Research Associate II - Metabolic Engineering

Position Overview

Debut is the unconventional innovation lab spearheading the next generation of big business. Our scalable, integrated, climate-positive creation model powered by biotechnology focuses on human wellbeing and sustainability. If you are passionate, enjoy fast-paced innovation and collaborative teams, then Debut is for you. As a Research Associate II - Metabolic Engineering, you will engineer microbial hosts to produce valuable small molecules. You will work with a team of scientists to develop routes for molecule production, perform exploratory feasibility studies, and identify optimization opportunities within our rapid strain engineering workflow.

Key Responsibilities

• Routinely perform standard metabolic engineering techniques (PCR, DNA extraction, plasmid cloning, gel electrophoresis, transformation, DNA sequencing).
• Design and construct strains under the guidance of senior scientists.
• Assist in continuous workflow optimizations to improve efficiency.
• Review and analyze data to design follow-up experiments.
• Collaborate with small-scale and fermentation teams to advance strains and processes.
• Demonstrate the ability to learn quickly in a fast-paced startup environment.
• Exhibit excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree + 2 years experience; OR Associate Degree + 4 years experience; OR HS Diploma/GED + 6 years experience.
• Familiarity with common molecular biology techniques including PCR, DNA extraction, plasmid cloning, gel electrophoresis, transformation, and DNA sequencing.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in pathway discovery and optimization.

Benefits & Perks

• Compensation: $65,000 - $80,000