Sr. Research Associate, Process Development

About us

At the forefront of farming and food, UPSIDE Foods is innovating new ways to produce real meat, without the need to breed, feed and slaughter animals. Our process begins with an animal cell, which is cultivated and harvested as meat. The founding company of the industry, UPSIDE Foods is a mission-driven organization focused on bringing to meat lovers an authentic product that is truly humane, sustainably produced, nutritious and delicious! We are now expanding our team of dedicated professionals across disciplines to make better meat for a better world.

About this job

UPSIDE is seeking a highly motivated Sr. Research Associate to develop scaled-down bioreactor platforms and processes for cultivated meat. As a member of the Process Development team, this person will be responsible for executing cell and tissue culture experiments, and characterizing processes and equipment. You will have daily operational laboratory-based responsibilities on several concurrent projects, requiring rigorous attention to detail and documentation. A working knowledge of aseptic cell culture is critical for success; the ideal candidate will also be proficient with bioreactor vessel hardware, controller automation, and interpretation of process data. We are excited to bring on a diligent self-starter who thrives in a fast-paced team with numerous opportunities for growth.

Responsibilities include… 

• Day-to-day operations of bench-scale bioreactor and cell culture experiments. 
• Managing schedules and priorities on a daily basis across multiple projects.
• Acquiring and analyzing data independently; recording all experimental designs, data, observations, and results in an electronic laboratory notebook.
• Summarizing and presenting results to their supervisor and the larger team in an organized, concise, and logical manner, both verbally and visually.
• Adhering to and enforcing good lab practices, including safety, cleanliness, and waste handling.

About you…

• B.S. in biopharmaceutical processing, chemical engineering, biochemical engineering, or related life sciences field with 3+ years of bioreactor or cell culture experience.
• Proficient with basic safety, good laboratory practices, and aseptic technique.
• Critical thinker with a detail-oriented and well-organized mindset.
• Comfortable working on a team in a fast-paced and evolving environment.
• Must be willing and able to work evenings and weekends, when needed.

Desirable skills…

• Background with lab-scale bioreactor setup, execution, and optimization.
• Experience in data analysis platforms (e.g. JMP, Minitab), including statistical analysis and presenting data in table and graph forms.

Who you’ll work with…

• You will work closely on a daily basis with other members of the Process Development team, which tackles most projects collaboratively.
• You will sometimes coordinate with members of related functions: our cell and media, and food R&D teams, as well as our manufacturing and scale-up teams.

Key Contributions in First Year…

• Continuously optimize our cultivated meat processes towards yield, safety, sensory, and cost targets.
• Build infrastructure for increased experimental capacity, including new equipment installation, training, and troubleshooting.
• Envision, test, and implement improvements to our experimental platforms.

UPSIDE Benefits!

• Stock options for all full-time incoming team members!
• 90-100% employer-paid healthcare premiums for team members (medical [including HSA and FSA], dental, and vision)
• Pet insurance for your furry family members!
• Unlimited PTO
• DE&I (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) Council and People Engagement Programs
• Company-sponsored learning & development opportunities

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.