Director of Strain Development - ZymoChem

About ZymoChem

ZymoChem is breakthrough science for a fossil-free future.  We accelerate the transition to a real-zero economy by developing bio-based materials for everyday products.  Our platform is powered by proprietary carbon conserving (C2) microbes that convert renewable feedstocks into high-value materials while radically minimizing CO2 loss during the production phase.  

ZymoChem recently closed a $21 million Series A round of fundraising to support the launch of our first high-performance material and to advance our first partnered product to commercial scale.  In addition to this funding from premier domestic & international venture capital firms, we are also supported by existing revenues from commercial partnerships with world-leading companies and funding from multiple government awards, including a 2023 $4MM grant from the Department of Energy. 

With a plan to double our team in 2024-25, we seek candidates who are motivated by science & innovation and have a passion to push the boundaries of materials performance.  We are collaborative, multidisciplinary, and relentlessly committed to creating a chemicals, materials, and products industry in tune with the 21st century. 

Our Mission: To catalyze a real-zero economy with drop-in, bio-based solutions.

Our Vision: To live in a world in which the goods we depend on every day are bio-manufactured from 100% renewable materials and designed for a sustainable economy - without compromise.

Our Values: Lead with Compassion, Aspire Collectively, Evolve Continuously, Innovate with Impact, Scale Sustainably

The Opportunity

ZymoChem is hiring a Director of Strain Development to spearhead the commercialization of the company’s proprietary carbon conserving microbial platform technology. This role is a career-defining leadership opportunity at the intersection of host construction, enzyme engineering, strain optimization, automation, and data analytics. The individual will oversee the company’s strain design & characterization, automation, and systems biology efforts, serving as the primary contact for a team consisting of 5-10 researchers. The individual will also routinely collaborate with researchers in strain & plasmid construction, enzyme development, fermentation, and analytics. Through the breadth of responsibilities, the individual will gain diverse experience with building teams, establishing core competencies, and managing multidisciplinary projects. The ideal candidate will have an educational background in (bio)chemical engineering, (bio)chemistry, molecular biology, or similar, along with proven success managing or extensively working with collaborating R&D groups. A candidate with a broad professional network with industry leaders and collaborative organizations is desired.

In this cross-functional leadership role, the Director of Strain Development will expand their expertise with cutting-edge strain & metabolic engineering technologies, building out & implementing automated workflows, and harnessing data acquisition & analytics platforms. Opportunities will include shaping the company’s R&D architecture by establishing integrated workflows and solutions, building out the company’s core competencies by introducing new technologies, identifying technology bottlenecks plus driving for their resolution, and expanding the company’s IP strategy and adding to its IP portfolio. The individual will also gain exposure to bioprocess development and scale-up by routinely interfacing with the company’s fermentation and downstream processing groups as well as external organizations focused on scale-up.

An additional potential opportunity for the Director of Strain Development will be that of program lead – overseeing product-specific projects along with guiding & mentoring the research team. The individual will have opportunities to hone their skills with the timely planning & high-quality execution of KPIs, and also managing functionally integrated project timelines, work plans, interdependencies, and budgets. The ideal candidate will be well-versed with project management tools and processes for long-term planning in addition to establishing viable R&D strategies to accomplish quarterly & yearly goals. The role will also involve conducting project meetings and facilitating efficient decision making to meet project and business-related goals.

Serving as the intersection amongst the company’s other R&D groups, company management, and external collaborators, the Director of Strain Development will be an expert in meeting management, communication, and reporting. The individual will be proficient with cross-functional communication amongst different technical groups; summarizing complex technical information from several disciplinaries (biology, chemistry, materials science, chemical engineering, business development) into simple concepts; and efficiently summarizing project milestones, KPIs, and status of upcoming deadlines to company management & external parties.

Qualifications

• PhD or MS in (Bio)chemical Engineering, (Bio)chemistry, Molecular Biology or a related discipline 
• A minimum of 7 years industry experience covering several facets of metabolic engineering and strain optimization is required, including at least 5 years managing scientists and research associates
• Experience in independently managing teams and projects, with a comprehensive understanding of the various stages of R&D and their unique needs 
• Strongly prefer candidates who have either led or been an integral part of R&D teams that successfully reached targeted metrics through the design, construction, and testing of strains and biosynthetic pathways toward small molecule production
• Experience working with the engineering of bacterial fermentation processes from bench to larger scales is highly preferred; expertise with E. coli and/or other industrially relevant microorganisms is a plus. 
• Adaptable, self-motivated, and curious systems thinker that is excited to build teams and infrastructure at a fast-growing company.

Culture and Benefits

ZymoChem offers full-time employees a competitive base salary, a comprehensive benefits package, and a company culture that’s collaborative, multidisciplinary, and committed to a big vision for positively impacting the world. We seek candidates who are motivated by our mission and are equally passionate toward pushing the boundaries to build a sustainable future. Located in the vibrant East Bay area of San Francisco, our headquarters are housed at Gate 510, a state-of-the-facility with many in-house and nearby amenities.

Full-time opportunities at ZymoChem come with:

• Competitive salary range of $160,000-200,000 depending on experience level.
• Comprehensive benefits package includes company stock options, 401(k) retirement plan (includes a corporate match), medical, dental, and vision healthcare coverage, and life and long-term disability insurance.
• Additional benefits include FSA, commuter, and supplemental life insurance.
• Flexible time off policy with 18 days Paid Time Off (PTO) per year and 10 paid company holidays per year.
• Relocation assistance may be agreed upon as well.
• If this opportunity sounds exciting and aligns with your career aspirations, we want to hear from you! Please send your resume/CV and a cover letter through our website job posting.

Legal authorization to work in the United States is required. ZymoChem may agree to sponsor an individual for an employment visa immediately or in the future if there is a shortage of individuals with particular skills for this job. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States, and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.

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