Development Associate - Museum jobs in Battle Creek, MI

Vestaron is leading a peptide-based revolution in crop protection.  The company is dedicated to improving the safety, efficacy and sustainability of crop protection through migration from chemical pesticides to biological peptides.  Vestaron’s peptides provide growers with novel crop protection solutions that address proven targets and provide efficacy on par with or better than traditional chemical pesticides.  Its peptides overcome existing resistance issues while offering a desired safety profile for workers, beneficials and the environment.  Vestaron has earned global recognition for its work, including the inaugural 2015 Bernard Blum Award for a novel biocontrol solution, the prestigious Green Chemistry Challenge Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2020 and “Best New Biologic Product” at the 2021 IHS Market Crop Science Awards.

The Opportunity:

Vestaron is currently recruiting for an Associate Scientist to join our R&D team in Kalamazoo, MI. The Associate Scientist will have the opportunity to work with highly skilled scientists on our strain development programs for the production of our pipeline of sustainable crop protection products. Daily responsibilities will include a mix of experimental design, laboratory work, data reporting, and communicating with team members. The position’s main emphasis will be on genetic modifications to our microbial production systems, management of our production lots and strain collections, and  exploring new technologies and techniques in strain development. Ideally, this person should have experience with plasmid DNA construction, genetic manipulation of microbes, and strong foundation in molecular biology. Experience with techniques such as qPCR, CRISPR, microbial phenotyping, and automated liquid handlers are a plus.

Responsibilities:

• Work cohesively as part of the greater R&D team to perform experiments involved in stages ranging from discovery to development.

• Timely execution of experiments designed in conjunction with senior scientists.

• Design and generation of heterologous expression vectors and expression strains.

• Bringing in and testing new technologies and techniques for strain development.

• Keep detailed and organized records of experimental protocols and results.

• Contribute to multiple projects simultaneously and manage diverse team interactions.

• Contribute to daily lab maintenance activities.

• The desire and ability to manage and leverage undergraduate interns to achieve research goals is a plus.

• This position will require the applicant to assess unusual circumstances and use sophisticated analytical and problem solving techniques to identify the cause and solve the issue.

Requirements:

• Require Advanced degree (M.S.) from an accredited institution in Biology, Molecular and Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Genetics, Microbiology, Evolution or related field with at least 3 years of experience, or 4-year college degree with at least 5 years of work experience in molecular biology, biochemistry, and/or biotechnology.

• Must have experience with molecular techniques.

• Experience with heterologous expression and genetic manipulation of microbial strains is a plus.

• Ambitious, self-driven, and capable of adapting to changing roles and project priorities.

• Strong scientific foundation with an ability to adapt and apply protocols.

• Proficient with the use of Microsoft Office Products.

• Works well in a team setting.

• Strong multi-tasking skills.

• Strong oral and written communication skills.

Why Join Us?

Join the Revolution…

With an innovative and accomplished leadership team guiding our day-to-day wins, and a Board with a long-term vision that supports our efforts, we set out daily to improve the safety, efficacy and sustainability of crop protection through migration from synthetic pesticides to peptide-based biopesticides. Our team is empowered to solve problems and find solutions that will advance the science and commercialization of peptides. If you’re seeking a career that taps into your talents and contributes to harnessing the Power of Peptides® for the benefit of the environment and industry, we just may have a job for you. We know our employees are our most valuable asset, and our culture conveys that. 

In 2019 we opened our headquarter in the heart of RTP (Research Triangle Park, NC), a global center of Agricultural Technology and Innovation. Our lab is located on Stirrup Creek Drive, near a vibrant work environment with restaurants, shops and hotels.  Our R&D center is in Kalamazoo, MI, within the Western Michigan University Innovation Center. The 69,000-square-foot, purpose-built incubator and co-working space was created to support companies from the earliest start-ups to maturing organizations with office and conference space, high-quality shared scientific equipment and resources, and a wide range of support services.

We offer a competitive benefits package, to support the health and happiness of our staff. We invite you to apply to join a company developing the products, processes, and relationships to lead the advancement of the biological peptide industry, beginning with the pesticide markets.

An Equal Opportunity Employer
Vestaron is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. All employment decisions at Vestaron are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, physical, mental or sensory disability, HIV Status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, past or present military service, family medical history or genetic information, family or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.