Scientist/Sr. Scientist, Team Lead - Strain Engineering

At C16 Biosciences, we believe that palm oil doesn’t have to be a problem. Our team is building a sustainable and environmentally-friendly alternative to “conflict palm oil,” which relies on tropical rainforest deforestation and emits over 1 billion tons of CO2 into the atmosphere every year. C16 Bio’s technology platform harnesses naturally-occurring biological processes, improved by the latest innovations in strain engineering, fermentation, and low-cost lipid extraction to produce a better kind of palm oil.

As the Team Lead of C16 Biosciences’ Strain Engineering team, you will lead a team of Scientists and Research Associates who design and build microbial strains that create sustainable alternatives to palm oil. You will be entrusted as a thought leader in our broad efforts to develop next-generation strains that deliver value to our customers while gaining exposure to the “rapid prototyping” of a consumer products company. We are searching for an inspiring, inquisitive, and self-motivated leader with a passion for microbial engineering and mentoring. Candidates for this position must have relevant wet lab experience in strain engineering, synthetic biology, and / or metabolic engineering, as well as team leadership experience (preferably in an industrial setting), excellent communication, documentation, project management, and organizational skills.

Major responsibilities:

• Working with leadership, drive Strain Engineering's strategic roadmap generating new scientific directions to explore
• Plan, prioritize, oversee, and execute strain engineering experiments (e.g., tool development, molecular cloning, and microbial transformation)
• Analyze, interpret, and communicate results to the broader R&D team; proactively communicate roadblocks and mitigation strategies
• Lead planning, prioritization, and tracking of team Objectives and Key Results (OKRs)
• Lead ideation, testing, and implementation of next-generation molecular and synthetic biology tools that support strain engineering goals
• Coordinate inputs and outputs of the Strain Engineering team with adjacent teams (e.g., HTS, Fermentation, etc.)
• Line management (mentorship) and career development of junior team members
• Organize and maintain integrity of relevant laboratory materials (e.g., strain libraries, genetic constructs, equipment, and reagents) and standard operating protocols

Minimum education and experience:

• Ph.D. + 2 years experience or Bachelors / Masters + 7 years experience
• Degree / work experience in Chemical Biology, Molecular Biology, Bioengineering, or Chemical Engineering
• Experience leading high performing teams, preferably in an industrial setting
• Deep understanding of microbial metabolism, metabolic engineering, and synthetic biology concepts
• Self-starter who thrives in independent work environments
• Effective communicator, both within a collaborative scientific team and in communicating science to a non-technical audience
• Self-motivated, fast learner, evidence of skillful prioritization when faced with complex decisions

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ph.D. or postdoctoral research in strain engineering, metabolic engineering, lipid metabolism, or related fields
• Previous leadership experience in a startup or commercial research environment
• Comfortable with state-of-the-art bioinformatics and molecular biology software tools, as well as scientific computing and data analysis (e.g., Python, R, JMP)
• First-author peer-reviewed publications and / or patent applications demonstrating engineering of biological systems for designed functions

C16 offers:

• Unlimited PTO
• 401(k) retirement plan options + employer matching contributions
• Medical, dental, & vision insurance coverage
• Access to well-being tools and development opportunities (e.g., mental health, CitiBike memberships, and more)
• The salary range for this role is $95,000 - $135,000 per year.

Diversity at C16 Bio:

• We celebrate diversity in all its forms. We are committed to EEO regardless of race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, national origin, gender, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, marital or parental status, disability, veteran status, and more.

Legal authorization to work in the U.S. is required. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.