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.

 

Pairwise is looking to hire a functional genomics/NGS scientist who will be responsible for enabling genomics throughout our R&D/post-R&D groups to enable both product discovery and product development. The role is required to work closely with crop scientists, computational biologists, and other molecular biology teams to find creative ways of using NGS and functional genomics to build out our understanding or trait biology, trait diversity and trait control at the genetic level. Additionally, this role will help develop the procedures and protocols for parts of the product development process where genomic data can accelerate or create clarity.

 

Summary of Job Responsibilities

• Build foundational genomics datasets (genetic and epigenetic) to acquire assemblies/annotations that will enable gene discovery and allele design
• Coordinate and carry out tissue collection and preparation, DNA & RNA extraction, next generation sequencing (NGS) library preparation and sequencing of libraries on in-house or external sequencing equipment
• Evaluate new methods and technologies to create a playbook of NGS techniques for product discovery
• Develop and contribute to genomics strategy to enable product discovery and development
• Establish goals, milestones, and budgets required to advance genomics projects
• Establish and manage collaborations with universities and other scientific organizations to bring diverse thought into Pairwise

 

Job Requirements

• PhD or equivalent experience in Genomics, Botany, Plant Science, Genetics, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Evolution or related field focused on genomics-based research with preference to a demonstrated track record using genomics to enable product discovery or using genomics to enable product development
• Experience in polyploid crops is a huge plus but not required 
• A strong understanding of NGS fundamentals and applications, critical factors influencing data quality, and an ability to troubleshoot the sequencing process end to end Techniques in molecular biology including DNA extraction and purification, PCR and qPCR, DNA library preparation, etc. 
• Deep familiarity with different functional genomics methods (e.g. RNAseq, ChIP-seq, ATAC-seq, etc.)
• Strong track record of formulating research programs
• Demonstrated ability to deliver scientific results in a cross functional environment
• Ability to manage complex product development pipeline activities