The urgent need for innovations in sustainable agriculture

Our food supply is facing multiple threats: climate change is decimating crop yields, chemical fertilizers and pesticides are destroying the environment, and thin profit margins are driving farming families out of business. Farmers urgently need tools to increase the profitability and sustainability of their operations. Quorum Bio is a team of scientists responding to this clarion call by developing biological farm inputs. Using the latest advances in synthetic biology, we engineer microbes to replace chemical fertilizers, confer crop resilience to climate stress such as drought, and enhance carbon dioxide storage in soil. We are an early stage, venture-backed company inspired by research at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab and supported by the Activate Fellowship (www.Activate.org).

Role Summary

We are hiring a Scientist with expertise in microbial strain engineering to drive our development of crop growth-promoting microbes. This involves i) independently designing and executing strain engineering experiments, ii) promptly analyzing results and clearly documenting and presenting findings, and iii) proactively participating as a thought partner in our technical strategy. This is an excellent position for a motivated experimentalist seeking an influential role in an ambitious startup that allows them to continue doing cutting-edge science and have meaningful social impact within 5 years, especially as it relates to the climate and biodiversity crises.

Qualifications

● Ph.D. and/or post-doctoral research experience in microbial synthetic biology, preferably in strain engineering and/or genetic tool development for non-model organisms, using genome editing methods such as CRISPR-Cas, transposon-based strategies, and recombineering.

● Experience with bioinformatic workflows such as WGS assemblies is highly desired, but not required.

● Familiarity with fluorescence microscopy and small molecule analytical methods such as LC-MS will strengthen the application.

Main Responsibilities

● Design weekly research work plans with the CEO, independently execute them, communicate frequently

● Maintain a laboratory notebook, prepare research reports, and deliver presentations

● Support grant writing efforts

● Attend meetings with advisers and other stakeholders

Compensation

We offer salary and equity that are competitive with other pre-seed and seed stage startups.

Base salary range: $90,000 - $120,000

In addition, Quorum Bio's employees are eligible for heavy income tax exemptions.

Compensation and benefits package also include:

+ stock options

+ medical, dental, and vision coverage

+ 401(k) program

+ commuter benefits

+ 20 days PTO in addition to federal holidays

Quorum Bio is supported by:

The US Dept. of Agriculture, Refactor Capital, FTW Ventures, Overwater Ventures, Climate Capital, Impact Science Ventures, The Collaborative Fund, Gigascale Capital, and the Activate Fellowship