Indigo is a company dedicated to harnessing nature to help farmers sustainably feed the planet. With a vision of creating a world where farming is an economically desirable and accessible profession, Indigo works alongside its growers to apply natural approaches, conserve resources for future generations, and grow healthy food for all. Utilizing beneficial plant microbes to improve crop health and productivity, Indigo’s portfolio is focused on cotton, wheat, corn, soybeans, and rice. The company, founded by Flagship Pioneering, is headquartered in Boston, MA, with additional offices in Memphis, TN, Research Triangle Park, NC, Sydney, Australia, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and São Paulo, Brazil. www.indigoag.com

The role of Bioprocess Research Associate is to execute experiments designed to support the development of manufacturing methods and readiness for production of Indigo's proprietary microbes.

Responsibilities

• Execute bench-scale process development experiments for characterization of microbial cultures.
• Assist in developing reliable quantitative biological assays to monitor microbial growth as well as the downstream processing of biological products candidates.
• Refine and document experimental protocols with detail and clarity with intent to communicate to external parties for scale-up activities.
• Work collaboratively with Microbial Analytics and Quality Assurance colleagues to align the SOP’s
• Provide critical feedback on experimental progress to team members. Additionally, provide timely recommendations for further advancing Indigo's microbial technologies and their manufacturing methods.
• Support production of microorganisms for deployment into validation trials (grow room, field trials) on as needed bases.

Understand and embody our mission & core values

• Excited by Indigo’s mission; believes that Indigo can fundamentally change the agriculture industry; can clearly articulate passion for our mission and values
• Optimistic and innovative; solution-oriented; shows no signs of cynicism
• Will be widely viewed as someone who personifies our core values, is committed to them, and leans on them when making decisions. Specifically:
  • Demonstrates a track record of high integrity - doing the right thing, owning mistakes, conducting oneself honestly
  • Values, communicates and interacts with others with high levels of transparency and respect
  • Collaborates well across functions; creates an inspiring and collegial work environment

Competencies

• Flexibility/adaptability. Copes effectively with complexity and change. Comfortable with ambiguity. Experience in a startup environment is preferred.
• Efficient. Able to produce significant output with minimal wasted effort. Excellent time management skills.
• Attention to detail. Organized, methodical, and meticulous.
• Proactive. Acts without being told what to do. Brings new ideas to the company.
• Team-oriented style and strong work ethic. Possesses a strong willingness to work hard to get the job done and setting an example for the team. Has a track record of delivering on ambitious goals.
• Appropriate balance of confidence and humility.
• Communication. Speaks and writes clearly and articulately

Qualifications

• B.S. degree in biology, biochemistry, microbiology, or (bio-)chemical engineering with >2yrs of industry experience with microbial fermentation or mammalian cell culture.
• Expertise in data analysis and presentation of key findings.
• Proficiency performing aseptic techniques and microbial cultivation.
• Experience performing viability assays.
• Experience with fungal organisms and solid substrate fermentation is advantageous
• Experience with downstream processing techniques is advantageous