Lead, Culture Collection and R&D Operations

Oath Inc.; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading microbial sciences company is seeking a Senior Scientist or Senior R&D Manager to optimize methods for producing microbial cell banks. The role involves managing R&D projects, ensuring microbial stock quality, and collaborating across disciplines. Candidates should have a PhD and extensive experience in microbial cultivation. The position is based primarily in the San Francisco East Bay region and offers a full-time, exempt role without visa sponsorship.

Qualifications

• PhD degree in Microbiology, Microbial Ecology, Plant Biology, or related field required.
• 4+ years in industrial or agricultural biotechnology leading a team.
• Extensive experience cultivating diverse microbes.
• Experience developing microbe-based products.

Responsibilities

• Optimize methods for production of high-quality microbial stocks.
• Ensure clonal purity and viability of microbial strains.
• Manage projects for pipeline operations and infrastructure development.
• Design primers, protocols, and genomic integrity assays.
• Manage CROs and external partners for R&D.
• Add DNA barcodes and fluorescent reporters to strains.
• Implement automation and sample tracking solutions.
• Contribute to LIMS development and thorough documentation.
• Guide R&D platform strategy and pipeline development.
• Manage project teams and cross-functional collaboration.

Skills

Cultivating diverse microbes

Molecular biology fundamentals

Problem-solving skills

Statistical analysis

Effective communication

Team management

Proficiency in LIMS systems

Education

PhD in Microbiology or related field

Tools

LIMS systems

R

JMP

SQL

Job description

Overview

Oath is a leading microbial sciences company that utilizes microbes and plants to offer innovative solutions to climate change and sustainable agriculture. We aim to replenish Earth's microbiomes by leveraging science-based insights to provide natural soil inoculant solutions that foster a healthier and more sustainable world.

When you join Oath, you become part of a collaborative network that prioritizes high-quality scientific research to develop and launch effective global solutions. You will have access to a team of scientists, study directors, and a broad network of collaborators to integrate and enhance your skills.

Position Summary

We are seeking a Senior Scientist or Senior R&D Manager to join our dynamic, fast-paced R&D team. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in creating high-quality microbial cell banks and working stocks, coordinating fit-for-purpose technology and QC infrastructure development, and orchestrating an R&D product development pipeline with a focus on innovative testing methodologies for launching novel microbial consortia products.

Key Responsibilities

• Optimize methods and lead production of high-quality frozen stocks of diverse bacteria and fungi from environmental sources (i.e., non-model organisms); includes archival stocks and working cell banks for manufacturing and lab assays
• Ensure clonal purity, viability, and vitality of all stocks, banks, and source material
• Implement methods to monitor, mitigate, and prevent contamination events
• Design PCR primers, optimize protocols, and operationalize methods for assessing clonal purity and genomic integrity
• Identify and manage contract research organizations (CROs) and service providers for R&D
• Add DNA barcodes and fluorescent reporters to selected microbial strains
• Implement automation and sample tracking solutions as needed (e.g., capper/decapper, barcoded vials and plates, ViaFlow, collaboration with automation engineer for liquid handling solutions, etc.)
• Help guide development of LIMS (laboratory information management systems); thoroughly document sample tracking, processes, procedures, and operations
• Engage as a key thought leader in strategic development of R&D platform & pipeline
• Manage projects for infrastructure development & pipeline operations
• Collaborate with colleagues in bioinformatics, data science, laboratory and greenhouse testing, production/manufacturing, BD, regulatory, and field science
• Manage one or more direct reports

Qualifications

• PhD degree (or equivalent experience) in Microbiology, Microbial Ecology, Plant Biology, or related field
• Experience with testing and optimizing microbial metabolism, interactions, phenotypes, and genotypes of diverse environmental isolates
• 4+ years leading a team in industrial or agricultural biotechnology and developing microbe-based products in a corporate R&D environment

Required Skills & Expertise

• Extensive experience in cultivating diverse microbes, including Actinobacteria
• Demonstrated ability to deploy molecular biology fundamentals for design and build
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail
• Ability to critically evaluate scientific literature and bring key innovations in-house
• Track record of crafting high-quality project plans
• Successful prior people management and hiring experience
• Proficiency in LIMS systems (e.g., Benchling), standard statistical analysis and data visualization software (e.g., R, Spotfire, Tableau, JMP), and project management software (e.g., Asana, Jira)
• Experience using SQL queries and relational databases
• Effective communication across multiple disciplines
• Tech-savvy with a passion for learning and applying new technologies
• Highly responsive and proactive with initiative and independence
• Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills
• Flexible and adaptable to changing project needs and priorities

Beneficial Skills & Expertise

• Expertise in microbe-host interaction mechanisms and assays, particularly plant-microbe and/or pathogen-microbe interactions
• Understanding of microbial physiology and metabolism in biochemistry, genomics, biosynthetic gene clusters, microbiome dynamics, symbioses, and pathogen resistance
• Experience in assessing and engineering microbiomes and their interactions
• Track record of cross-stakeholder alignment to operate a structured R&D pipeline with complex coordination and stage-gate decisions

Location & Job Details

Location: This position requires spending >80% of the workweek at a laboratory location in the San Francisco East Bay region. The first weeks may require regular work at a Vacaville, CA location. May require occasional travel outside California.

Job Type: Full-time, exempt position in the United States. At this time, Oath, Inc. is not able to provide visa sponsorship or work authorization support.

Company

About Oath: Oath is a leading microbial sciences company focused on sustainable agriculture and planet-wide challenges. We envision a world where these challenges are not only alleviated but reversed, replenishing Earths microbiomes.