Scientist – Electrochemical Enzyme Assay Development and Testing

Arzeda • Seattle, WA

1d • $101,000 - $140,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Arzeda is a deep tech, mission-driven company that designs proteins to solve significant global challenges in areas such as food and nutrition, sustainable materials, and homecare. Our innovative technology platform combines computational protein design, machine learning, and synthetic biology to create novel proteins, enzymes, and bio-based processes. We are seeking a detail-oriented Scientist to join our collaborative Protein Testing Team. In this role, you will be instrumental in advancing our enzyme engineering platform by developing high-throughput, automation-ready assay workflows. These workflows will accelerate enzyme screening, characterization, and experimental iteration, leveraging your expertise in electrochemistry, enzymology, protein characterization, analytical biochemistry, and high-throughput assay development. You will contribute to impactful projects across the company, working from our Seattle, Washington location.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Bioelectrocatalysis, Biocatalysis, Biochemistry, Chemical Biology, Chemistry or other related field, or 4+ years of experience in a Masters or industry role.
• In-depth knowledge and hands-on experience with enzyme characterization.
• Experience developing enzyme assays, especially for biocatalysis or bioconversions.
• Understanding of redox chemistry and thermodynamics.
• Experience developing and characterizing enzymes and enzyme-electrode interfaces including direct and/or mediated electron transfer using spectroscopic and electrochemical methods.
• Understanding of Marcus and Butler-Volmer theory pertaining to electrocatalysis, ideally additionally familiar with hydride transfer theory and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.
• Experience working in a glovebox/bag.
• Experience evaluating data sets, putting together reports, and presenting findings and/or results from data analysis.
• Desire to communicate openly within a team and be receptive to feedback and learning opportunities.
• Adaptable to changing plans as needed to meet goals.
• Legal authorization to work in the United States is required.

Nice To Haves

• Experience designing or operating automated experimental workflows and high-throughput assay systems strongly preferred.
• Python and/or R
• Hands-on experience with automation equipment
• Understanding of HPLC or LC/MS for small molecules and proteins.

Responsibilities

• Develop robust high throughput enzyme assays for bioelectro-conversions or bioconversions.
• Evaluate enzyme performance using electrochemical assays, and traditional enzyme assays, using absorbance, fluorescence, and HPLC/MS to detect and quantify products, cofactors, and reaction mediators.
• Contribute to and become an owner of experimental design to drive efficient identification of enzymes with desired properties.
• Perform cell-free expression, and high-throughput or mid-scale protein preparation, as needed.
• Design, optimize, and scale automation-compatible assay workflows to increase experimental throughput, reproducibility, and data quality.
• Partner with automation, software, and data infrastructure teams to implement robotic liquid handling, assay orchestration, and streamlined data analysis pipelines.
• Identify experimental bottlenecks and develop strategies to reduce assay cycle time and increase design-build-test-learn iteration speed.
• Develop, optimize, and perform laboratory SOPs.
• Interface with upstream (e.g., Protein Design, Strain Design, and Genetic Design-Build teams) and downstream teams and (Fermentation and Downstream Processing teams) for efficient data exchange and transfer of materials.
• Operate and maintain electrochemistry equipment.

Benefits

• Base salary of $101,000 to $140,000 depending on experience
• Comprehensive compensation package, to include equity
• Paid time off
• Company-observed holidays to include a company paid holiday closure between Dec 25 and Jan 1
• Paid medical/family leave
• Excellent medical, dental, and vision insurance to include options for Health Savings Accounts
• 401(k) retirement savings plan
• Commuter benefits

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree