Fermentation Scientist

We are looking for a Fermentation Scientist to join our Bioengineering and Bioprocessing team as we scale production of novel antimicrobials from microbes.

Company

Bactobio is a London biotech startup. We work to solve the antimicrobial resistance crisis across healthcare and agriculture by producing the next generation of market-leading antimicrobials. Since inception in 2020, Bactobio has built a deeptech platform that combines AI, synthetic biology, and multiomics to routinely discover new antimicrobial classes from nature. Our antimicrobial platform is fully operational, and we now successfully target the worst diseases and build portfolios of new, safe, and effective antimicrobial classes that bypass resistance that we then move towards commercialisation.

Our culture is built around impact, empowerment, and collaboration. We attract incredible scientists from world-leading institutions, mix them with operational experts, and provide guidance through industry leaders acting as mentors. We strongly believe that diversity combined with open and inclusive conversations lead to better solutions. As a result, we have created a collaborative work environment, where ambitious people enjoy working together to make the world greener and safer.

Role

In this lab-based role, you will join our Bioengineering and Bioprocessing team to improdve titres of novel antimicrobials produced by Bactobio’s diverse microbes through bioprocess optimisations and scale up. This will support our vision to deliver solutions to global issues, including the discovery of new antibiotics against resistant bacteria and fungicides to support global food security.

Team

The Bioengineering and Bioprocessing team consists of synthetic biologists, chemists, and microbiologists who identify and scale production of natural products from previously uncultured microbes. The team works closely with software engineers, data scientists, and bioinformaticians to conduct data-driven experimentation to continuously accelerate and optimise the discovery process.

Teamwork

All projects are led by individuals but supported by the entire group and discussed on a weekly basis. This model relies on people to take responsibility for their own projects, be open to discussing new ideas, and give fair and unbiased feedback. We are therefore looking for people who enjoy working in a collaborative and adaptive environment, with strong communication skills and a drive to be proactive.

Key Responsibilities

• Designing and executing R&D experiments to increase product titres through bioprocess optimisation
• Conducting routine microbial fermentations in scales ranging from 100 mL – 3 L
• Establishing reliable scale up /scale down of existing fermentation processes
• Making data-driven decisions to prioritise samples for process optimisation, scale up and outsourcing
• Identifying opportunities to automate the pipeline and supporting their implementation to accelerate the delivery of novel compounds
• Coordinating with Bioengineering, Analytical Chemistry and Product teams and keeping all relevant stakeholders updated

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

You should have

• PhD in Biotechnology, Biochemical /Chemical Engineering, and/or 4+ years of industrial experience (start-up / biotech preferred)
• Knowledge and experience with microbial secondary metabolites
• Experience working with diverse non-model microbes (multiple phyla)
• In-depth knowledge of bacterial physiology and fermentation principles
• Hands-on experience working with bioreactors and upstream operations (set up, sterilization, inoculation, control, sampling)

It would be great if you had

• PhD in Biotechnology, Biochemical /Chemical Engineering, and/or 4+ years of industrial experience (start-up / biotech preferred)
• Knowledge and experience with microbial secondary metabolites
• Experience working with diverse non-model microbes (multiple phyla)
• In-depth knowledge of bacterial physiology and fermentation principles
• Hands-on experience working with bioreactors and upstream operations (set up, sterilization, inoculation, control, sampling)
• Demonstrated bioprocess optimisation experience in shake flasks and/or bioreactors
• Data-driven mindset; comfortable retrieving and processing datasets to guide decisions
• Highly organised and detail-oriented, with a focus on delivering high-quality results

Benefits

• Competitive starting salary
• The chance to be part of an impact-driven, fun, multicultural, kind, and ambitious crowd
• Daily access to academic leaders, business leaders, and unicorn founders
• 25 days holiday + bank holidays
• Enhanced parental leave (12 weeks maternity / 6 weeks paternity)
• Enhanced Sick Pay
• Paid sabbatical after 5 years employment
• Flexible start and finish times within the company’s core hours to fit your preferences
• Weekly team activities including board games, sports activities, and socials on Fridays
• Complimentary snacks, fruits, tea, coffee, soft drinks,...
• Access to 1000s of training courses through Udemy, with an allowance for both personal development and work-related training
• Bike2Work scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme offering structured counselling, life and career coaching, legal and financial advice platform