COMPANY DESCRIPTION

Prairie AquaTech Manufacturing, LLC dba Houdek is a manufacturing company based in Volga South Dakota that is improving animal health and nutrition by providing high-quality feed ingredients. Using patent-pending technologies licensed on a worldwide, exclusive basis from South Dakota State University and developed internally, the Company is upgrading soybean meal to high-quality ingredients used in aquaculture and other animal feeds.

JOB DUTIES

Under the direction of the Director of Research, the R&D Microbiologist will be responsible for improving fermentation processes at the bench scale, and in coordination with the plant scale. As an R&D Microbiologist, you will play a lead role in tackling key challenges in producing novel products via a fermentation process for a variety of markets.

• Integrate molecular genetic tools and external networks to enhance fermentation effectiveness and rapid standardization of quality via PCR.
• Support and sometimes lead the planning and execution of R&D experiments which may include microbiology-specific activities or other product characterization and process understanding experiments.
• Develop and implement microbial fermentation processes and associated micro-analytical techniques (lab scale)
• Evaluate microbial strains and optimize fermentation parameters for the purpose of optimizing production rates and costs.
• Promote scientific and data-driven approaches to pose research questions, solve problems, and troubleshoot processes.
• Identify avenues for improvements of fungi and fermentation parameters to drive growth, protein production, and desired phenotypes.
• Design and execute experiments firsthand focused on fungal morphology, physiology, growth optimization, and nutrient requirements.
• Optimize fermentation pipelines by continually running analyses for KPIs utilizing expertise, analytical equipment, and external analyses.
• Support R&D activities which may include upstream and downstream bio-manufacturing processes, as required, taking business goals and cost targets into account.
• Collaborate and work with a small and highly professional team of scientists and specialists in a multi-site and dynamic setting.
• Work includes both on-bench as well as in the pilot and production plant.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

• MSc/PhD in the field of Life Sciences with expertise in molecular biology
• Ability to travel as required.
• Ability to work in an industrial processing environment.
• Relevant industry experience in developing, optimizing, and characterizing microbial bio-manufacturing processes using advanced methods.
• Deep understanding and hands-on experience of fermentation and bio-manufacturing processes.
• Experience with GLP, GMP, and fermentation scale-up processes is an advantage.
• Quick learner with strong scientific orientation, solid planning, and reasoning skills
• Self-starter, with self-management skills, order, organization, and accuracy.
• Ability to work well in multi-site, distributed teams, and external consultants/personnel.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Collaborative team spirit and positive, can-do attitude.
• Desire to grow together with and within the company.
• Proactive, innovative, and technically savvy. Demonstrated attitude of purposely identifying areas of improvement and acting to deliver change.
• Comfortable working in a start-up environment and handling dynamic priorities and timelines. A self-driven individual who desires the fast pace and extreme collaboration of a young company.
• Able to prioritize multiple tasks and meet multiple deadlines throughout the day.