Back to jobs
New

Lab Technician, Strains

Seattle, WA

Summary:

Join Lumen as a Lab Technician on our Strain Engineering team. In this role, you will support the Research and Development division and help advance Lumen’s early and mid-stage spirulina pipeline. Your work will center on maintaining and assessing cyanobacterial cultures and on keeping our strain engineering workflows running smoothly.

You will assist across recombinant DNA construction, genome editing, protein expression screening, and analytical characterization. You will maintain and generate cryogenic stocks of spirulina cell lines, perform media prep and aseptic techniques, monitor growth and quality metrics, and document results in Lumen’s ELN. You will follow and help refine SOPs, operate and care for lab instruments, track samples and reagents, and ensure data are complete, reproducible, and audit-ready.

You will contribute as a dependable teammate in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment. That includes learning and integrating new technologies, sharing capabilities with partner teams, coordinating to meet milestones and deadlines, and raising quality or troubleshooting issues as they arise. You will communicate status clearly in meetings at the team level and across the company. Success in this role requires strong organization, meticulous record keeping, flexibility, and the independence to learn new techniques while delivering reliable results.

Duties & Responsibilities:

  • Strain Engineering and Characterization:
    • Grow, maintain, characterize and cryopreserve cyanobacterial cultures; perform sterile handling, media preparation, and passaging.
    • Genotype spirulina strains and maintain accurate records of strain identity.
    • Conduct protein expression experiments and analyze results by SDS-PAGE and Western/Jess; perform ELISA-based titer/functional assays.
    • Assist in basic laboratory tasks such as plasmid miniprepping.
  • Laboratory Techniques and Data Management:
    • Follow established SOPs; optimize or develop new protocols to meet experimental goals with appropriate controls and statistical rigor.
    • Prepare reagents, buffers, and media; manage consumables for assigned workflows.
    • Perform sequencing sample preparation; analyze sequence data to confirm constructs/edits.
    • Maintain accurate, well-organized laboratory notebooks and sample/strain inventories; document work in Benchling (or equivalent ELN/LIMS) with timely written reports and data packages.
    • Summarize and present findings to supervisors and cross-functional stakeholders; contribute to SOP authoring, protocol updates, and continuous improvements in quality and efficiency.
  • Laboratory Operations and Collaboration:
    • Dedicate ~10% of time to supporting general lab operations (maintenance, clean-up, equipment upkeep, inventory, and safety compliance).
    • Work independently while collaborating effectively with Physiology, Protein Expression, Process Development, and Manufacturing teams to meet project milestones.
    • Proactively learn and master new techniques, instruments (e.g., liquid handlers/automation, photobioreactors), and software to enhance laboratory capabilities.
    • Maintain a strict adherence to laboratory safety procedures, good chemical hygiene, and BSL-appropriate practices.

Qualifications & Requirements:

  • Education and Experience:
    • BA/BS degree in molecular biology, biochemistry, biotechnology, or a related field.
    • Minimum of two years of applied molecular biology experience. Research experience outside of the classroom strongly preferred. 
    • Proficiency in molecular biology techniques including cloning, DNA isolation, PCR, SDS-PAGE, and vector construction is required.
  • Skills and Attributes:
    • Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.
    • Self-starter with the ability to adapt and contribute effectively in a fast-changing environment, and to work independently and in a team-oriented environment.
    • High level of integrity, ethics, and commitment to quality and timely delivery of results.
    • Effective communication skills to coordinate with team members and provide status updates.

Physical Requirements:

  • Sit for extended periods of time (2 or more hours)
  • Occasionally lift or carry up to 20 kg
  • Perform delicate manual procedures in the laboratory. 

Benefits at Lumen Bioscience:

  • Stock bonus
  • Health, Dental, and Vision premiums fully covered by Lumen
  • 401k match up to 4%
  • Industry-leading PTO policy, paid refresh days, and paid year-end holiday office closure
  • Monthly wellness program to support your health and well-being
  • Free onsite parking or public transportation subsidies
  • Comprehensive parental leave policies
  • Life insurance, short & long-term disability, and access to employee assistance programs

At Lumen Bioscience, we foster a workplace built on collaboration, innovation, and professional growth. This role offers a significant opportunity to contribute directly to cutting-edge biotechnology and the advancement of global health solutions.

Join our team and make meaningful contributions to scientific achievements.

Compensation Range

$27 - $27 USD

Create a Job Alert

Interested in building your career at Lumen Bioscience? Get future opportunities sent straight to your email.

Apply for this job

*

indicates a required field

Phone
Resume/CV*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Cover Letter

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf


Education

Select...
Select...
Select...

Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Lumen Bioscience’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Select...
Select...
Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Select...

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.