Associate Scientist, Process Development

About Greenlight

GreenLight Biosciences is using RNA to create a world where plants, people, and the planet can thrive together. The company is developing highly effective agricultural solutions for farmers and beekeepers that are targeted to specific pests and degrade quickly in the environment. Our pipeline includes products to protect honeybees and a range of fruits and vegetables. The GreenLight platform allows us to research, design, and manufacture across multiple product categories including insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides. 

 For more information, visit www.greenlightbio.com.

The Associate Scientist, Process Development at GreenLight BioSciences in Durham, NC will serve as a key member and technical leader of the process development team and support their overall mission of delivering high performance RNA production processes and products to the market. Specific responsibilities include: Support early-stage product development by performing laboratory scale fermentation, RNA production and downstream processing; Run 10 L fermentation experiment to produce plasmid DNA using strains developed by strain engineering team; Collect samples from fermentation experiment and assess process metrics such as plasmid DNA titer, plasmid DNA yield and quality; Perform downstream unit operations to recover plasmid DNA; Run 10 L RNA synthesis experiment using the plasmid DNA and assess process metrics such as RNA titer, yield and purity; Troubleshoot and identify opportunities for improvements in RNA production process by doing DoE based optimization experiments; Do statistically designed multifactorial optimization experiment i.e., Design of Experiment (DoE); Design, plan, execute the experiment, collect samples and run analytical methods for RNA titer, yield, analyze the data, fit curves, make model, do model predictions using statistical data analysis tool; Validate the model prediction, test reproducibility and robustness of the optimized RNA synthesis process conditions; Lead development of next generation processes to improve RNA production metrics; Using DoE and rationally designed experiments, identify the parameters limiting performance of RNA synthesis process; Formulate strategies to address the limitations such as developing new processes, identifying better raw materials, etc., to improve RNA production metrics; Create tasks, delegate and supervise team members towards completion of project goals; Develop, author and implement Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for process development activities; Write protocols and development reports for the new processes; Document in Quality Management System; train team members on the new protocols; Scale-up and tech transfer bench-scale processes to pilot production scale; Demonstrate scale-up by evaluating the new process in 10 L scale; Train production team members; Perform and report on procedures to quantitatively measure analytes (DNA, RNA, proteins, ions, etc.,) in a variety of matrices for analytical testing support; Run RNA analysis methods such as RNA concentration, RNA purity; Run DNA analysis methods such as restriction digestion and agarose gel electrophoresis; Run HPLC for small molecules, DNA, RNA; Make data driven decisions and identifies root causes to help solve problems and achieve opportunities; Test assays on different lots of DNA, enzyme samples to evaluate batch-to-batch variability; Identify causes for variability using the assay data; Work collaboratively with operations and quality management team members and communicate effectively to accomplish project goals and milestones; Work with cross-functional teams such as Strain Engineering, Manufacturing, QA/QC; and Plan data review meetings, present results and conclusions, suggest directions and next steps 

REQUIREMENTS: B.S. in Chemical Engineering, Biochemistry or related field, plus 24 months of experience or similar role in strain engineering field for aseptic techniques, bacterial culture, extraction and characterization of DNA, UV/VIS absorbance, gel electrophoresis, sequencing data analysis is required. Such experience must include: 12 months of experience as a research associate or similar role in process development handling lab-scale bioreactors for running fermentation, downstream processing equipment such as cell harvest by centrifugation, TFF, DNA column chromatography purification; 12 months of experience as a research associate or similar role handling analytical equipment such as HPLC to quantify DNA, RNA, organic acids; and 12 months of experience working with electronic lab notebook, laboratory information management system and statistical software such as GMP.

Greenlight Biosciences Inc. provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

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