Analytical Scientist/Lab Manager 

To apply for this position, please email us at contact@arsenale.bio

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Job location: Future Farming Initiative (Roncade, Veneto, Italy); On-site. 

Arsenale BioYards is the data and industrial backbone enabling companies to design and biomanufacture at scale, thus unlocking the transition to the bioeconomy. Arsenale BioYards aims at bringing down the cost of precision fermentation by an order of magnitude, and it does so by developing an end-to-end hardware and software platform (i) from lab scale to enable the design of organisms and experiments closer to industrial conditions, with a software predicting large scale performance from their small-scale bioreactors and (ii) going up to scaling out biomanufacturing capacity with its standardized but modular BioYards. It is an inherently long-term data- and economies-of-learning play, especially through the manufacturing data feedback loop linking back to the design. 

We are seeking an experienced Analytical Chemist with a strong academic background, laboratory organization and management skills, and hands on knowledge of analytical method development, sample preparation, analyte detection, quantification, and characterization. This role would be well suited for an experienced academic or industrial postdoctoral researcher who is interested in transferring to a precision fermentation industry. The role has two key objectives: (1) to set up and manage Future Farming Initiative (FFI) Analytical laboratory, and (2) to provide Analytical support to the resident R&D teams, including support to development and testing of Arsenale proprietary microbioreactor systems, pilot, and demonstration scale vessels. Arsenale-specific analytical support will be provided in close collaboration with Arsenale Engineering, Microbiology, Fermentation, Downstream Processing, and Machine Learning teams, and the third-party collaborators. The Analytical Scientist /Lab Manager will report to Arsenale Chief Scientific Officer. 

Position Summary (What You Will Do) 

● Establish and run FFI Analytical Laboratory providing analytical chemistry support to the resident R&D teams. 

● Assist with installation and commissioning of analytical laboratory equipment and ensure its proper operation (calibration, preventive maintenance, service, repair). 

● Develop, implement, and validate diverse analytical methods and assays. 

● Prepare and analyze samples from bench- and pilot-scale fermentations and other bioprocesses run at FFI. 

● Isolate and characterize small and large molecules using commercially available and/or in house developed assays. 

● Operate, and maintain analytical instruments such as HPLC, UHPLC, GC, GCMS, IC, FTIR, TOC, and supporting equipment such as FPLC, spectrophotometers, water purifications systems, etc.

● Handle ordering of consumables, chemicals, and reagents, maintain lab inventories. ● Work within EH&S to ensure safe handling of materials and procedures, and to maintain a high level of overall laboratory safety. 

● Compile and report analytical data, interpret results, present at technical meetings. ● Support tech transfer of analytical methods to offsite laboratories, including Arsenale pilot and demonstration plant labs. 

● Act as interface between associated project groups, including DNA synthesis, strain engineering, microbiology, fermentation, hardware engineering, downstream processing, and third-party collaborators. 

● Establish Analytical team and capability at FFI and supervise junior scientists and technicians. Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities (What You Bring) 

● Experience with establishing and running Analytical Chemistry laboratories in academic or industrial settings. 

● Hands-on experience in sample preparation and analysis of small and large molecules in fermentation and other biological samples using HPLC, UHPLC, GC, GC/MS, IC, FTIR and LC/MS tools. Experience with FPLC, PAGE, and TOC is a strong plus. 

● Experience with analytical methods development. 

● Hands-on experience with using Agilent OpenLab CDS and MassHunter software, and LIMS and ELN systems. 

● Working knowledge of statistical data analysis. 

● Strong interpersonal skills and attention to detail. 

● Excellent verbal and written communication skills. 

● Fluent proficiency in Italian and English languages. 

Desired Experience and Capabilities: 

● PhD with 3-5 years of experience in a relevant field (Analytical Chemistry, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering) or BSc/MSc with minimum of 5-7 years of academic or industry experience. 

● Knowledge of a broad range of analytical and preparative separation techniques (e.g. reverse phase, normal phase, hydrophilic-interaction, ion exchange, and size-exclusion chromatography, solid phase extraction, preparative liquid chromatography, column chromatography). Knowledge of protein purification and characterization is a plus. 

● Excellent communication, organization, and collaborative skills with demonstrated ability to innovate and troubleshoot complex systems while working independently in a fast paced, cross-functional team environment. 

To apply for this position, please email us at contact@arsenale.bio

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