Metabolic Engineering Research Associate II

Lesaffre Group • Bedford, MA

74d • $75,000 - $85,000

About The Position

This role is within Recombia Biosciences, a metabolic engineering company part of the Lesaffre Group since 2022. Recombia Biosciences specializes in the development and commercialization of innovative microbial solutions for various industries, including agriculture, food, and biofuels. Leveraging Lesaffre's extensive expertise in fermentation and microbiology, Recombia focuses on applying advanced biotechnology, such as metabolic and genome engineering and synthetic biology, to create customized microbial strains with enhanced functionalities using precision fermentation. Lesaffre is a key global player in the fermentation of microorganisms (yeasts and bacteria) for baking, taste, healthcare and industrial biotechnology. This story began more than 170 years ago in northern France, and, thanks to our pioneer spirit and our innovative approach, we are constantly developing. Lesaffre's global presence includes 11,000 employees from 96 nationalities and a 3-billion euro turnover. We work with customers, partners and researchers to develop essential nutrients and bio actives that strengthen human health, optimize animal well-being and improve plant nutrition. Our Core Values: Passion, respect, trust, entrepreneurship, and humility.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Biology, Microbiology, or related field
• 2 or more years of industry experience
• Experience with plasmid cloning workflows, such as GoldenGate/Type IIS, Gibson, and restriction enzyme cloning
• Familiarity with designing primers and plasmids for assembly, preparing DNA for sequencing, and interpreting results
• Experience with genetic or genome engineering of microorganisms, such as E. coli, S. cerevisiae and/or fungal species
• Experience with culturing microorganisms in different formats, including shaking flasks and microtiter plates, and taking samples of these cultures for phenotypic characterization
• A good record of maintaining safe practices and work environment
• Strong communication skills and experience working within a complex team
• Strong organizational, planning skills, and excellent record keeping

Nice To Haves

• Programming and data analysis skills (Python, R, etc)
• Skills to mentor junior researchers
• Familiarity with Benchling environment and their Developer APIs
• Some experience with running bioreactors for microbes
• Good willing to learn, and grow in responsibilities

Responsibilities

• Design and introduce genetic modifications to industrial yeast strains and/or bacterial strains using classical and high-throughput methodologies
• Perform the molecular cloning tasks of target constructs including cloning strategy design, execution and verification
• Execute or optimize assays to characterize the resulting genetically engineered strains
• Interact frequently with leadership and collaborate with other research associates and scientists
• Execute automated strain engineering and assay workflows as part of the Recombia team
• Leverage your strong background in molecular biology, microbial strain engineering, and high-throughput screening
• Apply your specialized expertise in statistics and data analysis to support research initiatives
• Work closely with cross-functional teams to drive the development of innovative microbial solutions
• Other duties as assigned

Benefits

• The opportunity to represent a passionate organization focused on innovation and sustainability
• A competitive 401K plan, affordable benefits starting on day 1 of employment, and 11 paid holidays
• The ability to utilize your experience and knowledge to make a real impact
• Opportunities for continuous growth

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Industry: Food Manufacturing
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees