Scientist, Process Chemistry

Aralez Bio•Berkeley, CA

1d•$95,000 - $120,000•Onsite

About The Position

We envision a world where we continuously, sustainably, and affordably improve human life with synthetic biology. Our proprietary set of enzymes and our manufacturing approach enables the production of thousands of amino acids that were previously too difficult and expensive to make. These “noncanonical” amino acids that we make are already catalyzing the creation of revolutionary and innovative products that are good for people and the planet. Our technology outperforms traditional manufacturing approaches by 10–100x across the board. We already sell products to Big 10 Pharmaceutical companies, and our product family includes the key components of multi-billion dollar blockbuster drugs such as Ozempic and Mounjaro. We are a diverse, passionate, interdisciplinary team that finds joy in building something new that leaves the world better than we found it. We strive to always learn and improve and have a deep desire to capitalize on our creativity and be exceptional at what we do. About the role We’re seeking a highly talented scientist to play a critical role in manufacturing and production of noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs). As a teammate on the Process Chemistry and Manufacturing team, your work will be a significant driver in bringing our vast (and growing) catalog of ncAAs to clients and companies working on next generation therapeutics. In this role, you will have the opportunity to produce innovative products unlocked by chemistry and biocatalysis at various production scales. This is a full time, onsite role in Berkeley, CA.

Requirements

PhD with 2+ years of experience or MS with 5+ years of experience; advanced degree in organic chemistry, chemical engineering, pharmaceutical chemistry, pharmaceutical science, or related scientific discipline.
Hands-on experience and proven record in solving problems in multi-steps organic synthesis for small molecule, amino acid, or peptide production.
Experience in product isolation including extractions, crystallization, precipitations, chromatography.
Substantial experience with diverse analytical techniques, such as spectrophotometry, NMR, LC/MS, and HPLC for characterization and quantification.
Experience in experimental design, DoEs for troubleshooting and process optimization.
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Exceptional interpersonal and management skills to collaborate with and direct the work of others on assigned projects.
Thrives as part of a team, with a strong collaborative mindset.
Strong initiative and ability to work independently.
Proactive in identifying, analyzing, and solving problems.
Curiosity and drive for continuous improvement.

Nice To Haves

Experience in Process development and scale up is a plus.

Responsibilities

Supply high quality non-canonical amino acids and derivatives for next generation therapeutics.
Work up to 80% of the time in the lab to support manufacturing related activities, including production, route development, process development, and scale-up of ncAAs that meet product and quality specifications.
Optimize reactions and isolation processes for robust and scalable production of a variety of products.
Author, review, and maintain batch records, tech transfer documents, SOPs, and reports to ensure reproducibility and traceability of work.
Apply process and product characterization to collect data, quantify production process, and ensure specifications are met.
Collaborate with a fantastic multidisciplinary team to bring greener chemistries to drug manufacturing and other industries.
Have a high regard for safety, people and ethical behavior.