Engineer I - Downstream Processing
- Employer
- Helaina
- Location
- New York, New York
- Posted
- Jun 21, 2022
- Discipline
- Manufacturing & Production, Manufacturing/Mechanical, Process
- Hotbed
- Pharm Country
- Required Education
- Bachelors Degree
- Position Type
- Full time
Helaina is a VC-backed biotech startup creating a new category of functional food products. We're the first company to put human proteins into food, starting with making the most human-like infant formula in order to empower and equip parents with more choice in their infant’s nutrition.
Helaina’s R&D harnesses the power of naturally occurring biological processes in tandem with modern advances in the space of synthetic biology, fermentation, and improved industrial processing. We developed a novel precision fermentation platform to unlock a suite of functional proteins, which allows us to create infant formula with health benefits previously only available through breast milk.
Helaina is backed by top VCs in the industry including Spark Capital, Siam Capital, Primary Venture Partners, and Plum Alley. We are a team of change-makers looking for our next team member who is intensely passionate about advancing synthetic biology for food and beverage products and redefining the future of nutrition.
About The Role
In this role, you will work in our NYC lab to strategize, plan, and perform experiments on the bioprocess downstream processing team. The successful candidate will be a hands-on, motivated self-starter with a strong sense of initiative and attention to detail. You will be responsible for contributing directly to Helaina’s company milestones by supporting recovery of our fermentation products through downstream process development, purification, and product characterization for the Bioprocess team. This is an excellent opportunity for someone who is hungry to work in a startup environment and ready to do the best work of your career.
What You’ll Do
- Lead and conduct downstream process development experiments at lab scale
- Assist in troubleshooting and experimental design of downstream experiments.
- Apply a fundamental understanding of protein purification unit operations to support scale up, including microfiltration, tangential flow filtration, and chromatography
- Work with our CMO partners for scale up of our downstream process
- Record and manage data in an electronic lab notebook.
- Prepare technical reports, protocols, and scientific presentations
- Manage and mentor research associates and/or interns
Qualifications
- B.S. in chemical engineering or related field with 6 years of experience
- M.S. in chemical engineering or related field with 4 years of experience
- Ph.D. in chemical engineering or related field with 1 year of experience
- Strong knowledge of recombinant proteins and protein analytics (SDS-PAGE, Western Blots, and other protein analytical techniques)
- Experience and understanding of microfiltration and ultrafiltration
- Experience with industrial scale up of downstream processes
- Energetic, creative, and personally motivated by the future of food and/or biological products.
- Eager to troubleshoot through lab/experimental issues and discover new findings.
- Self-motivated to design, troubleshoot, and successfully execute protocols.
- Effective communicator, both within a collaborative scientific team and in communicating science to non-technical audiences
Bonus Points
- Start-up experience a plus
- Scale-up experience a plus
- Protein engineering knowledge a plus
- Understanding of the upstream process a plus
- Travel required approximately 15% of time
Helaina is an Equal Opportunity Employer
For more information, please contact careers@myhelaina.com
Helaina’s R&D harnesses the power of naturally occurring biological processes in tandem with modern advances in the space of synthetic biology, fermentation, and improved industrial processing. We developed a novel precision fermentation platform to unlock a suite of functional proteins, which allows us to create infant formula with health benefits previously only available through breast milk.
Helaina is backed by top VCs in the industry including Spark Capital, Siam Capital, Primary Venture Partners, and Plum Alley. We are a team of change-makers looking for our next team member who is intensely passionate about advancing synthetic biology for food and beverage products and redefining the future of nutrition.
About The Role
In this role, you will work in our NYC lab to strategize, plan, and perform experiments on the bioprocess downstream processing team. The successful candidate will be a hands-on, motivated self-starter with a strong sense of initiative and attention to detail. You will be responsible for contributing directly to Helaina’s company milestones by supporting recovery of our fermentation products through downstream process development, purification, and product characterization for the Bioprocess team. This is an excellent opportunity for someone who is hungry to work in a startup environment and ready to do the best work of your career.
What You’ll Do
- Lead and conduct downstream process development experiments at lab scale
- Assist in troubleshooting and experimental design of downstream experiments.
- Apply a fundamental understanding of protein purification unit operations to support scale up, including microfiltration, tangential flow filtration, and chromatography
- Work with our CMO partners for scale up of our downstream process
- Record and manage data in an electronic lab notebook.
- Prepare technical reports, protocols, and scientific presentations
- Manage and mentor research associates and/or interns
Qualifications
- B.S. in chemical engineering or related field with 6 years of experience
- M.S. in chemical engineering or related field with 4 years of experience
- Ph.D. in chemical engineering or related field with 1 year of experience
- Strong knowledge of recombinant proteins and protein analytics (SDS-PAGE, Western Blots, and other protein analytical techniques)
- Experience and understanding of microfiltration and ultrafiltration
- Experience with industrial scale up of downstream processes
- Energetic, creative, and personally motivated by the future of food and/or biological products.
- Eager to troubleshoot through lab/experimental issues and discover new findings.
- Self-motivated to design, troubleshoot, and successfully execute protocols.
- Effective communicator, both within a collaborative scientific team and in communicating science to non-technical audiences
Bonus Points
- Start-up experience a plus
- Scale-up experience a plus
- Protein engineering knowledge a plus
- Understanding of the upstream process a plus
- Travel required approximately 15% of time
Helaina is an Equal Opportunity Employer
For more information, please contact careers@myhelaina.com