Address
Form of workDuties and Responsibilities include the following:
• Help develop application model platforms being used by customers in North America in the biopharma, food cultures, probiotics, and food and feed market segments.
• Complete laboratory projects and other tasks such as:
- Procelys product performance test vs. competitors and internal benchmarks. Interpret results, write reports and conclusions for use by the sales and marketing teams
- Complete literature searches on new developments in the targeted segments
- Design and run optimization experiments for customers using either Procelys model organisms or customer strains
- Assist the design and development of new yeast-derived products in close relationship with the pilot plant and the production department
• Utilize and contribute to the improvement of defined validation study procedures and experimental protocols according to the standards of the Global Procelys Applications Group
• Ensure the full physical, biological and chemical characterization of Procelys products in concert with fermentation profile analysis
• Assist new product development and product improvement initiatives: investigate product performances issues and keep close communication with Production, Marketing and Quality Departments to provide recommendations for development of new products
• Contribute to a technical competitor database
• Serve as one of the reference labs for the global Procelys team as industry expert for biopharma and probiotics.
• Maintain lab equipment in good conditions (metrology, validation protocols ...); manage reagents and consumables to ensure the lab is always fully operational.
• Demonstrate good program management skills in all project phases, including planning, execution, control, and closure.
• Prepare a yearly budget for consumables and propose ideas for new equipment.
• Provide regular reporting of project status to management and the broader Procelys organization.
• Draft and implement external research projects with academia or other research institutes as needed.
Supervisory Responsibilities
There are no direct reports. However, the Lab Scientist will take a lead role in coordinating the activities of themselves and any lab intern to complete the assigned projects for the lab.
Education and/or Experience
PhD or Master Degree in Microbiology, Fermentation Science, Biochemical Engineering or related field, plus a minimum of 3 years' laboratory experience in R&D or application development in the area of industrial biotechnology/fermentation, preferably from the bio-ingredients field (hyaluronic acid, amino acids, enzymes, biopharma, dairy cultures, probiotics, etc)
Competencies / skills / attitude
To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:
• Good hands-on knowledge and experience of industrial biotechnology and fermentation science
• Experience in running daily fermentation lab operations including task management, experimental design, good lab technique.
• Be a good team player, ability to build strong relationship with other internal departments (Innovation, Quality, R&D, operations, Marketing, Technical Services)
• Good knowledge of biochemical analysis methods
• Experience running, maintaining and developing assays for HPLC
• Comfort in the use of experimental planning including DOE, orthogonal methods and statistical software
• Ability to synthesize and interpret a variety of technical instructions, scientific literature and data from diverse origins
• Project management skills, including ability to be a project manager internally.
• Curious, creative, and eager to learn and investigate new things; willingness to generate suggestions for improvements
• Self-motivated, and organized. Ability to prioritize and plan work activities. Uses time efficiently.
Travel
• Occasional international trips to attend meetings, particularly with Applications Group peers from Procelys labs in Maisons-Alfort (France) and Cedar Rapids and for scientific conferences.
• Traveling for business meetings, conferences and occasional customer visits in the US.
Language Skills
English / Other language skills - esp. French- will be a plus
