Job Title: Senior Research Associate
Reporting to: Lead, Trait Testing
Location: Durham, North Carolina
About Pairwise:
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 stone fruit, with the first product expected in 2023. Pairwise is based in the start-up friendly Research Triangle Park area of North Carolina.
About This Role:
As a Senior Research Associate in Trait Testing team within Pairwise, you will be part of a fun, dynamic and fast paced environment and be responsible for evaluate trait efficacy of gene edited materials across diverse crops. You will collaborate with key scientists within the team and cross-functionally to measure trait activity in plants using molecular, biochemical and morphological data. You will be responsible for designing experiments by working with the scientists and be responsible for capturing, analyzing and cataloguing trait data from lab and field experiments in internal systems. You will lead data generation efforts and work within and across multiple teams to provide supporting data to facilitate critical decision-making for product discovery and development pipeline.
Essential Functions:
• Design, coordinate, conduct, analyze and interpret molecular, biochemical and phenotypic data.
• Develop new trait testing assays/methods and SOPs to measure trait activity across row and consumer crops.
• Develop and implement experiments by working cross-functionally to drive and facilitate product development.
• Capture timely, high-quality data and catalog data into internal systems.
• Collaborate with lab, Controlled Environment and field teams to generate and analyze data and provide advancement recommendations.
• Contribute to Trait Testing strategy to enable product discovery and development.
Required Education & Experience:
• Masters with 5+ years’ experience or a bachelors with 10+ experience in Botany, Plant Sciences, Agriculture, Genetics, Biotechnology or Agronomy.
• Experience with hands-on molecular biology experiments is a plus.
• Ability to work collaboratively and influence in large team settings.
• Ability to work and manage time independently.
• Ability to design experiments and collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver results.
• Experience in working with leafy greens or berries will be a plus.
• Working with polyploid crops will be a plus.
• Hands-on experience in designing robust greenhouse, lab and field experiments.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver scientific results in a cross functional environment.
Offerings:
• Comprehensive Benefits Plan, including Medical, Dental, Vision, HSA/FSA, 401k, Life Insurance, Short-Term & Long-Term Disability, and more!
• Flexible PTO (use what you need, when you need it), in addition to company holidays
• Casual work environment.
• Mission-driven organization focused on creating healthier fruits and veggies.
• A cutting-edge, driven community looking to lead the industry in innovation and nutrition.
EEO Statement:
We're an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.