Strain Development Research Associate

Position Overview:

Terragia Biofuel is seeking a highly skilled and motivated Strain Development Research Associate. The ideal candidate will thrive working within and across teams to advance strain performance to ensure rapid progress through design-build-test-learn cycles. Candidates can expect to contribute to multiple projects, working simultaneously as supporter, co-leader, and/or leader with varying collaborators. This will require strong communication skills and attention to detail in record keeping and lab practices. Candidates will report progress/results weekly in a team meeting format and monthly company-wide format.

Qualifications:

• Bachelors or Masters degree in biotechnology, biochemistry or related field.

Candidates should have demonstrated proficiency in some of the following and be willing to learn the others:

• Molecular Biology - Designing plasmids with modern software, performing PCR, running gels, propagating plasmids, confirming candidate plasmids via sequencing

• Strain building – Performing microbial transformation and strain confirmation procedures. Experience with anaerobic chambers is a plus.

• Phenotyping – Experience with sterile technique. Inoculating/sampling cultures with syringes for microbial growth and phenotypic testing.

Key Responsibilities:

• Support multiple projects with a proactive attitude toward doing whatever it takes to advance Terragia’s technology. Includes consistent execution of varied lab procedures and detailed record keeping of findings in a team-shared project specific notebook.

• Plan and design one project per quarter alongside team leadership. Lead the execution of the project and own its progress.

• Report weekly to a manager with a keen focus on prioritization of work.

• Maintain team databases of primers, plasmids, and strains

Benefits:

• Industry-competitive salary and compensation.

• Comprehensive health and dental insurance plans.

• Company 401k (non-matching).

• Competitive health savings account (HSA) contributions.

• Future stock options in a rapidly expanding startup

• Opportunities for professional development and advancement.

About Terragia:

Terragia is dedicated to development and commercial deployment of low-cost technology for production of low-carbon biofuels. Terragia’s unique consolidated bioprocessing (CBP) technology using engineered thermophilic bacteria has documented potential to be cost-competitive with fossil fuels while realizing net removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. We are inspired by the prospect of playing a key role in climate stabilization and rural economic development.