Microbiology Quality Control - Research Associate

Microbiology Quality Control Associate, Product Development

New Leaf Symbiotics (NLS), an agricultural biologicals company, is looking for a Microbiologist for Quality Control (QC) at the Research Associate level with experience in the use of live microorganism containing agricultural products. This position is on site at the NLS company headquarters and laboratories located at the EDGE facility at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, in St. Louis, Missouri. We produce live beneficial microbes for agriculture, so product quality means viable, pure, and potent cultures. As a Microbiology QC Research Associate, you'll test raw materials, in-process samples, and finished products to confirm they meet specifications before they reach growers. You'll work closely with our manufacturing, microbiology, and regulatory teams.

Microbiologist Responsibilities and Duties:

• Independently conducts shelf stability studies, on seed stability studies and other studies to ensure the commercial viability of formulated products.
• In collaboration with the Fermentation group, assists in the design and execution of downstream processing experiments – filtration, centrifugation, evaporation, lyophilization, spray drying, granulation, fluidized bed drying, etc.
• Optimizes and scales formulations to reach target yields and costs.
• Collects and maintains detailed records of experimental data and performs preliminary data analysis.
• Understands biological products including natural products chemistry and microbial physiology of bacteria, filamentous bacteria, and fungi.
• Assists with general lab maintenance duties including media and solution preparation, general equipment maintenance, cleanliness, and organization of the laboratory.
• Creation, curation, and preservation of bacterial cell banks made for various uses in R&D, PD, expansion of NewLeaf strain collection, and external cooperators.
• Perform viable cell counts (plate counts/CFU enumeration) on in-process and finished inoculant batches
• Test for contaminants, including aerobic plate counts, yeast and mold, and screening for specified organisms
• Maintain and calibrate lab equipment such as autoclaves, incubators, pH meters, and balances
• Document all testing accurately and contemporaneously in lab notebooks, LIMS, or batch records, following good documentation practices
• Report out-of-specification (OOS) or atypical results promptly and support investigations
• Maintains aseptic technique, a clean lab, and environmental monitoring in line with biosafety requirements
• Expected to consistently deliver high-quality scientific presentations internally.

Qualifications:

Required:

• Associate or bachelor’s degree in microbiology, biology, or a related life science (or equivalent lab experience)
• 1+ years of hands-on microbiology lab experience, ideally in QC, food, agriculture, pharma, or fermentation
• Solid aseptic technique and plate-counting skills
• Strong attention to detail and organized, accurate record keeping
• Comfort working with live cultures under standard biosafety practices
• Energetic and self-motivated individual able to work in a team environment with relentlessly progressing schedules.
• Ability to work cross-functionally with R&D, regulatory, management, and external collaborators.

Preferred:

• Experience with agricultural inoculants, biologicals, probiotics, or fermentation products
• Experience with the formulation and use of microorganisms/natural products and/or agrochemical formulation development.
• Experience in a commercial or academic research laboratory environment in the field of microbiology, biochemistry, microbial fermentation, or industrial microbiology, with an emphasis in microbial applications in agriculture.

About NewLeaf Symbiotics:

NewLeaf Symbiotics is the global leader in PPFM (pink-pigmented facultative methylotroph) technology. We believe no other beneficial bacteria holds more potential than PPFMs, and we've got the science to prove it.

Our portfolio is built to solve growers' greatest challenges. From a library of more than 13,000 PPFM strains, of which more than 7,000 are sequenced, we match specific strains to specific problems. That technology is protected by more than 250 patents across more than 35 patent families. We provide our technologies to biological manufacturers and distribution partners that sell them at the farm gate. Our portfolio includes eight technologies commercially labeled for 10 crops, from corn, soybeans, cotton and peanuts to specialty crops such as tomatoes and cucurbits. They include the EPA-registered TS201, the EPA-registered TS601 biofungicide and crop-specific biostimulants. You'll find them in more than 100 brands sold through partners and distributors across the United States. Every commercial technology is backed by multi-year, multi-location datasets from lab, greenhouse and field trials on small plots and large acreages.

Science-led. Data-backed. That's Pink Performance.

Application:

Please send a cover letter and CV/Resume to [email protected] with the subject: Microbiology QC RA. References required upon request.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $40,000.00 - $60,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off

Education:

• Associate (Preferred)

Work Location: In person