Research Scientist - Enzymatic Process Development Scientist

Pando Bioscience (YC W23); Watertown (MA); On-site; USD 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

401(k) program

Professional growth opportunities

Collaborative work environment

Cutting-edge scientific innovation

Job summary

An innovative biotechnology company in Watertown is seeking a motivated scientist to join their team in enzyme engineering. The role involves transforming core enzymatic processes into commercial products. Responsibilities include core molecular biology techniques, designing screening experiments, and optimizing workflows. The ideal candidate should have a MS or PhD in relevant fields and a passion for scientific innovation. Join a collaborative team dedicated to cutting-edge solutions in enzyme-driven biocatalysis.

Qualifications

• Eager to train candidates who meet at least two-thirds of qualifications.
• Familiar with electronic laboratory notebooks (ELN) for documentation.
• Strong hands-on experience in molecular biology.

Responsibilities

• Perform core molecular biology techniques like PCR, cloning.
• Develop enzyme-enabled workflows optimizing throughput and yield.
• Document and report findings clearly to stakeholders.

Skills

Molecular biology

Protein chemistry

Enzyme characterization

Experimental design

Data analysis

Education

MS or PhD in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Chemical Biology, Bioengineering

Tools

PCR

qPCR

HPLC

LC-MS

Job description

Pando is an AI-driven synthetic biology company revolutionizing enzyme engineering for the pharmaceutical manufacturing and life science tools. Our ultra-high-throughput screening platform screens 1000-fold more enzymes 75% faster and 80% cheaper than traditional methods. This empowers our AI models to efficiently optimize enzymes across multiple properties, delivering high-performing, industrial-grade enzymes that create and capture new market value.

The Role

We are seeking a creative and motivated scientist who thrives in the "zero-to-one" phase of product development, to assist in day-to-day lab operations, experiment planning, and completing diverse projects. You will be responsible for taking core enzymatic processes and transforming them into robust, scalable, and commercially viable kits. This role requires a rare blend of deep molecular biology, protein chemistry, and industrial productization. The ideal candidate should feel comfortable working on diverse projects in a fast-paced company.

You will do molecular biology (PCR, cloning, etc), high-throughput screening, and buffer formulation. The ideal candidate will be comfortable working with 96-well plate workflows and have experience in bacterial and other protein expression systems, analytical chemistry, bioanalytical methods, or related fields.

Key Responsibilities:

• Perform and troubleshoot core molecular biology techniques (PCR, qPCR, cloning/assembly, nucleic acid prep/cleanup, gel-based analysis, transformation of E. coli).
• Develop end-to-end, enzyme-enabled workflows and optimize for throughput, yield, fidelity, and ease-of-use.
• Design and execute enzyme screening experiments; define and track performance metrics.
• Express, lyse, purify, and characterize enzymes (activity, kinetics, stability, substrate specificity, robustness).
• Troubleshoot and iterate on enzyme preparation and assay conditions to improve performance and manufacturability.
• Develop and optimize buffer and reagent formulations (components, concentrations, volumes, order-of-addition) for a target application.
• Evaluate reagent stability and robustness (freeze/thaw tolerance, storage conditions, compatibility across lots).
• Contribute to kit-format decisions (modular vs single-mix, liquid vs lyophilized, packaging constraints), as appropriate.
• Define QC tests and acceptance criteria for product performance, batch-to-batch consistency, and long-term stability.
• Develop/execute analytical measurements to evaluate outputs (integrity, purity, composition, and functional performance in downstream workflows).
• Document and report findings clearly for internal teams and external stakeholders.

Qualifications:

We recognize that not all candidates may meet the entire list below. We're eager to train the right candidates for this role and encourage those who meet at least two-thirds of the criteria to apply. Notes on applying: Within the application, please plan to answer a few simple questions and attach your resume.

• MS or PhD in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Chemical Biology, Bioengineering, with relevant industry experience.
• Experience optimizing complex biochemical systems (buffers, salts, cofactors, additives, concentrations, incubation conditions).
• Hands‑on experience and strong wet‑lab capability in molecular biology, enzyme characterization, assay development, protein production, and general biochemistry with a track record of independent troubleshooting.
• Strong experimental design, data analysis, and documentation habits; able to deliver reproducible results.
• Understand the differences between a startup and a larger corporation, and embrace the fast‑paced, entrepreneurial environment.
• Comfortable and familiar with using an electronic laboratory notebook (ELN) for documentation.

Nice to have:

• Experience expressing and purifying enzymes from Picha, and/or Cell Free Protein Synthesis (CFPS)
• Familiarity with analytical methods relevant to nucleic acids and enzymes (CE, HPLC, qPCR/ddPCR, LC-MS, Akta FPLC).
• Experience with DoE/statistical optimization and building robust processes under variability.
• Understanding of quality systems (specs, lot release testing, CoA‑style documentation, stability/shelf‑life planning).
• Competitive compensation.
• 401(k) program
• A dynamic early‑stage work environment and highly interdisciplinary, talented, and collaborative team.
• Professional growth opportunities through mentoring, training, immersion in cross‑functional projects, and opportunities to learn and try new things.

Why Join Us?

• Be at the cutting edge of AI‑driven enzyme discovery and engineering.
• Actually making a product to create value.
• A collaborative and dynamic environment focused on scientific innovation.
• Simply fun.

If you're passionate about revolutionizing enzyme-driven biocatalysis, we'd love to hear from you!

It is the policy of Pando Bioscience, Inc. to provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. The Company does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical and/or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, pregnancy, marital status, age, sexual orientation, and military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. It also prohibits unlawful discrimination and harassment based on the perception that anyone has any of those characteristics or is associated with a person who has or is perceived as having any of those characteristics.

Pando does not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than directly from potential candidates. Any resumes submitted by a staffing agency in the absence of a current executed contract will automatically become Pando’s property and no recruiting fees or other obligations will be owed in the event of a potential hiring.