Fermentation Scientist, Bioplastics

Fermentation Scientist, Bioplastics - Bioextrax, Sweden

About Bioextrax:
Bioextrax is an innovation-driven company using industrial biotechnology to contribute to a more sustainable future. We are originally a spin-off from the Department of Biotechnology at Lund University and are now a rapidly growing publicly traded company.

Our vision is to be a world-leader in bio-based technologies accelerating the transition to a sustainable,
green global economy. The company is consistently working to develop innovative and green solutions
based on microbiology and biochemical engineering.
The core of our business is a highly scalable bio-based platform technology for hydrolysis of protein rich materials. This technology has many applications that can contribute to a eco-friendly and circular economy. We have developed and continue to develop methods to produce the bio-based and biodegradable polymers polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) and to turn various protein-rich materials such as poultry feathers into valuable materials and ingredients to be used in feed, textile, and cosmetic applications. Read more about our technologies at www.bioextrax.com.
About the position:
To support our fast growth and commercialization of our technologies, we are looking for a Fermentation Scientist to join our team in Lund, Sweden. You will be working closely with our R&D, Operations, and DSP teams in a creative role where your tasks will range from designing and executing lab and pilot experiments to improve existing and explore new upstream and downstream processing methods. You will be responsible for process conceptualization and definition of new processes and the development and testing of strategies to improve bioprocess KPIs, such as yield, purity, and process time. You will be directly involved in designing experiments, running bench-top and pilot-scale fermentors (1-1000 L), generating and analyzing data, preparing experimental reports, and providing input on technical approaches to meet project goals. You will lead and collaboration with other team/s members.
It is a full-time position and based in Lund, Sweden. Work may require occasional shift work (eg. evenings, nights, or weekends). Salary depends on experience.

Job responsibilities:
· Designing and operating lab and pilot scale fermentation experiments for internal know-how development and delivery of samples to customers.
· Management and supervision of teams members in running experimental and operational processes
· Presentation and interpretation of results and projects outcomes.
· Actively contribute to improve processes and methods and evaluate the patentability of results.
Preparation and review of protocols and Standard Operating Procedures for technology transfers.
Preparing data for patent applications and project reports.

Qualifications:
· PhD with minimum three years of industry experience (including post-doc working in industry-related projects), or
· MSc. with minimum eight years of industry experience.
· Fluent in English, both written and spoken.




Required lab experience:
· Lab and pilot-scale production of microbial intracellular polymers with different strains, substrates and cultivation techniques.
· Optimization of microbial cultivation media for high-cell density growth and high product yield.
· Downstream processing of intracellular and extracellular microbial products.
· Analysis and characterization of biopolymers.
· Online/Offline monitoring of microbial growth and products (spectroscopy, electrophoresis, and chromatography).
· Statistical optimization of media for microbial cultivations.

Desired experience:
· Fermentative production of bioplastics, PHAs, especially at industrial scale.
· Downstream processing of scl- and/or mcl-PHA.
· Analysis and characterization of PHAs.
· Bioprocess design and cost estimation.
· Waste/by stream valorization.


About you:
· We are looking for an ambitious individual with expertise in Biochemical engineering, Biotechnology, Microbiology, or a related field.
· You have a willingness to join a quickly expanding team on our journey from a small R&D company to a global leader within the bio-based economy.
· You have an entrepreneurial mindset and the ability to take advantage of new opportunities and let go of things that do not work.
· You also possess a willingness to learn new things, collaborate, and critically assess new ideas.

Bioextrax is growing fast, and you consider it an exciting opportunity to be part of our journey.
We think that the right person can work on a stand-alone basis. It is also important that you are flexible,
solution-oriented, innovative and at the same time being reliable. You possess good social skills and are
a down-to-earth team player.