Senior Plant Biologist

bp•San Diego, CA

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

Join us in creating, growing, and delivering innovation to reimagine energy for people and our planet. The Technology team develops, and scales low carbon technologies needed to meet the world’s energy demand whilst simultaneously decarbonizing bp’s operations and products. Job Description The Fuels and Low Carbon Technology (F&LCT) is a team of over 300 technologists, scientists and engineers who provide pioneering solutions to support bp’s Fuels, Refining, Bioenergy and Hydrogen businesses. We also support the Technology group through Innovation Management, Modelling, Digital Science and our academic research programmes. The Bioenergy & Hydrogen Technology team (B&HT) will bring together scientists and engineers dedicated to delivering low carbon energy solutions that align with bp’s strategy while also supporting the technological needs of our oil and gas projects. The team works across many bp’s businesses supporting areas such as novel feedstocks, biofuels and advanced biofuels, and hydrogen. The opportunity The opportunity is for a Senior Plant Biologist which will act as technical expert in feedstocks, feedstock decomposition/deconstruction, and will work closely with the B&HT teams and other collaborators across the bp businesses on bioenergy projects. The successful candidate will provide technical expertise to support the scientific and technology projects to investigate and implement feedstock insights and solutions in the bioenergy space. The post holder will support projects involving feedstock conversion to bioenergy products. Additionally, they will serve as an interface between bio-feedstocks production opportunities and conversion strategies.

Requirements

MA/MS/PhD in subject areas such as Plant Biology, Botany, Plant Genetics, Agronomy, Agriculture or related field with 5+ years of experience (or bachelor’s with relevant experience).
In-depth knowledge of bio-feedstocks, and plant physiology, including experience with conversion technologies or low carbon product innovation.
Understand the interdependence of feedstock production and its utilization.
Outstanding inter-disciplinary problem solving and critical thinking skills, with a passion for scientific innovation and low carbon technology.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to interact effectively with technical and non-technical collaborators.
Experience and ability to work efficiently in a multi-tasking, fast pace, and matrix environment, with skills on prioritizing, delivery and being flexible in response to change.
Effective decision making with the ability to provide expert advice and clear recommendations, and to propose insights and develop solutions to sophisticated problems.

Nice To Haves

Experience in initiating and/or handling third party relationships, including academic collaborators, to find opportunities and establish strategic or tactical relationships that add new value and can secure competitive advantage for bp.
Knowledge of plant breeding and other crop development technologies.
Experienced assessing technology readiness level (TRL) and developing technology strategy & roadmap.
Familiar with sustainability, and regulatory requirements for bioenergy feedstocks, and life cycle principles

Responsibilities

As the SME for feedstock composition to conversion, apply technical expertise and know-how to see opportunities and provides guidance on priority feedstocks selection and downstream deconstruction process development.
Work closely with enzyme development and bioanalytical teams in experimental design and results interpretation to inform feedstock selection and conversion process development to improve efficiency
Evaluate feedstocks potential for upgrading (based on the cost, quantity, quality, agronomic performance, biomass recalcitrance, etc.).
Support economic and sustainability evaluations for a range of feedstock options in the production of bioenergy.
Provide technical expertise through: Knowledge of plant biology, plant physiology, and/or structural biology Experience in approaches to assess biomass quality traits and improved conversion efficiency, including pre-treatments, enzymatic hydrolysis, pyrolysis, and biological decomposition etc. Knowledge in environmental conditions, genetic x environment interactions, and crop management strategies that can affect compositional traits in bioenergy crops. Experience in feedstock composition and/or biological mechanisms that regulate important plant processes and impact growth and development desired. Assist with plant sample sourcing, testing and selection. Understanding of growing climate threats such as drought events or adverse precipitation patterns, decreases in biodiversity and loss of fertile soils on the future of bio-feedstocks
Support technology strategy and roadmap directions to B&HT research and innovation programs on bio-feedstocks to ensure alignment with bp’s strategy.
Collaborate with other teams in bp including other groups in Applied Sciences Technology, Trading & Shipping, Customers & Products, Gas & Low Carbon Energy, Strategy, Sustainability & Ventures, and Production & Operations.

Benefits

At bp, we support our people to learn and grow in a diverse and exciting environment. We believe that our team is strengthened by diversity. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment in which everyone is respected and treated fairly. There are many aspects of our employees’ lives that are important, so we offer benefits to enable your work to fit with your life. These benefits can include flexible working options, a generous paid parental leave policy, and excellent retirement benefits, among others!
This position is eligible for US Benefits – Core.
This position offers paid vacation depending on your years of relevant industry experience and will range from 120-240 hours if vacation per year for full time employees (60-240 hours of vacation per year for part time employees). You will also be eligible for 9 paid holidays per year and 2 personal choice holidays.
Bp has a paternal leave policy as well, which offers up to 8 weeks’ paid leave for the birth or adoption of a child.
We offer a reward and wellbeing package to enable your work to fit with your life. These offerings includes a discretionary annual bonus program, long-term incentive program, and a generous 401K matching program.
As a part of bp’s wellbeing package bp offers access to health, vision and dental insurance, as well as short-term disability and long-term disability.

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