Associate Scientist/Scientist, Strain Engineering - Willow Biosciences

About Willow Biosciences: Willow Biosciences is a synthetic biology company that develops biobased processes for production of ingredients in the pharmaceutical, food and beverage, and consumer care sectors. Willow’s FutureGrown^TM and BioOxi^TM platforms were built to revolutionize industrial manufacturing of pure, consistent, and sustainable ingredients with sustainability at its core. Our fully integrated bio-based processes are more sustainable, secure, and cost-effective than traditional extraction or chemical synthesis routes and typically provide products of higher purity and yield.

Mission, Values, and Beliefs: At Willow Biosciences, we are committed to bringing high-purity compounds to market through scalable and cost-effective bio-based processes. We work hard, we are serious about what we do, and we like to have fun while we are at it!

Position: Associate Scientist/Scientist, Strain Engineering: We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Scientist I/II to join our Strain Engineering team focused on applying multiplexed HTP approaches for enzyme and host engineering in microorganisms, particularly yeast. The successful candidate will have strong molecular biology skills and demonstrated experience using synthetic DNA and gene-editing tools to create and integrate large, diverse DNA libraries for HTP screening, as well as constructing large- genome wide knockout and overexpression libraries. 

Location: Sunnyvale, CA US

Education & Experience: MS or PhD in genetics, molecular biology, microbiology, biochemistry, chemical engineering, or a related field. 2+ years’ demonstrated experience in enzyme/strain engineering of eukaryotic organisms in a high-throughput environment working with DNA library construction/cloning techniques (PCR, cloning, microbial transformation, homologous recombination, sequencing, and CRISPR-based integration). Experience working with ELN and LIMS for data capture and tracking. 

Responsibilities Include: 

• Design and build strains to optimize production of target molecules, based on knowledge of metabolic pathways and cellular physiology.
• Design of single-gene and combinatorial libraries for strain improvement (using in-house bioinformatics and genetic tools and platforms).
• Participate in rapid “Design/Build/Test/Learn” cycles with other lab scientists to meet company goals & milestones.
• Utilize/improve protocols for building/cloning multi-gene DNA assemblies/libraries in yeast and E.coli.
• Apply a broad range of analytical methods including PCR, DNA electrophoresis, spectrophotometry, and other plate-based assays to QC and evaluate strains.
• Utilize and develop in-house automation platforms and high throughput workflows to increase experimental throughput.
• Take an active role in sequence/activity data analysis and offer strategic recommendations based on interpretation of data for subsequent strain engineering decisions.
• Perform hypothesis-driven wet-lab experiments in microtiter plates and shake flasks to improve strain metrics.
• Collaborate closely with fermentation team to develop strains & processes for commercial scaling.
• Contribute to development of a strain engineering pipeline that supports future expansion.
• Keep organized and detailed documentation; develop SOPs for documentation and knowledge transfer.
• Keep up to date with current literature in strain engineering and implement new technologies as relevant.
• Present data internally as well as with outside stakeholders, including investors and partners.
• Mentor Research Associates
• Work in partnership with other scientists (computational biologists, analytical and fermentation scientists) to identify, develop, and apply new synthetic biology & genome engineering tools to meet company goals/milestones.

Job Requirements:                    

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (oral and written).
• Ability to communicate/present work and analysis to audiences with diverse technical backgrounds.
• Attention to detail, safety, and good laboratory practice.
• Ability to track documentation, have good record keeping and write reports and SOPs.
• Ability to take ownership, prioritize responsibilities, multi-task and remain flexible with changing needs. 
• Must be motivated and able to work under tight deadlines.
• Work in partnership with other scientists (molecular biologists, computational biologists, and analytical scientists) to meet company goals/milestones.
• Capable of high performance in independent work as well as in team setting.
• A strong desire to grow as a scientific researcher, learn new techniques and adopt new technologies for process improvements.
• Experience working with ELN and LIMS (preferred)
• Be curious, creative, and tenacious. 
• Model our core values and believe in our mission. 

Physical Demands:

•  Remaining in a seated or standing position for extended periods
• Performing repetitive tasks with hands, fingers, and wrists
• Use of standard lab PPE (lab coats, safety glasses and gloves)

Position Type:  Full-time position

Travel:  Not required

Work Authorization: Authorized to work in the US.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary package, 401k, healthcare benefits, medical, vision & dental
• Paid vacation and company holidays
• Life / AD&D, Short-term and Long-term Disability Insurance
• Opportunities for professional development
• Company/team wide social events  

Equal Opportunity Employment: Willow Biosciences is an equal-opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.  We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or any other applicable legally protected characteristics.  All employment is decided based on qualifications, merit, and business need.