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8 Apr 2022

Full-Time Scientist/Senior Scientist, Fermentation

NatureWorks LLC – Posted by sscribner1 Plymouth, Minnesota, United States

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Job Description

Description

POSITION PURPOSE:

The Fermentation Scientist/Senior Fermentation Scientist performs fermentation research and development to support commercial-scale lactic acid production. The successful candidate will participate in a range of activities, including: (1) bioreactor operations; (2) microbial strain evaluation; (3) fermentation process development and optimization; (4) analytical analysis; and (5) authoring of technical reports, presentations, and SOPs.

Principal Accountabilities:

  • Planning and execution of fermentation experiments in a team environment, including bioreactor set-up, operations, sampling, analysis, interpretation, reporting, and presentation
  • Screening and characterization of microbial strains, feedstocks, and other raw materials for commercial potential in lactic acid fermentation
  • Design, evaluation, and optimization of new equipment applications and/or fermentation procedures
  • Collaboration with team members and stakeholders to develop economically viable and commercially relevant fermentation processes
  • Participation in design, start-up, and operational activities of scaled-up fermentation processes to facilitate technology transfer from R&D fermentation to pilot and commercial scale processes
  • Protection of intellectual assets
  • Training and active mentorship of junior scientists
  • Maintaining a safe work environment for all NatureWorks employees and visitors, including the identification of unsafe behaviors and conditions and intervention to mitigate incidents

 Qualifications:

 Education and Experience Required:

  • Bachelor’s Degree in Biology, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Bioproducts Engineering, Bioprocess Engineering, or related degree
  • Four or more (4+) years of relevant fermentation experience with demonstrated skills in the set-up, operation, and maintenance of lab-scale and/or pilot-scale bioreactors
  • Ability to analyze and interpret fermentation data, as well as identify critical issues, problem-solve, and troubleshoot related processes
  • Excellent verbal and written communications skills, effective listening skills, and ability to communicate well with scientists and engineers having different academic backgrounds
  • Ability to successfully work in a project-driven and team-oriented environment

Education and Experience Preferred:

  • Master’s Degree or PhD
  • Seven or more (7+) years of relevant fermentation experience
  • Experience in industrial fermentation, particularly lactic acid production
  • Experience in an industrial R&D and/or manufacturing organization with increasing levels of responsibility

 Other preferred knowledge, skills, and abilities:

  • Experience with a variety of lab-scale or plant-scale fermentation bioreactors and configurations, including batch, fed-batch, and continuous systems
  • Demonstrated skills in strain library management and microbial preservation techniques
  • Experience in setup, programming, maintenance, and troubleshooting of fermentor control software
  • Analytical instrumentation and molecular biology skills, such as HPLC, GC, spectrophotometry, PCR, and cytometry imaging
  • Development of mass, material, and energy balances for understanding strain performance and for tracking process control
  • Understanding of experimental design and the ability to analyze data (preferably using tools such as JMP) and prepare statistically meaningful reports
  • Experience in developing and implementing protocols used to test and optimize performance of fermentation strains
  • Ability to author or co-author SOPs, patent applications, invention disclosures, internal reports, and presentations
  • Capability in performing equipment maintenance, upgrades, and troubleshooting to ensure proper operations and maximum up-time

How to Apply

Click here to apply online.

Job Categories: Sustainable Agriculture / Food. Job Types: Full-Time. Job Tags: #lacticacid #bioreactors #bioplastics. Salaries: 100,000 and above.

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