Senior Fermentation Scientist

Senior Scientist – (Aerobic-Fermentation)             

Abercorn Sinclair is delighted to present this exciting opportunity with our industry partner MiAlgae.

Founded in 2016, MiAlgae applies leading advances in science and technology to improve food security and reduce the impact of humanity on the planet. The company aims to eliminate reliance on wild-caught fish as a source of omega-3 by harnessing the potential of microalgae as a sustainable and rich alternative source. MiAlgae’s zero-waste solution recycles co-products from food and drink production to grow Omega-3-rich micro-algae, returning clean water in the process.

The role:

Reporting to the Head of R&D, you will contribute to the successful delivery of the company’s lab-based projects and support technology transfer to commercial scale, with a focus on microbiology and fermentation development.

The role has scope for active involvement in the day-to-day running of the R&D department including the standardisation of methods and processes, design of experiments (DOE), and communicating results and conclusions.

Key Responsibilities: 

• Influence the direction of the company’s research and development.
• Maintain an overview of all ongoing projects and feedback to the senior team.
• Prepare regular and concise high-level reports for the senior team as required.
• Identify and record all IP generated.

Experience and Skills:

• Experience in aerobic fermentation process development and scale-up of biotechnological processes whilst working in cross functional projects.
• Role holder will lead upstream activities, perform troubleshooting, and process optimisation using scale down fermentation models with the aim of subsequent implementation at production scale. 
• Support technology transfer projects at different stages of scale and implementation from an R&D perspective.
• In-depth understanding of how to adjust fermentation parameters (e.g. agitation, aeration, pH, temperature) for optimal cell growth and product yield and use of these parameters to guide scale up.
• Ability to monitor fermentation processes, detect deviations, and troubleshoot issues.
• Experience handling multiple microbial hosts, covering at least two of yeast, bacteria and microalgae.
• Experience of process analytics including gas chromatography beneficial.

The Candidate:

We are seeking driven individuals with a flexible approach to work who are keen to make their mark within a rapidly growing award-winning biotechnology company.

The ideal candidate will be educated to MSc/PhD in a related biological or biotechnology related field with several years of demonstrable industry experience. We are specifically looking for individuals who have aerobic fermentation development experience gained within an industry setting.  

A keen eye for detail and the ability to understand and write technical reports/documents to aid in the process development and in conducting investigations.

You will be an effective communicator with the ability to work independently and effectively within team. You will have a positive ‘can do’ approach and a keen interest in the use of biotechnology for the benefit of the environment. 

The opportunity:

For the right individual, this is an amazing opportunity to join an exciting young, scaling biotech where you will play a critical role in developing their platform technology and future products.

In return, you can expect a competitive salary + benefits and the opportunity to work with a team truly committed to developing scalable, sustainable solutions.

For a confidential discussion please contact our retained partner, Keith Tocher at Abercorn Sinclair.

About Abercorn Sinclair

Abercorn Sinclair is a specialist, technical recruitment consultancy based in Edinburgh. We provide bespoke talent solutions across the science & technology sectors.