Microbiology Ops Specialist

Spore; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance

Flexible remote/hybrid setup

Travel budget for customer visits

Job summary

Spore is seeking a Microbiology Operations Specialist based in New York City to be a key player in deploying our advanced microbiology technology in various industrial settings across the US. Responsibilities include on-site installation, training customer teams, and providing expert support between clients and the internal teams. Candidates should have a solid background in applied microbiology, 2-5 years of experience in relevant fields, and strong client-facing skills. The role includes a base salary of $80,000 to $110,000 with a performance-based bonus and equity options.

Qualifications

• Solid background in applied microbiology: culture techniques, organism identification, microscopy.
• 2–5 years of experience in a microbiology lab, QC environment, or field application role.
• Strong client-facing skills; comfortable engaging with senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Deploy our technology on-site at customer manufacturing and QC facilities.
• Validate microbiological results; identify culture, matrix processing, and monitoring protocols.
• Train operators and lab staff on Spore.Bio instrumentation and workflows.

Skills

Applied microbiology

Client-facing skills

Field-oriented

Curiosity about new technologies

Education

Bachelor's degree in Microbiology or related field

Job description

About Us

Spore.Bio is a deeptech startup founded in 2023, building the next generation of quality control for Food & Beverage, Cosmetics, and Pharmaceutical manufacturing. Traditional microbiology testing is slow, labor-intensive, and costly. We built something better. Our platform combines advanced optical imaging and deep learning to detect bacterial contamination in 10 minutes, not days.

We're expanding into the US and building our first American team in New York. This role is central to how we deliver our technology to customers.

About the Role

We're looking for a Microbiology Operations Specialist to be one of the cornerstones of deploying our technology in industrial environments across the US. You'll work at the intersection of hands-on lab science and field-based customer engagement, alternating between on-site visits at factories and client labs, and bench work at Spore.Bio's US operations base.

You’ll be the expert who installs our technology, validates protocols, trains customer teams, and serves as the critical link between our clients and our internal R&D and product teams. This role is based in New York City, with regular travel to customer sites across the US.

What You'll Do

• Deploy our technology on-site at customer manufacturing and QC facilities, supporting users through to full operational autonomy

• Validate microbiological results: identification, culture, matrix processing, and environmental monitoring protocols tailored to customer environments

• Train operators and lab staff on Spore.Bio instrumentation and workflows; develop and improve on-site best practices

• Act as the primary bridge between customer needs and our internal R&D and product teams, capturing feedback and translating it into actionable input

• Support lab-based matrix protocol innovation, helping expand the range of samples and environments our technology can address

• Troubleshoot field challenges in real time, providing creative, pragmatic solutions at customer sites

• Engage regularly with QC managers, lab directors, regulatory affairs teams, and senior operations leaders at major Food, Cosmetics, and Pharma companies

• Contribute to internal documentation: SOPs, application notes, field reports, and protocol libraries

• Support the sales and field service teams during customer evaluations and pilot programs

About You

Required:

• Solid background in applied microbiology: culture techniques, organism identification, microscopy, sample and matrix processing

• 2–5 years of experience in a microbiology lab, QC environment, or field application role, ideally in Food & Beverage, Cosmetics, or Pharmaceutical manufacturing

• Strong client-facing skills and professional demeanor; comfortable engaging with senior stakeholders at major industrial companies

• Hands‑on, resourceful, and field‑oriented – you thrive in dynamic environments and are comfortable with ambiguity

• Ability to synthesize, document, and communicate technical information clearly, both verbally and in writing

• Organized and autonomous; able to manage your own schedule across lab and field responsibilities

• Genuine curiosity about new technologies – AI, machine learning, imaging – and how they apply to microbiology

• Willingness to travel up to 30–40% for customer site visits across the US

• Based in or willing to relocate to New York City

Bonus:

• Experience with rapid microbiology methods (RMM) or alternative testing technologies

• Familiarity with FDA, FSMA, USP, or EU GMP microbiology compliance frameworks

• Experience working with contract labs, CROs, or multi-site QC deployments

• Background with microscopy, image analysis, or digital lab tools

• Experience in a customer-facing application scientist, field scientist, or technical specialist role

Compensation

Base Salary: $80,000 – $110,000

Bonus: Performance-based annual bonus

Equity: Meaningful early‑employee equity grant with standard 4‑year vest / 1‑year cliff

Compensation will be finalized based on experience and background.

What We Offer

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance (employer-sponsored)

• Flexible remote/hybrid setup – you manage your territory

• Travel budget for customer visits, conferences, and roadshows

• Quarterly in‑person gatherings with the global team, including visits to our Paris HQ

Spore.Bio is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to building an inclusive team.