Decatur

IL - Illinois

Research & Development

Job Description

Senior Metabolic Engineer V– Strain Development
ADM Research & Development
This is an exempt level position.

Position Summary:
ADM Cell Engineering is recruiting a creative and results-driven scientist to join the Design Biology team as a Senior Metabolic Engineer.  The ideal candidate will be a thought leader who can collaborate with scientists in high-throughput (HTP) & automation, bioinformatics, metabolomics and fermentation to achieve strain development goals. This scientist will provide technical leadership to an advanced Sustainable Materials project beyond commercial start-up by applying systems biology and functional genomics approaches.  Improved bio-molecule production of the platform yeast will enable the diversification of ADM’s Sustainable Materials portfolio and accelerate large-scale biomanufacturing of renewable chemicals.  This position is highly impactful to ADM and strain improvements will be immediately applicable to real-world commercial bioprocesses. 

Responsibilities:

• Metabolic engineering of an advanced yeast cell factory to improve cost of manufacture (COM) by selecting and engineering new genetic targets
• Deploy state-of-the-art synthetic biology tools to rapidly generate diverse strain libraries
• Provide technical leadership and contribute to strain development strategy for a highly impactful commercial fermentation
• Apply functional genomics and systems biology to identify and engineer pathway-agnostic genetic modifications that improve strain performance
• Work closely with the HTP Build & Test teams to deliver new strains that successfully scale in fermentations
• Collaborate with small-scale fermentation teams (e.g. microreactors, automated fermentation systems and stir tank reactors) to ensure strain genetics and process conditions are optimized
• Achieve project milestones and deliver improved strains by following a gated development process
• Leverage a deep understanding of cell biology and microbial physiology to interpret and communicate strain KPI data
• Generate intellectual property and compose invention disclosures for patent applications
• Contribute to a team-oriented, positive, safe and inclusive work environment

• Ph.D. in molecular biology, biotechnology, biochemistry or related field with 3+ years of industry experience
• Subject matter expertise in microbial metabolism, metabolic engineering, synthetic biology and genetic engineering
• A track record of success improving strain bio-production KPIs through genetic engineering
• Understanding of microbial physiology and metabolic pathway engineering for generating a fermentation product at high titers
• Proficiency in working with industrial isolates of yeast, bacteria or fungi
• Experience in successfully delivering on project goals and communicating results with project stakeholders
• Proven success working on complex projects within inter-disciplinary teams
• Excellent written and oral communication skills with both technical and non-technical audiences

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About ADM:

ADM unlocks the power of nature to enrich the quality of life. We're a premier global human and animal nutrition company, delivering solutions today with an eye to the future. We're blazing new trails in health and well-being as our scientists develop groundbreaking products to support healthier living. We're a cutting-edge innovator leading the way to a new future of plant-based consumer and industrial solutions to replace petroleum-based products. We're an unmatched agricultural supply chain manager and processor, providing food security by connecting local needs with global capabilities. And we're a leader in sustainability, scaling across entire value chains to help decarbonize our industry and safeguard our planet. From the seed of the idea to the outcome of the solution, we give customers an edge in solving the nutritional and sustainability challenges of today and tomorrow. Learn more at www.adm.com.

EEO

ADM is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability and veterans status.

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