Research Associate 1 - Protein & Texture

Full Time/Exempt

$65k-80k dependent on education and experience

About this role: 

As a Research Associate on our Protein and Texture team, you will work with a team of scientists to survey a broad range of ingredients for their functionality. You will develop skills in experimental design, wet-lab techniques, materials characterization, and critical thinking. This is an in-person role in Berkeley, CA

Responsibilities:

• Work closely with a mentor to define priorities and execute experiments. 
• Develop new technology to achieve great texture in various plant-based foods
• Collaborate with R&D and Product Development teams to deliver prototypes
• Collaborate with data scientists and develop data for data science pipelines
• Work closely with Product and Business teams to understand and improve the prototypes
• Provide strategic input for Climax’s mid- and long-term goals from a product development standpoint
• Organize and ensure the quality of the documentation necessary for protecting intellectual property.
• Keep informed on innovations in the field

Education and Experience:

• Motivated and driven to improve the food system.
• B.S. in: Chemistry, Physics, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Food Science, or related fields.
• Consistent track record and desire to work at the bench.
• Ability to gather, organize, and interpret complex experimental data.
• Strategic and conceptual thinking to help guide long term strategies
• Excellent problem solving skills and ability to think orthogonally 
• Strong communication and presentation skills for internal and external meetings
• Ability to collaborate cross-functionally and network (internally & externally)
• Abilities to work effectively with diverse and dynamic teams.
• Ability to handle ambiguity, including the evolving objectives and approaches of an innovative company.

Bonus skills:

• Expertise in one or more of the following: Protein, polysaccharide or other food-related materials' interactions; structuring of soft materials; soft and bio-materials testing/characterization; hydrogels; generation of food texture through ingredient selection and modification.
• Familiarity with any of the following tools: Benchling, Jupyter Notebooks, Python. 
• Solid understanding of rheology.
• Experience with texture analysis, rheology, tribology, thermal analysis, classic food science testing, knowledge of proteins, polysaccharide, data science, and other ingredient behavior, and prototyping

If you don’t check all of the boxes, but still think you’re the right fit for the role, let us know why. We understand that experience is acquired in many ways that may not come through on a CV. Tell us about yourself in your cover letter. We read them all. 

About the job:

Climax Foods is on a mission to revolutionize the way we eat. 

We’re bringing together the brightest minds from a broad range of scientific backgrounds to replace animals with more efficient ways of transforming plants into the foods we love. Using sophisticated data science and machine learning methods, we are unlocking the entire plant kingdom, reaching the pinnacle of taste, texture, and nutrition. 

Our team marries years of experience in inventing and productionizing cutting-edge machine learning and data science tools at companies like Google and SpaceX with operational excellence leading plant-based food companies from the early R&D stage to billion dollar valuations like Impossible Foods and JUST. 

Climax Foods is backed by mission-aligned investors who bring strategic value allowing us to scale quickly to meet the urgent need for a more sustainable and safe food system, without sacrificing the culturally rich experience of delicious food.

Working at Climax Foods: 

We believe in the power of data. Not only in how we are reinventing food, but also in how we work together, hire, and recruit. We put people first. The data is clear that a culture of belonging through inclusive and equitable policies, practices, and structures leads to the most innovative teams. We welcome applications from individuals from every unique background. We also believe that compensating fairly is critical to making our company sustainable, equitable, and inclusive. In addition to salary and benefits, you will also own equity in the company you are building.

We offer:

• Competitive salary
• 401(k) plan and company match!
• Premium medical and dental insurance
• Generous vacation and paid time-off policy
• Parent-friendly environment
• Lab and office facilities have been optimized for those with disabilities
• Free gym membership
• HQ in a bustling neighborhood and collaborative environment in Berkeley, CA

Other great benefits — all driven by our continuously evolving research on creating maximally inclusive, equitable, innovative, and thriving teams.