Microbiome Discovery & Colonization Lead

Astanor Ventures; California (MO); On-site; USD 130,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Switch Bioworks in San Carlos, CA seeks a senior scientific leader to own microbiome discovery and colonization programs. You will guide experiments, build a large microbial biobank, and develop data‑driven strategies to advance consortia toward field deployment.

You will mentor a small team, bridge biology with computational analytics, and drive projects from bench to field while shaping R&D priorities in a fast-paced startup.

Qualifications

• Authorized to work full-time in the U.S. and able to work on-site in San Carlos, CA.
• Deep experimental microbiology mastery including isolation, culturing, and plant‑microbe assays.
• Computational and data‑science fluency; capable of translating results into prioritization decisions.
• At least 5 years of post‑PhD industry R&D experience developing microbial products; track record in discovery pipelines.

Responsibilities

• Define and hit quantitative colonization targets starting with the corn root microbiome and expand to other microbiomes.
• Build, curate, and mine a large microbial biobank with provenance and chain of custody.
• Analyze sequencing and phenotyping data; develop reproducible bioinformatic workflows for isolation and design.
• Design and assemble multi‑strain consortia; build predictive models linking traits to colonization and function.
• Identify patentable inventions and contribute to disclosures.
• Partner with engineering, field, and process teams to validate colonization; support studies with characterized materials.
• Lead and mentor a small team; set technical direction and participate in headcount and spend planning.

Skills

Microbiology mastery

Bioinformatics / data science

Leadership & mentoring

Project management

Biobank / culture collections

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Strategic program design

Independent researcher

Cross-functional influence

Owner mindset

Education

Ph.D. in Microbiology or related field

Job description

Switch Bioworks in San Carlos, CA seeks a senior scientific leader to own microbiome discovery and colonization programs. You will guide experiments, build a large microbial biobank, and develop data‑driven strategies to advance consortia toward field deployment.

You will mentor a small team, bridge biology with computational analytics, and drive projects from bench to field while shaping R&D priorities in a fast-paced startup.