Cell Line Development Intern

About us

Based in Berkeley, CA, UPSIDE Foods grows meat, poultry, and seafood directly from animal cells. These products are not vegan or vegetarian—they are delicious meat, made without the need to raise and slaughter billions of animals. UPSIDE Foods recently became the first company in the world to receive the US FDA greenlight for cultivated meat, and UPSIDE’s cultivated chicken will be available to consumers following USDA inspection and label approval. 

Founded as the world’s first cultivated meat company in 2015, UPSIDE Foods (formerly Memphis Meats) has achieved numerous industry-defining milestones, including being the first company to produce multiple species of meat (beef, chicken, and duck). The company believes that people shouldn’t have to choose between the foods they love and a thriving planet, and is working to build a better food system with access to delicious, humane, and sustainable meat, poultry, and seafood. UPSIDE Foods has won various industry awards, including New York Times’ Good Tech Awards, FastCo’s Next Big Thing in Tech, and the Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in the Nation by the National Association for Business Resources. UPSIDE Foods has raised a total of $608 million, including from the Abu Dhabi Growth Fund (ADG), Baillie Gifford, Bill Gates, Cargill, John Doerr, John Mackey, Kimbal and Christiana Musk, Norwest, Richard Branson, Softbank, Temasek, Threshold, Tyson Foods, and others. 

About this internship

Join the UPSIDE Foods internship program this summer as a Research and Development(R&D) intern! The R&D intern will be responsible for developing and validating novel methods to generate stable cell lines for cultivated meat. You will be working with stem cells, molecular characterization tools, and automated systems. You will also implement and optimize experiments while employing critical thinking and organizational skills. This laboratory-based position requires performing experiments/assays, maintaining detailed/organized notes, and data interpretation/presentation. You should be creative, independent, enthusiastic, and able to work in team environments. This is a unique opportunity to work at the forefront of cultivated meat science and technology. You will be working with a team of innovative scientists to gain industry experience and make significant contributions. 

Responsibilities include 

• Cell culture maintenance and expansion with aseptic techniques 
• Molecular biology techniques: RNA isolation, RT-qPCR, immunostaining, flowcytometry 
• Working with automated systems
• Design, set up, and execution of experiments independently or with guidance from the team/project lead
• Reagent, buffer, and fresh media preparation
• Organized data collection, management, interpretation, and presentation

About you 

• BS/BA/MS in cell biology, molecular biology, developmental biology, biochemistry, bioengineering, genetics, or closely related science
• Strong preference for individuals with an abundance of lab experience outside the classroom
• Proficient in aseptic cell-culture techniques such as cell passaging, maintenance, expansion, and selection
• Knowledge of molecular techniques (PCR, RT-qPCR)
• Regularly maintains laboratory notebooks with detailed experimental documentation and results
• Strong intellectual curiosity and resourcefulness with a bias for action!

Who you’ll work with… 

• You will be working with a team of highly-engaged scientists in the Upstream Development team.

Length of internship

• 10-12 weeks

Compensation Range: $25/hr-$28/hr*
*Pay may vary depending on factors including job-related knowledge and skills.

UPSIDE Foods is an equal opportunity employer and we value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. Our company-wide mission is to create a product for everyone, so we are deeply committed to having teams and leaders that reflect this mission.