Principal Synthetic Biologist
About the Role
We are looking for a highly experienced synthetic biologist to join a cutting-edge company that is redefining microbial engineering. This is a hands-on, deep-technical role for someone who thrives on designing and executing complex chromosomal engineering programs across multiple microbial hosts.
As a Principal Synthetic Biologist, you will take biological objectives from concept to engineered strains, sequencing-led validation, and actionable interpretation. You will own the design, execution, and quality oversight of chromosomal engineering projects, making critical decisions that drive high-impact results.
Why This Company is Exciting
This company is at the forefront of synthetic biology and strain development, developing platform technologies that are rapidly advancing the state of microbial engineering. They combine next-generation genome editing, sequencing-driven iteration, and automated laboratory workflows to tackle challenges across multiple hosts—Gram-negative, Gram-positive, and yeast systems.
Joining this team means working at the intersection of fundamental biology and industrial application, where your contributions directly shape the next generation of microbial strains. The environment is highly collaborative, with external partners handling scale-up and bioreactor operations, giving you the freedom to focus on scientific design and innovation.
Core Responsibilities
Genome Editing Experience
Design and execute scarred and scarless chromosomal integrations (50–2,000 nt) in diverse microbial hosts, including E. coli, B. subtilis, P. putida, and S. cerevisiae.
Integrate orthologous DNA and structured synthetic constructs across multiple loci.
Apply strategies including recombineering (λ-Red, RecET), suicide vectors, CRISPR-assisted selection, and counter-selection systems.
Perform iterative, multi-locus genome editing without exhausting selectable markers, maintaining genomic cleanliness and stability.
Validation & Quality Control Experience
Establish and execute robust QC strategies: junction PCR, qPCR/ddPCR, and sequence verification.
Define clear pass/fail criteria for engineered strains.
Troubleshoot unexpected outcomes, anticipating recombination artifacts, toxicity, or instability.
Sequencing & Data Interpretation Experience
Design DNA- and RNA-seq experiments aligned with engineering objectives.
Interpret sequencing data to confirm edit fidelity, detect off-target effects, and guide subsequent engineering cycles.
Translate complex sequencing outputs into actionable insights that inform experimental direction.
Computational & In Silico Design Experience
Design homology arms and primers optimized for insert size, host, and editing strategy.
Predict off-target effects and design gRNAs using modern computational tools.
Select genomic loci with consideration for gene dosage, chromosomal context, and expression stability.
Required Experience & Skills
Essential:
5–10+ years hands-on experience in microbial genome engineering
Demonstrated expertise in chromosomal modifications (not plasmid-only)
Mastery of scarred and scarless genome editing techniques
Strong experimental judgment and failure-mode awareness
Ability to work independently at a high technical level