COMPANY PROFILE

Native Microbials is a leader in advancing the animal health and nutrition industry through advanced microbiome and sequencing technologies. Harnessing a proprietary technology platform that decodes the microbial ecosystem in and on animals, Native can create and deliver world-class products for animals, from animals. With headquarters in San Diego, Native Microbials maintains multiple field and production operations worldwide. Visit NativeMicrobials.com to learn more.

JOB SUMMARY

We are looking for a highly skilled talented individual with in-depth experience in formulation and stabilization of microbial cultures (bacteria, fungi, yeasts) for delivery to livestock and companion animals. The ideal candidate has a combination of strong academic and industrial research and development background in the formulation of dry microbial products (or other biologics such as enzymes and proteins) including tech transfer and scale-up for applications in food, agriculture, nutraceuticals, biotherapeutics, personal care, or consumer care products.

Our proprietary technology identifies novel microbes with the potential to impact animal health and productivity profoundly. Key components of this technology are scalable formulation and stabilization processes, which the formulation scientist will be responsible for implementing at the manufacturing scale. The successful candidate will be an integral member of a multi-disciplinary dynamic team focused on the development of new microbial products and manufacturing processes using our platform technologies.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Act as in-house subject matter expert for the development and characterization of scalable stable microbial formulations in alignment with business objectives.
• Lead and oversee scientific and strategic design, planning, and execution of formulation prototypes at lab and pilot scale in support of commercially scalable process definition and development.
• Leverage strong technical, analytical, and research skills to conceptualize and generate early formulation prototypes utilizing in-house resources.
• Design and contribute to the execution of simulated in-feed and storage stability studies.
• Provide detailed observations of experiments, record and analyze data, and perform problem-solving and troubleshooting.
• Lead, collaborate, and work dynamically in collaboration with internal cross-functional teams to complete complex projects on aggressive timelines.
• Interface with external formulation technology providers to define focused research programs, monitor progress against technical milestones and project timelines, and ensure scale-relevant results.
• Contribute to the identification, introduction, development, and implementation of new formulation technologies for the manufacture of value-added products.
• Lead and/or contribute to the identification and evaluation of contract manufacturing organizations capable of executing Native’s formulation processes.
• Author SOPs, technical reports, product specification sheets, and master batch records.
• Contribute to the execution of capital projects to acquire and install formulation and process equipment, analytical instruments, and utility infrastructure.
• Oversee the transfer of formulation processes to contract manufacturing sites.
• Represent the company at contract sites for critical operations and manufacturing campaigns.
• Other R&D-related duties as may be assigned.

Required Skills:

• A degree in Chemical Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, Material Science and Engineering, Pharmaceutical Engineering, Food Science and Engineering, or other related engineering fields:
• MS with 5 years and PhD with 3 years of industrial experience in dry formulation development is required.
• Extensive industrial experience in the development of scalable solid-state formulations such as powders and granules through a variety of granulation, extrusion, coating, and microencapsulation techniques is required.
• Practical knowledge in the use of DOE and statistical software (JMP, Minitab, etc.) in product design is required.
• Experience in formulation and stabilization of microbes, or other biological actives such as enzymes and proteins, is highly preferred.
• Hands-on experience in the physical characterization of solid forms including powder and granulated products is required.
• Experience in industrial biotechnology downstream processing is desired.
• An excellent understanding of microbiology is desired.
• Familiarity with US FDA, food/feed GMP, and FSMA requirements is preferred.
• Previous exposure to industrial fermentation and cell enumeration is a plus.

Other Requirements:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Demonstrated strong critical thinking, organizational, and time management skills
• Detail-oriented, self-motivated, flexible, and able to prioritize and manage several projects concurrently in a fast-paced environment without sacrificing accuracy, quality, and safety
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and in cross-functional teams as a strong team player
• Ability to travel up to 25% of the time.
• Capable of walking, bending, and prolonged sitting and/or standing during work hours.

Native Microbials, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer