Research Associate/Formulations Engineer - North Carolina, United States - VitaKey Inc.

Description

Research Associate/Formulations Engineer

VitaKey is an exciting start-up company using proprietary technology to encapsulate micronutrients and probiotics that improves the nutritional value of foods and beverages for better human health. We are seeking innovative and motivated scientists and engineers to be part of the company's initial growth at our Durham, NC location. Learn more about our company on our website at

Role Summary

Responsibilities will involve supporting formulation development for nutraceuticals, vitamins, macronutrients, and probiotics. Responsibilities will also include working in an analytical laboratory that performs physicochemical characterization (e.g., extractions, water activity, size analysis, microscopy, and long term stability) to guide formulations development and customization expertise utilizing a platform technology for encapsulating nutrients and/or probiotics. You will serve as a group contributor on project teams, under guidance of scientists and/or senior scientists. Projects will be highly interdisciplinary, at the intersection of engineering, biochemistry, materials science, food science, and nutrition.

Duties and Responsibilities

· Use formulation techniques to encapsulate payloads including small molecules, macromolecules, and probiotics under supervision

· Use common bioanalytical techniques to quantify dissolution/release of VitaKey payloads including small molecules, macromolecules, and probiotics under supervision

· Use common bioanalytical techniques to quantify shelf stability of payloads encapsulated within VitaKey formulations

· Use particle size analysis, microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, UV-VIS, and water activity to characterize VitaKey payloads and formulation platforms

· Biological analysis techniques including ELISA, immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, and confocal imaging

· Clear and effective communication via informal meetings, lab meetings, and reports

· Practice excellent documentation including maintenance of lab notebooks and organization of data

Required Qualifications/Experience

· Candidate must have BA or BS with 0-2 years of experience in biochemistry, chemical biology, chemistry, biology, chemical engineering, biological engineering, bioengineering, biomedical engineering, or related fields

· 2-4 years' experience in research lab settings (either academic or in industry) in biomedical fields

· Experience working with professionals from formulation science, chemical engineering, bioengineering, pharmaceutical sciences, polymer chemistry, food science or allied disciplines

· Experience in cell characterization techniques preferred such as flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, fluorescence microscopy, immunoassays

· Experience in developing and/or optimizing cell-based analytical assays such as ELISA, fluorescence or luminescence based assays

· Experience working with proteins, mammalian cell culture, polymers, microparticles, and/or microfluidics

· Experience generating and interpreting experimental data

· Entrepreneurial and self-motivated work style

· Excellent cross-disciplinary skills in communicating ideas to both scientists and non-scientists

· Startup experience is highly valued, but not required.

· Ability to adjust rapidly to changing scientific priorities and technologies