Job summary
Pairwise is a mission-driven food+tech company dedicated to building a healthier world through better fruits and vegetables. Founded in 2017 by eminent scientists in the gene editing and biotechnology fields, Pairwise holds licenses from Harvard and Massachusetts General Hospital to base editing and high-fidelity enzymes. We also are tuned in to consumer food trends, and we believe that consumers deserve more variety and innovation in their fresh food choices. Our team is primed to deliver that innovation through one of the best gene-editing platforms in food and agriculture. Pairwise has an exclusive 5-year research collaboration with Bayer to develop products in corn, soybean, wheat, canola, and cotton. Plus, Pairwise is developing new types of leafy greens, berries, and stonefruit, with the first product expected in early 2022. Pairwise is based in the start-up friendly Research Triangle Park area of North Carolina.
The Transformation System Development (TSD) Lead is responsible for delivering novel and/or optimized transformation system protocols to meet our target product concepts across a broad range of species. The TSD Lead will manage a team of PhD scientists and research associates that will advance the latest gene editing transformation technologies into application. This role is part of Pairwise’s scientific team and reports to the Head of Trait Development. This position will be critical to not only building the scientific strategy but also the culture of our R&D organization as the company grows.
Summary of Job Responsibilities
- Lead the transformation system development team and identify, hire, and retain the best scientific talent to build upon our world class gene editing transformation team.
- Contribute scientifically to the experimental plans targeting Pairwise product concepts, with a focus on novel transformation systems and non-transgenic transformation methods.
- Work closely with functional leads, project leads, and senior leaders of R&D to identify transformation systems that meet research requirements and product development timelines.
- Continue to develop Pairwise’s transformation and cell biology expertise by staying current with latest advancements in transformation, regeneration, and propagation.
- Lead the team to make intellectual property advances, contributing to the scope and value of the company’s IP portfolio.
- Collaborate with universities and other scientific organizations to bring diverse thought into Pairwise.
Job Requirements
- PhD in Plant Biotechnology, Botany, Plant Science, Genetics, Plant Physiology or related field focused on plant transformation.
- 5+ years experience managing scientific teams
- Strong track record in plant transformation method development
- Demonstrated ability to deliver scientific results in a cross functional environment
- Demonstrated competency in written and oral communication, both internally and externally.
- Experience in establishing product pipelines, quality and performance metrics including LIMS, and effective reporting of scientific results.
- Demonstrated competency in strategic thinking, deciphering and driving complex research direction, decision making, troubleshooting and initiative/foresight.