Scientist, Cell-Free Applications

Mission-driven LanzaTech is a revolutionary solution to climate change, capturing pollution to clean our skies and oceans and create new high value products for a sustainable future. LanzaTech captures pollution to make fuels and chemicals, including sustainable jet fuel and products you use every day. The technology is like retrofitting a brewery onto an emission source like a steel mill or a landfill site, but instead of using sugars and yeast to make beer, pollution is converted by biology to fuels and chemicals! Imagine a day when your plane is powered by recycled emissions, when your yoga pants started life as pollution from a steel mill. This future is possible using LanzaTech technology.

• 2021 Biofuels Digest #1 Hottest Company in Renewable Fuels, Chemicals & Biomaterials
• 2020 Biofuels Digest #3 Best Company to work for in the Advanced Bioeconomy
• 2020 Fast Company World Changing Company
• 2020 CNBC #43 on Top 50 Disrupter Companies list
• 2019 Chicago Innovation Awards Winner
• 2019 Fortune Magazine - Change the World - Companies to watch
• 2019 Kirkpatrick Chemical Engineering Achievement Award
• LanzaTech is committed to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion as part of our mission, culture & core values

This position is open to candidates authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis for any employer. LanzaTech is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status.

About the Role

LanzaTech is looking for a motivated, high energy, well-organized, collaborative Scientist to lead LanzaTech's cell-free platform and research and development of cell-free technologies within the context of industrial gas-fermenting bacteria.

• This person will work on a cross-functional team to support projects that require and/or would benefit from cell-free applications and experiments.
• The Scientist will work with the team to design, develop, optimize, and automate various cell-free expression workflows both in model systems and gas-fermenting organisms.
• The Scientist will also participate in evaluating and testing additional cell-free applications such as biosensors and manufacturing.
• The Scientist will conduct their work collaboratively across multiple teams at LanzaTech including Automation, Fermentation, and Engineering.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of new cell-free workflows and capabilities at LanzaTech
• Design and perform cell-free experiments and pathway prototyping and screening of parts
• Develop research plans and preliminary data in support of grant proposals
• Guide and train junior scientists such as research associates, technicians, and interns
• Collaborate with project teams to establish needs for cell-free support and automation team to automate cell-free workflows
• Use of laboratory management systems, in-house experimental design tools, and computational tools to improve efficiency in design, execution, and interpretation of experiments
• Maintain an up-to-date laboratory notebook tracking experiments, data, and interpretation of results; Assist in upkeep of laboratory reagents and stock supplies in order to run experiments
• Stay up-to-date with advancements in cell-free scientific field; Present findings and developments both internally to LanzaTech teams and externally to customers
• Attend and participate in Enzymology and Synthetic Biology group meetings as well as relevant project updates with customers
• Establish and write standard operating procedures (SOPs) for laboratory workflows; Instruct and advise LanzaTech colleagues on established workflows
• Follow all safety requirements for working in the offices and laboratories, including completing any required trainings; Maintain a clean and functional laboratory space

Requirements

Minimum

• Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Synthetic Biology, Bioengineering, Molecular Biology, Chemical Engineering, or a related field OR M.Sc. in related field with 2+ years relevant laboratory experience with cell-free applications post-graduation
• Demonstrated experience with designing, executing, and reporting cell-free experiments
• Knowledgeable with the current cell-free protein synthesis/cell-free applications field
• Strong organizational, time management, and interpersonal skills
• Experience writing reports and/or manuscripts
• Experience giving group presentations
• High attention to detail and careful record keeping
• Independent and highly self-motivated
• Excellent communication skills and a desire to work in a team
• Awareness of safety issues in the work environment
• Strong computer literacy including Microsoft Office, SharePoint or equivalent applications

Highly Preferred

• Experience and/or working knowledge of anaerobic microbes
• Experience with multiple cell-free protein synthesis systems (e.g., E. coli and Wheat Germ)
• Experience with multiple protein reporter, detection, and/or quantification approaches (e.g., luciferase, radiolabeling, and blotting)
• Experience with multiple DNA cloning methods (e.g., Gibson and Golden Gate assemblies)
• Ability to conduct research independently and manage multiple tasks in parallel

Are you fully authorized to work for any US employer without restriction or need for sponsorship in the next 5 years? *
Are you able to comfortably commute to our headquarters in Skokie IL or are you willing to relocate to accommodate? *

Do you have a Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Synthetic Biology, Bioengineering, Molecular Biology, Chemical Engineering, or a related field OR M.Sc. in related field with 2+ years relevant laboratory experience with cell-free applications post-graduation? *

Speak to your demonstrated experience with designing, executing, and reporting cell-free experiments please. *

Are you knowledgeable with the current cell-free protein synthesis/cell-free applications field? *

Do you have experience writing reports and/or manuscripts? *

Do you have experience giving group presentations? *

Speak to your computer literacy skills including Microsoft Office, SharePoint or equivalent applications please. *

Do you have experience and/or working knowledge of anaerobic microbes? (Preferred but not required) *

Do you have experience with multiple cell-free protein synthesis systems (e.g., E. coli and Wheat Germ)
(Preferred but not required) *

Do you have experience with multiple protein reporter, detection, and/or quantification approaches (e.g., luciferase, radiolabeling, and blotting)?
(Preferred but not required) *

Do you have experience with multiple DNA cloning methods (e.g., Gibson and Golden Gate assemblies)?
(Preferred but not required) *

Speak to your ability to conduct research independently and manage multiple tasks in parallel? *

Do you have experience with microfluidics systems?
(Preferred but not required) *

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