Prolific Machines is ushering in a new era of biotechnology with light. We harness light to produce everyday essentials more efficiently, from food and lifesaving drugs to novel biosolutions. Our first-of-its-kind photomolecular biology platform delivers unprecedented control, precisely guiding cellular behavior when and where it matters most. Unlike existing tools used to control biology, our technology unlocks dynamic control over virtually any cellular function in any cell type. We're enabling partners to unlock robust efficiency, quality, reproducibility, and sustainability advantages across pharmaceuticals, nutritional and therapeutic proteins, cellular agriculture, and more. Prolific is supported by leading investors, including Bill Gates’s Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Mayfield and SOSV.

Help us create a brighter tomorrow with biology. We're looking for mission-driven, talented, and kind people to join our team.

About This Job

We’re looking for a Senior Scientist with deep experience in cell line development for pharmaceutical protein production. This role will be part of the synthetic biology team and will work closely with members from the optogenetics, bioprocess development, and analytical chemistry teams to revolutionize biomanufacturing.

Responsibilities

Bring two high value protein targets through cell line development and transition into process scale up within 9 months. Define full CLD process, including generating SOPs for critical workflow steps
Train new members of the CLD team in critical workflow steps and ensure quality and success in CLD outputs across all team members
Run production assays across high throughput, shake flask, and Ambr bioreactor scales to identify clones and process conditions for high titer and quality
Close collaboration with analytical chemistry and bioprocess teams to characterize protein titer and quality across scale up and strategize purification approaches across production scales
Close collaboration with product managers to identify key success metrics and needs for prospective targets
Build and refine Prolific’s CLD pipeline for rapid target development with optogenetic control through collaboration with automation and hardware engineers and synthetic biology teammates
Analysis, documentation, and presentation of experimental data across teams and to leadership
Contribute to expanding the intellectual property (IP) portfolio

About You

Extensive individual contributor experience in the cell line development field with a track record of bringing targets through any of discovery and scale up
Experience with standard cell lines used in biopharma and knowledge of cell line development strategies for different cell lines
Experience with protein science, purification, and characterization is a plus
Excited about working with interdisciplinary teams
PhD in bio/chemical engineering, biotechnology, biochemistry, or another relevant discipline, or equivalent experience
Experience with high-throughput cell line development environments using automation
Experience or familiarity with cell line engineering approaches and modern methods for cell line engineering
Enjoy both leading and carrying out independent projects and experimental work
Excited about working with interdisciplinary teams
Have strong communication skills and comfortable teaching and sharing knowledge at multiple levels of technical detail
Eager to work in a high-growth, fast-paced, and dynamic startup environment
Comfortable pushing the boundaries of what is known to create innovative solution

Diversity: We value diverse people, perspectives, and knowledge. To this end, we aim to foster a sense of belonging that enables everyone to bring their whole, authentic self to work everyday. We are committed to growing a diverse and inclusive team that encompasses all types of people. We believe this can only be achieved by acknowledging the ancestral, historic, and current systemic and communal inequities.

Location: The San Francisco Bay Area (Emeryville, CA)

Benefits: Outstanding Health, Vision & Dental Insurance (including full spouse coverage), at least one all-expense-paid team holiday per year, flexibility in schedule and unlimited vacation days. Free lunch every day!

Prolific Machines

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Senior Scientist: Cell Line Development