R&D Aquaculture Technician

VERTICAL OCEANS PTE. LTD.; Singapore; On-site; SGD 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative aquaculture start-up in Singapore is seeking an R&D Aquaculture Technician to support intensive shrimp and seaweed cultivation. This hands-on role involves laboratory protocols, maintaining high data quality, and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. The ideal candidate will have a relevant Bachelor's degree and at least one year of lab experience. This position is only open to Singapore citizens and PRs due to work pass constraints, offering an opportunity to work on sustainable seafood production while applying scientific principles in a dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field like microbiology or marine biology.
• At least one year of hands-on lab experience in related tasks.
• Fluency in English, both written and spoken.

Responsibilities

• Prepare stock solutions and perform lab measurements.
• Monitor the health of prawns and macroalgae.
• Contribute to research design and documentation.

Skills

Hands-on skills in biology/chemistry lab

Effective communication skills

Teamwork skills

Critical scientific thinking

Attention to detail

Time management

Education

Bachelor's degree in aquaculture or related field

Job description

Role Definition

Vertical Oceans is a pioneering AgriTech start-up that is revolutionizing the field of aquaculture by introducing an urban vertical farming system tailored for sustainable seafood. Conceived with a vision to enhance the sustainability of contemporary aquaculture systems, we ended up reimagining the whole process. We’ve integrated advanced facets of bioengineering, hardware engineering, and computational algorithms to cultivate the world’s most flavorsome and eco-friendly prawns.

Our technology refined system is zero-waste, devoid of any chemicals or antibiotics, and boasts superior energy efficiency. We obsess over every detail and invent new solutions wherever needed to achieve our goal of producing premium quality, sustainable food.

We…Respect Humanity and Nature

We…Use Less to do More

We…Improve Everything, Always

We…Embrace Challenges

Where you come in:

We are looking for an R&D Aquaculture Technician with a background in aquaculture, marine biology, marine science, or a related field. You bring experience from both research and real-world operational environments, and you are excited to apply scientific principles directly to production systems.

In this role, you will gain hands‑on exposure to intensive shrimp and seaweed cultivation, work directly with Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS), and contribute to both daily operations and long‑term R&D initiatives.

Role Overview:

This is a fully on‑site, hands‑on role at the intersection of research, aquaculture operations, and production. You will support cultivation activities, execute laboratory protocols, maintain high data quality, and ensure optimal performance of our biological systems.

This role is ideal for someone who thrives in practical environments where biology meets engineering. You enjoy problem‑solving, learning and applying new techniques, and taking ownership of daily tasks that directly influence production and R&D outcomes.

Key Responsibilities:

• Prepare stock solutions, reagents, buffers, and microbial or algal culture media.
• Perform water quality analysis and daily lab measurements.
• Monitor prawn and macroalgae health.
• Conduct microbial monitoring using aseptic techniques and laminar flow hoods.
• Support the design and reporting of research experiments.
• Perform routine maintenance, calibration, and minor repairs of laboratory and aquaculture equipment.
• Maintain and cultivate microalgae collections, including setup, daily care, water exchange, and fertilisation.
• Coordinate daily work with both Operations and Science teams.
• Communicate system status, anomalies, and results clearly and promptly.
• Maintain a clean, organised, and safe laboratory environment.
• Contribute to documentation, SOP improvements, and workflow optimisation.

Qualifications and skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in an area relevant to aquaculture, microbiology, marine biology, molecular biology, or biochemistry.
• Hands on skills - at least one year in biology / chemistry lab and physically able to handle day‑to‑day operations as assigned by team.
• Effective communication and teamwork skills; comfortable working closely with multidisciplinary teams.
• Ability to develop critical scientific thinking, self‑learning from literature and application.
• Attention to detail and diligence in documenting activities, methods and results is essential.
• Strong time management, organisation, and the ability to prioritise and plan ahead in a dynamic environment.
• Strong awareness of safety protocols and a commitment to safe working practices.
• A solutions‑oriented mindset and willingness to troubleshoot issues proactively.

Additional Details:

• Candidate must be fluent in English (both written and spoken).
• This role is pen to Singapore Citizens and PRs only due to work pass quota constraints.
• This role requires working on‑site at our commercial site near Jurong.