Research Scientist - Fermentation Sciences

SCIENTIST – FERMENTATION SCIENCES

Columbia, Maryland

   

Department: Fermentation Sciences

Reports To: Associate Director – Fermentation Sciences

FLSA Status:   Exempt 

 

Company:

Martek Biosciences Corporation (NASDAQ: MATK), a local biotech company, is a leader in the innovation and development of DHA omega-3 products that promote health and wellness through every stage of life. The company’s flagship products are life'sDHA™, a sustainable and vegetarian source of the omega-3 fatty acid DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) for use in foods, beverages, infant formula, and supplements; and life'sARA™, an omega-6 fatty acid produced from fungus. ARA (arachidonic acid) is the primary omega-6 fatty acid in the brain and is important for proper infant brain development and physical growth.



 

Job Summary:

The successful candidate will be responsible for the technical development of fermentation process research & development, from process conceptualization and definition, to scale-up and commercialization. Specific focus will be on developing and implementing innovative fermentation process improvements. Secondary focus on providing technical support to improve overall fermentation development, including aseptic design and operation, personnel training and process controls and automation.

 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

1.  Apply technical concepts and experience to complete complex projects.

2.  Demonstrate technical expertise in specific field.

3.  Generate and/or recognize imaginative, creative solutions in work related situations by continually exploring new methods and challenging existing procedures/dogma.

4.  Identify new research project opportunities.

5.  Establish new procedures for data collection and analysis and make decisions about what data to gather.

6.  Batching, sterilizing and maintaining the Pilot Lab fermentors.

7.  Monitoring fermentor experiments while they are ongoing.

8.  Performing a variety of analytical techniques.

9.  Collecting data and preparing reports on experimental results.

10.  Review decisions and recommendations of lower level personnel.

11.  Make decisions with the scope of the project based on own analysis with scope of decisions impacting on technical approach to own area.

12.  Consistently make high quality decisions with complete information about complex technical issues.

13.  Participate in the organization of project’s technical approach.

14.  Provide technical input to resources, scheduling, manpower, etc. for projects.

15.  Organize and deliver technical information to internal customers.

16.  Record annual spending to work within development budget.

 

 

Supervisory Responsibilities:

1.  Provide technical direction to several projects simultaneously or a small program.

 

Qualifications:

1.  Bachelors or Masters in a relevant discipline required. Bachelors with 10-15 years experience, MS with 5-10 years experience, or PhD with 2-6 years experience.

2.  Recognized within laboratories as a technical expert within field.

3.  Possess high level of sophistication with analysis.

4.  Ability to complete large and complex analytical techniques.

5.  Ability to work independently or within a team environment.

6.  Excellent oral and written communication skills.

7.  Demonstrate effective interpersonal skills while interaction with all levels of staff is required.

8.  Excellent computer skills.

9.  Good working knowledge and understanding of aseptic design is required.

 

Physical Demands:

N (N/A) A (1 – 25%)  B (26 – 50%)  C (51 – 75%)  D (76 – 100%)

 

Sitting  A %  Standing B %

Walking A %  Driving  A %

Bending/Stooping  A %  Climbing  N/A %

Reach above

shoulder  A %  Kneeling  A %

Pushing/Pulling A %   Crawling/Crouching  A %

Lifting 50 lbs

 

Computer work 

  N/A    Minimal X Moderate    Significant

Temperature extremes

  N/A    Minimal   Moderate X Significant

Noise

  N/A    Minimal X Moderate    Significant

 

Travel:

Domestic  5 % International  0 % 

 

Other exposures/demands: 

Exposure to laboratory chemicals and solvents

Handling of microorganisms

 

Equipment:

Bench-scale and pilot-scale fermentation equipment including chemostats and batch fermentors (2 liter – 130 liter volume) – both stirred tank and airlift, various bio-analyzers, gas chromatographs, oxygen generating systems, boilers, air compressors, sterile feed tanks, autoclaves, off-gas mass spectrometers, and various process control software. (including i-FIX, Delta V, BioCommand, etc.)

 

 

Please submit your resume and/or application (www.martek.com) to Human Resources at jobs@martek.com or fax to 410-772-5811.  No Recruiters Please.

 

Martek Biosciences Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

M/F/V/D