Research Associate/Scientist - Fermentation and Bioprocess

Main Functions

The Research Scientist will join a functional team that provides fermentation support and bioprocess expertise for R&D and production activities across the company.

This position requires the ability to work on many diverse projects by multitasking and organizing oneself to keep multiple experiments going simultaneously.

The successful candidate will be able to conduct online research of scientific journals to gain knowledge of various organisms to grow and optimize production of said organisms.

This position reports to the Project Leader of the Fermentation Support Team at Mascoma.

The key activities for this position include, but are not limited to :

• Developing and / or optimizing fermentation parameters to achieve good yield under industrial conditions;
• Designing and executing adaptation experiments for yeast and bacteria as well as screening isolates for improved qualities;
• Characterizing strain performance by performing small scale fermentations (up to 10L scale) in various medias / substrates with various organisms (yeast, bacteria, and fungi);
• Sampling fermentation experiments and coordinating analyses with internal and external analytical teams;
• Performing microbiological plating using good sterile technique;
• Writing reports summarizing the progress on the projects, similar to a research paper.

Technical skills

Required

• Bachelor’s degree or a Master’s degree in a biological science related field with 10 or more years of relevant experience, or a PhD in a biological science related field.
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, specifically Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams.

An asset

• Knowledge of LabView and Benchling a plus.
• Knowledge of utilization and maintenance of 2L or 10L bioreactors especially with propagation of yeast, fungi and bacteria.

Personal abilities

Required

• Strong attention to detail, critical thinking and an aptitude for experimental planning.
• Good troubleshooting skills to deal with technical problems.
• Ability to work on multiple and simultaneous projects with good organizational and time management skills.
• Excellent communication, data-keeping, and interpersonal skills.
• Flexible, self-motivated, team-player who works well in an interdisciplinary research environment.
• Willingness to learn and perform various lab duties depending on the company’s needs.

An asset

• Be dependable and hardworking.
• Possess a passion for science.

General criteria

Required

• Able to work in the U.S. (U.S. citizen or legal resident with appropriate work visas).
• Fluent in English (written and verbal).

Organization

Lallemand is a privately held Canadian company founded in the late 19th century, which develops, produces, and markets microorganisms for various markets.

The administrative offices of the parent company are in Montreal, Canada. Today, Lallemand employs more than 5,000 people working in more than 45 countries on 5 continents.

Lallemand's corporate division encompasses all of the support services offered to our branches. Its goal is to optimize internal processes, ensure that your operation is running smoothly, and that your strategy is well thought-out.

Our corporate branch's head office is located in Montreal, Canada, and relies on a team that specializes in : Management;

Finance and accounting; Engineering; Research and Development (R&D); Human Resources (HR); and Information Technology (IT).

If you want to help bring enthusiasm, collaboration and innovation to our workplace, we'd love to get to know you!

Please take note that accommodations will be provided in all parts of the hiring process. Applicants need to make their needs known in advance.