Downstream Oil Recovery Scientist/Engineer

Checkerspot; Alameda (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive benefits package

Salary range: $110,000–$130,000

Job summary

Checkerspot is seeking a Scientist/Engineer for the Process Development team to develop, optimize, and standardize downstream oil recovery from microbial biomass. You will drive experimental design, collaborate with Fermentation and Analytical teams, and support sample generation with cross-training on fermentation operations.

The role emphasizes statistical DOE, scale-up from bench to pilot, and documenting results while maintaining rigorous safety and quality practices in a fast-paced biotech

Qualifications

• Advanced degree with 6–10 yrs in chemical/bioprocess engineering or related field; or MS with 2–6 yrs; PhD with 0–4 yrs.
• Strong experimental design and DOE using JMP or equivalent; troubleshooting processes with minimal supervision.
• Hands-on downstream unit operations including extraction, refining, drying; scale-up from bench to pilot.

Responsibilities

• Develop and improve oil recovery processes from microbial biomass, including aqueous and solvent/mechanical extraction.
• Design experiments and apply DOE to optimize recovery, throughput, and oil quality.
• Scale processes from bench to pilot and prepare tech transfer docs.
• Specify and qualify process equipment with vendors and specialists.
• Maintain SOPs, batch records, and lab notebooks.
• Cross-train on fermentation operations as time allows.

Skills

Communication skills

Experimental design

Statistical design of experiments

Team collaboration

Mass balance knowledge

Safety culture

Education

B.S. in Chemical/Bioprocess Engineering

M.S. in related field

Ph.D. in related field

Tools

JMP

Benchling

LIMS

Job description

Checkerspot is seeking a Scientist/Engineer for the Process Development team to develop, optimize, and standardize downstream oil recovery from microbial biomass. You will drive experimental design, collaborate with Fermentation and Analytical teams, and support sample generation with cross-training on fermentation operations.

The role emphasizes statistical DOE, scale-up from bench to pilot, and documenting results while maintaining rigorous safety and quality practices in a fast-paced biotech