Metabolic Engineering Research Associate II

Elevate the Future with Lesaffre & Recombia

This role is within Recombia Biosciences, a metabolic engineering company part of the Lesaffre Group since 2022. Recombia Biosciences specializes in the development and commercialization of innovative microbial solutions for various industries, including agriculture, food, and biofuels. Leveraging Lesaffre's extensive expertise in fermentation and microbiology, Recombia focuses on applying advanced biotechnology, such as metabolic and genome engineering and synthetic biology, to create customized microbial strains with enhanced functionalities using precision fermentation.

Lesaffre is a key global player in the fermentation of microorganisms (yeasts and bacteria) for baking, taste, healthcare and industrial biotechnology. This story began more than 170 years ago in northern France, and, thanks to our pioneer spirit and our innovative approach, we are constantly developing. 

Lesaffre's global presence includes 11,000 employees from 96 nationalities and a 3-billion euro turnover. We work with customers, partners and researchers to develop essential nutrients and bio actives that strengthen human health, optimize animal well-being and improve plant nutrition. 

Our Core Values: Passion, respect, trust, entrepreneurship, and humility  

Pay Range: $75,000 - $85,000 annually; salary range is commensurate with qualifications and experience

What we offer  

• The opportunity to represent a passionate organization focused on innovation and sustainability 
• A competitive 401K plan, affordable benefits starting on day 1 of employment, and 11 paid holidays  
• The ability to utilize your experience and knowledge to make a real impact  
• Opportunities for continuous growth

What you bring to the table 

As our Metabolic Engineering Research Associate II, you'll bring a powerful blend of scientific expertise to drive cutting-edge innovation. Wielding your extensive hands-on experience in DNA and plasmid cloning, preparation, and implementation, you'll play a vital role in transforming and screening a diverse array of microorganisms, from yeast to bacteria. Your technical prowess will provide essential support to help our team tackle high-priority projects and meet critical milestones.

But your impact won't stop there. You'll have the opportunity to work on a broad range of fascinating research initiatives, collaborating with cross-functional experts to uncover new possibilities in the world of metabolic engineering. If you thrive on the challenge of pushing scientific boundaries as a motivated, detail-oriented researcher, we want you to join our dynamic team and make your mark.

What you’ll do as a Research Associate II

•  Design and introduce genetic modifications to industrial yeast strains and/or bacterial strains using classical and high-throughput methodologies
•  Perform the molecular cloning tasks of target constructs including cloning strategy design, execution and verification
•  Execute or optimize assays to characterize the resulting genetically engineered strains
•  Interact frequently with leadership and collaborate with other research associates and scientists
•  Execute automated strain engineering and assay workflows as part of the Recombia team
•  Leverage your strong background in molecular biology, microbial strain engineering, and high-throughput screening
•  Apply your specialized expertise in statistics and data analysis to support research initiatives
•  Work closely with cross-functional teams to drive the development of innovative microbial solutions
•  Other duties as assigned

Required qualifications:  

•  Bachelor's degree in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Biology, Microbiology, or related field
•  2 of more years of industry experience
•  Experience with plasmid cloning workflows, such as GoldenGate/Type IIS, Gibson, and restriction enzyme cloning
•  Familiarity with designing primers and plasmids for assembly, preparing DNA for sequencing, and interpreting results
• Experience with genetic or genome engineering of microorganisms, such as E. coli, S. cerevisiae and/or fungal species
• Experience with culturing microorganisms in different formats, including shaking flasks and microtiter plates, and taking samples of these cultures for phenotypic characterization
•  A good record of maintaining safe practices and work environment
•  Strong communication skills and experience working within a complex team
•  Strong organizational, planning skills, and excellent record keeping

Preferred qualifications: 

•  Programming and data analysis skills (Python, R, etc)
•  Skills to mentor junior researchers
•  Familiarity with Benchling environment and their Developer APIs
•  Some experience with running bioreactors for microbes
•  Good willing to learn, and grow in responsibilities

Lesaffre provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.   

**This position is not open for immigration sponsorship. Valid US work authorization is required at the time of hire.**

LASAFFRE YEAST is an organization currently based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States.