Protein Biochemist, Core Technologies

$130,000 - $180,000/Yr

Arcadia Science - Berkeley, CA

Full-time - Senior

Berkeley, CA

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

About the position

We are Arcadia Science. Arcadia is a science company founded and led by scientists. Our mission is to transform evolutionary innovations into real-world solutions by openly developing more efficient, replicable, and sustainable ways to leverage the biology of diverse organisms. We are seeking an experienced Protein Biochemist to join a protein-focused team collaborating across the organization. This team creatively and iteratively implements scientific tools to solve biological research problems, with a particular focus on predicting and testing protein functions. In this role, you'll spearhead our efforts in biochemically characterizing proteins. Your core focus will be the expression, purification, and characterization of recombinant proteins and the development and optimization of downstream biochemical assays. Given the diverse array of proteins we work with, including proteins of unknown function, you will also need to spearhead troubleshooting of protein expression and purification workflows. You may also need to develop creative, new assays for discovering new functions. You'll generally be responsible for providing expert knowledge and decision-making related to protein biology.

Responsibilities

• Design, plan, and execute recombinant protein expression and purification protocols for diverse proteins from a wide range of organisms
• Ensure purity and quality of resulting protein is appropriate for downstream applications
• Independently troubleshoot expression and purification challenges, such as comparing orthologous expression systems, increasing yields, assessing and addressing insolubility, and reviewing post-translational modification needs
• Prepare proteins for functional testing in cell-based assays and in vivo assays by validating identity, folded/oligomeric state, and concentrations
• Work closely with experts to automate or develop higher throughput strategies for recurring biochemical workflows
• Develop, optimize, and implement both quantitative and qualitative biochemical assays for the screening and functional characterization of proteins
• Project manage contract work with outside consultants or CROs
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams
• Keep detailed experimental records and documentation (SOPs) for all workflows
• Synthesize ideas, data, and findings into fully open-access pubs

Requirements

• Ph.D. or equivalent experience in Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, or a related field
• At least 1 year of full-time relevant scientific experience post-PhD
• Hands-on technical experience in the following areas: protein production systems (µg-mg scale), protein expression and purification, basic biochemical and biophysical assays to characterize protein stability and folding
• Deep knowledge of protein function, biology, and structure
• Demonstrable experience troubleshooting challenging protein purifications
• Effective project management ability demonstrated by ability to scope work with key stakeholders, create milestones and timelines, identify blockers
• An excellent verbal and written science communicator for both general and technical audiences. We expect all scientists to actively draft and openly publish their lessons

Benefits

• Generous equity and benefits
• Competitive compensation
• Practical benefits to keep you happy and healthy