Group Leader or Department Manager, Strain Engineering

Novonesis; Davis (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with up to 9% company match

Paid vacation and holidays

Health, Dental, Vision & Life

Health savings account

Employee assistance program

Parental leave

Tuition reimbursement

All benefits begin on first day

Job summary

Novonesis is seeking a Group Leader/Department Manager, Strain Engineering, to lead a cross-disciplinary R&D group in Davis, CA. You will guide metabolic and pathway engineering efforts, shaping strategy and execution while balancing leadership with hands-on science.

The role requires a PhD or equivalent experience, 5+ years in the field, and 2+ years in people leadership. Onsite work in Davis supports collaboration with global colleagues and multi-site projects.

Qualifications

• PhD and 5+ years of experience in Biochemical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Systems Biology or related field; or MS and 8+ years; or BS with 10+ years.
• 2+ years of people leadership and development experience with a strong commitment to coaching, mentoring, and developing scientific talent.
• Demonstrated industry experience leading metabolic engineering projects and cross-functional R&D teams, including multi-site collaborations with internal and external stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a research team dedicated to engineering microorganisms for production of small molecules or proteins.
• Shape the strategy and execution of strain engineering projects that employ metabolic and pathway engineering by collaborating with colleagues around the globe to provide scientific insight for future product concepts and technology development.
• Integrate expertise across strain engineering, microbial physiology, fermentation, systems biology and omics while balancing people leadership and individual contributions.

Skills

Biochemical Engineering

Chemical Engineering

Molecular Biology

Biotechnology

Microbiology

Biochemistry

Systems Biology

Leadership

Education

PhD

MS

BS

Job description

Interested in a career that matters?

The Role and Your Impact:

Welcome to the role of Group Leader/Department Manager, Strain Engineering. You will join an empowered, cross-disciplinary R&D site that thrives on solving complex scientific challenges through collaboration and diverse expertise. We embrace ambitious goals, view change as an opportunity for growth and innovation, and foster an environment where individuals are empowered to contribute and learn from one another. Success is driven by a shared commitment to scientific excellence, mutual support, and the belief that the best outcomes are achieved when the team succeeds together.

You will lead and develop a research team dedicated to engineering microorganisms for production of small molecules or proteins. Beyond team leadership, this individual will play a key role in shaping the strategy and execution of strain engineering projects that employ metabolic and pathway engineering. The position requires close collaboration with colleagues around the globe to provide scientific insight for future product concepts and technology development. Effective candidates will bring a strong ability to integrate expertise across strain engineering, microbial physiology, fermentation, systems biology and omics while balancing people leadership and individual contributions.

Key Responsibilities in this role:

• Lead and develop a research team dedicated to engineering microorganisms for production of small molecules or proteins
• Shape the strategy and execution of strain engineering projects that employ metabolic and pathway engineering by collaborating with colleagues around the globe to provide scientific insight for future product concepts and technology development.
• Integrate expertise across strain engineering, microbial physiology, fermentation, systems biology and omics while balancing people leadership and individual contributions.

What You Will Need to be Successful:

• PhD and 5+ years of experience in Biochemical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Systems Biology or related field; or MS and 8+ years of experience; or BS with 10+ years of experience.
• 2+ years of people leadership and development experience with a strong commitment to coaching, mentoring, and developing scientific talent.
• Demonstrated industry experience leading metabolic engineering projects and cross-functional R&D teams, including multi-site collaborations with internal and external stakeholders.

Additional Skills and Interests We Value:

• Industry experience working with diverse microbial hosts, including non-model bacteria and yeast.
• Experience in applying computational and statistical methodologies to accelerate metabolic engineering programs.

Compensation & Benefits

• Expected base salary range: $150,000 to $170,000 annually (depending on experience)
• 401(k) with up to a 9% company contribution
• Minimum of 3 weeksofvacation plus 12 holidays and 2 weeks of Wellness Time
• Health, Dental, Vision & Life insurance
• Healthcare savings accountoption
• Employeeassistanceprogram
• Parental leave
• Tuition reimbursement
• All benefits begin on your first day

Ways of Working:

• Onsite in Davis, California
• Travel frequency is typically 1-3 weeks per year

Application Deadline

November 8, 2026

Our purpose guides the way

In Novonesis, we know that solutions rooted in biology can help solve humanity’s biggest challenges. Since we began more than a century ago, this has been our guide. It’s how we’ve gotten so far. And it’s how we’ll impact the future. Now, more than ever, the world needs change. And with biosolutions, the possibilities for transformation are endless. If our purpose resonates with you, we encourage you to apply.

Opportunities for everyone

We are committed to an inclusive recruitment process and equal opportunity for all applicants. Therefore we ask you to apply without a cover letter or photo and instead include a few sentences in your CV explaining your motivation for applying.

We make all employment decisions based on business needs and welcome candidates with a wide range of backgrounds, including ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status.

Explore other openings

If this position isn’t the right fit, you may still find other opportunities with us. You’re welcome to explore open roles or create a job agent to stay connected with future opportunities at novonesis.com/Career