a collaborative, accountable, and high-performance team environment
• Hands-On Technical Execution Perform routine and non-routine plant tissue sampling and DNA extraction
• Maintain proficiency with established and emerging protocols
• Sample Lifecycle Management Oversee the processing of plant tissue samples from sampling through DNA extraction
• Ensure proper tracking, labeling, storage, and chain-of-custody procedures
• Optimize workflows for efficiency, scalability, and accuracy
• Cross-Functional Collaboration Work closely with internal R&D and Product Development teams including transformation, greenhouse, field, bioinformatics, operations, regulatory and quality assurance
• Coordinate daily activities and align priorities across departments
• Serve as a key point of contact for sample-related inquiries and project updates to stakeholders
• Quality Control & Compliance Establish and maintain rigorous quality control processes for sample handling and DNA extraction for subsequent analysis pipeline
• Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, SOPs, and laboratory best practices
• Identify and resolve deviations, implementing corrective and preventive actions
• Data Management Oversee sample data tracking systems and ensure accurate data entry and integrity
• Collaborate with data and informatics teams to streamline data workflows
• Maintain detailed documentation for all processes and results
• Problem Solving & Continuous Improvement Troubleshoot technical and operational issues in real time
• Identify process inefficiencies and implement improvements
• Support innovation in sample processing and laboratory workflows
• Project & Workflow Management Manage multiple concurrent projects and deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Prioritize tasks and allocate resources effectively
• Provide regular progress updates to leadership and stakeholders
• Work independently and as part of a multi-disciplinary team to solve complex problems and achieve goals/deadlines
• Effectively document and communicate scientific results and progress
• Assist with other molecular biology tasks as needed at the scientific platform

Benefits

• Inari pays competitively and rewards results.
• The salary range for this position is $90,000 - $124,000.
• Whether you are full-time or part-time, Inari provide three different components of pay – base, short-term incentive, and long-term equity along with a one-time new hire stock option grant.
• We also offer a comprehensive benefits package including both a Preferred Provider Network (PPO) and High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) with a company-funded health savings account (HSA), vision, dental, and several flexible spending accounts (FSA), a host of voluntary benefits, and a robust wellness program.
• In addition, Inari offers a 401k plan with a company matching and a flexible paid time off policy.
• Consistent with our commitment to pay transparency, salary range information is being disclosed.
• Please note that offers are based on the candidate's qualifications & experience as well as market demand.
• Inari is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees