What if nature could be harnessed to help farmers sustainably feed the planet? Since 2014, Indigo has questioned agriculture's full value chain to improve grower profitability, environmental sustainability, and consumer health. The company’s scientific discoveries and digital innovations have amplified new value from soil to sale, benefiting more than 10,000 growers to date. Indigo is also the company behind The Terraton Initiative, a global effort to drawdown one trillion tons of atmospheric carbon dioxide by unlocking the potential of agricultural soils. In 2019, Indigo was ranked #1 on CNBC’s Disruptor 50 list. Headquartered in Boston, MA, Indigo has additional offices in Memphis, TN; Research Triangle Park, NC; Sydney, Australia; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Basel, Switzerland; and São Paulo, Brazil. 

The Bioprocessing team at Indigo is seeking a Research Associate to design and execute upstream process development and optimization experiments to support the development of manufacturing methods and production of Indigo's microbial products.

Responsibilities

1. Execution of bench- and pilot-scale experiments for development and characterization of microbial fermentation processes.
2. Assist in developing and executing reliable quantitative biological assays to monitor microbial growth and stability of biological products.
3. Assist with writing, reviewing, and approval of technical documentation including development protocols, experimental reports, batch records, and SOPs to both internal and external stakeholders.
4. Work collaboratively across functions and departments to coordinate complex, long-term experiments.
5. Interpret and communicate experimental progress and results to team members and provide timely recommendations for advancing Indigo's microbial technologies.
6. Understand and embody our purpose & core values:
   • Excited by Indigo’s mission
   • Optimistic and innovative; solution-oriented
   • 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

Competencies & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in biochemistry, microbiology, or (bio-)chemical engineering with >4yrs or M.S. degree in biochemistry, microbiology, or (bio-)chemical engineering with >2yrs of industry experience with microbial fermentation or mammalian cell culture.
• Experience with the operation and maintenance of bench-top bioreactor systems.
• Strong proficiency with aseptic technique, microbial cultivation, biochemical and viability assays (CFU, flow cytometry, spectrophotometer-based assays).
• Ability to translate a research plan into a well-executed experiment.
• Effectively manages complexity and change; experience in a startup environment is preferred.
• Expertise in data analysis and presentation of key findings, experience with R, JMP, and/or Spotfire a plus.
• Proactive with self-prioritization; organized, methodical, and meticulous.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.

Indigo is committed to living our values, specifically “creating a work environment where everyone feels respected, connected, and has opportunities to learn and grow.” As part of living our values, we strive to create a diverse and inclusive work environment where everyone feels they can be themselves and has an equal opportunity of succeeding.