SwiftScale Biologics uses our cell-free protein synthesis platform to enable (1) fast protein therapeutic development through to clinical batches and (2) synthesis of proteins that are very difficult to express in cells. Our mission is to use our platform technology (built from the work of Prof. Matthew DeLisa at Cornell and Prof. Michael Jewett at Northwestern University) to enable our partners to advance dozens of novel therapeutics to the clinic where they can improve the lives of thousands of patients. We are looking for someone who shares our goal of getting life-saving therapeutics to patients more quickly than would otherwise be possible to join our tightly-knit team.

In this position, you will drive the expansion of applications of cell-free technology in the biopharmaceutical industry by designing and implementing research and development projects. The work will involve cell-free reaction and cellular protein synthesis optimization, protein purification, and protein characterization using SDS-PAGE, UPLC, and ELISA binding evaluation. You'll also work with our platform development team to improve our platform to make a wider variety of proteins and scale-up the cell-free protein synthesis process from the bench scale to GMP clinical batches.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Improve and build upon our cell-free synthesis, purification, and characterization platform to deliver new classes of proteins, expand throughput, and increase speed using synthetic biology, bioprocess engineering, and metabolic engineering.
• Design and execute experiments to screen, characterize, and produce preparative amounts of protein therapeutic candidates.
• Perform and optimize cell-free protein expression of various therapeutic proteins using PCR, protein and DNA electrophoresis, Western blotting, expression, cell culture (bacterial).
• Prepare and validate materials for cell-free protein expression for use at the bench and pilot scale.
• Purify proteins at scales from magnetic beads to AKTA Explorer/AKTA Pilot.
• Characterize proteins using UPLC, SDS-PAGE, and ELISA.
• Design plasmid and genomic DNA using synthetic biology-based methods.
• Develop automation methods to increase cell-free protein synthesis throughput and robustness.
• Interpret and present experimental data to colleagues and company leadership.
• Prepare reagents for testing and process samples via automated systems in accordance with the laboratory's standard operating procedures (SOPs)

QUALIFICATIONS

• [Required] Direct experience working with molecular cloning, protein expression, purification, and characterization (preferably of protein therapeutics).
• [Required] MS (+4 years experience) or PhD, in Bioengineering, Biochemistry, Synthetic Biology, Biological Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Biotechnology, Microbiology, Chemical Engineering, or related fields.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret, compile, and present experimental data.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced small company environment with a drive to creatively solve problems around how to speed up protein therapeutic development and experimental workflows.
• Availability to work full-time hours at our Oakland, CA location.
• High intrinsic motivation and a desire to learn new techniques.
• Direct experience with in vitro transcription-translation or cell-free protein synthesis methods.
• [Preferred] Direct experience with automation and high-throughput workflows.

Our work environment is focused on treating everyone on our team with respect, fostering a collaborative environment, taking ownership of our work, learning new skills, and having fun.