Cell Biology Tech Transfer Sr. Manager

Location: San Diego, CA
Position Type: Full-Time
Required Education: M.A./M.S. degree or equivalent
Area(s) of expertise desired: Plant Cell Biology, Gene Editing, Ag Biotech
Job Code: CB2237

Description:

Cibus is a biotechnology company with advanced technologies to precisely target and direct a plant’s natural gene-editing processes. This approach accelerates natural plant breeding that has been a staple of farming for thousands of years and has resulted in a rapid, versatile and low-cost way to produce sustainable industrial and agricultural products and improve human health by safely harnessing nature's own genetic diversity.

The company has a worldwide presence, with subsidiaries in Europe and North America and a state-of-the-art research and development center in San Diego. Cibus has a pipeline of traits for canola and rice and is developing crop platforms and a pipeline of trait products in other major global crops including soybean, corn, and wheat. The broad applicability of Cibus’ technologies is highlighted by the company’s strain-advancement program, which develops sustainable products in microbial platforms for the food, flavor and fragrance, and personal care markets.

Cibus has an immediate opening for a Trait Machine - Cell Biology Tech Transfer Manager. This position will be a part of a team focused on scaling our gene edited trait production pipeline. The position requires an MA/MS degree in Cell Biology, Biotechnology, Plant Biology, or in a related field with a minimum of 6+ years of experience working in research and/or development environment. Alternatively, a BA/BS degree with 10+ years of experience is required.

The successful applicant will oversee the validation and integration of tissue culture process as a member of Cibus’ Trait Machine Gene Editing Production team. This position will play a central role in enabling an automated and scalable gene editing Cell Biology platform utilizing the latest breakthroughs in tissue culture developed in collaboration with Cibus’ R&D functions. This position will oversee a multi-disciplinary team to develop and validate new tissue culture process for transfer into the gene editing production pipeline within the Cibus Trait Machine.

Role Responsibilities:

• Works closely with the gene editing production and R&D management to define and implement team objectives for the development and validation of new cell biology processes.
• Working cross-functionally to identify ways to improve process efficiency and collaborate with development teams to transfer new technologies and processes to the production pipeline.
• Provide leadership, training, and coaching of direct and indirect reports within the organizational structure.
• Help design and implement automated process leading to the reduction of manual processes and provide opportunities for scaling.
• Responsible for troubleshooting plant tissue culture procedures, identifying process gaps and participating in all steps of standard operating procedure development.
• Tracking and reporting process metrics to identify improvement opportunities in cell biology production.
• Carrying out pre-production activities to determine the conditions to move materials forward into gene editing production.
• Optimizing cell division, microcallus formation, callus growth and sampling efficiency for new and existing crop platforms.
• Training of broader Tech Transfer team and preparation/updating of SOPs.
• Enable success of up- and down- stream activities in gene editing production system through cross-functional, matrixed collaboration.
• Promote communications and ensure that all team members and stakeholders are fully informed, knowledgeable, and current with project goals and SOPs.
• Collaborate across department on the development of high-throughput biological processes and integrate with other functional teams to assess project needs, determine systems development direction, and ensure milestone achievement.
• This position offers an excellent opportunity for a motivated individual to broadly influence at all levels of the company from project conception to commercial scale gene editing production.

Requirements:

• The candidate must have good theoretical and working knowledge of plant cell biology and tissue culture techniques.
• Experience with cell culture techniques, somatic embryogenesis/organogenesis shoot regeneration, transformation, and micropropagation.
• Broad scientific capabilities with demonstrated expertise in experimental design and hypothesis testing, along with an ability to collaborate across functional teams, providing guidance and direction to achieve success.
• Demonstrated ability to manage and lead a dynamic team to achieve both technical and professional growth success.
• Experience with laboratory information management systems, inventory management and database development.
• Leads by example and willing to work side-by-side with reports while using positive strategies to establish a professional environment of trust, respect, and collaboration.
• Has a strong sense of enablement with a demonstrated ability to achieve success through direct and indirect reporting responsibilities.
• Demonstrated track record of innovation and improvement of managed processes.
• A skilled motivator, capable of influencing at all levels of an organization.
• Strong proactive communicator with demonstrated success using both oral and written strategies to communicate project status and direction.
• An independent problem solver with a demonstrated ability to identify creative solutions to complex challenges and to improve process efficiency.
• Strong organizational skills and capable of identifying and managing external interactions with service providers and other collaborations.
• Capable of achieving success in a dynamic and fast-paced production and/or R&D environment, as well as a strong promoter and implementer of change.
• Prior experience working in an agricultural biotech and/or plant biology environment is highly desired.

Cibus provides an attractive compensation and benefits package that includes medical/dental/vision, flexible spending, 401(k) plan, vacation and sick leave. If you enjoy working as part of a team and want to participate in this exciting research, please e-mail resume to and put down job code: CB2237.

ONLY CANDIDATES WITH WORK AUTHORIZATION IN THE U.S. ARE CONSIDERED AT THIS TIME.