Scientist

Scientist (Protein Sciences) Portland, OR

Job Description

We are seeking a highly motivated and detail-oriented Scientist to join our team, helping to craft and execute our protein strategy. In this pivotal role, you will be instrumental in kick-starting our enzyme development campaigns by performing the critical legwork in protein expression and purification optimization. You will be responsible for bringing in novel technologies and implementing robust, high-throughput strategies to attain high protein yields and establish reproducible protocols, directly enabling the rapid iteration and characterization of our novel enzymes and products. 

Additionally, you will be responsible for supporting our downstream mammalian protein work, including purification and characterization workflows.  You will work closely with our tech transfer team to establish and automate antibody characterization assays for purity, binding, stability, aggregation, and others.  

Responsibilities

• Lead initial protein expression screening and optimization across a variety of microbial systems, including E. coli, P. pastoris, and B. subtilis, to identify optimal conditions for high-yield expression.
• Design and evaluate small-scale protein purification strategies to achieve high purity and yield for diverse enzyme targets.
• Establish and refine reproducible protein expression and purification protocols suitable for high-throughput screening and eventual scale-up.
• Collaborate closely with tech transfer, operations, and automation to develop, automate, and improve antibody purification methods and characterization assays 
• Methodically characterize and qualify purified proteins, including quantification, purity assessment, and functional activity evaluation.
• Collaborate closely with enzyme engineers to translate novel enzyme designs into purified protein, providing critical feedback to accelerate design-build-test-learn cycles.
• Evaluate and implement new technologies and methodologies to enhance our high-throughput protein production capabilities, contributing to the automated workflow.
• Rigorously document experimental procedures, results, and conclusions, and effectively communicate findings and recommendations to the team and cross-functional stakeholders.

Qualifications and Required Skills

• Master’s or Ph.D. degree in Molecular Biology, Chemical Engineering, Biochemistry, Chemistry, or a closely related field.
• Minimum of 8+ years of hands-on experience in protein expression and purification, with a demonstrated track record of optimizing protocols for high yield and reproducibility.
• Proven expertise in designing DNA expression vectors (e.g., promoter selection, codon optimization, fusion tags) and executing protein expression strategies across bacterial, insect, and/or mammalian cell lines, with practical experience in employing a range of purification tags.
• Experience with protein expression in bacterial systems (e.g., E. coli) is essential; experience with yeast or other microbial systems is a significant plus.
• Demonstrated expertise in various protein purification techniques, such as affinity chromatography (IMAC), ion exchange chromatography (IEX), and size-exclusion chromatography (SEC)
• Demonstrated expertise in protein characterization, e.g., Dynamic Light Scattering, Differential Scanning Fluorimetry, Circular Dichroism, Thermal Shift Assays, antibody binding (BLI, SPR), quantification (e.g., spectrophotometry), purity assessment (e.g., SDS-PAGE, aSEC, Western Blot), and functional activity assays.
• Dynamic interpersonal skills, with a respectful and open approach to collaboration, contributing positively to team spirit 
• Comfortable and effective working in a fast-paced R&D environment, capable of managing multiple projects simultaneously

Preferred Skills

• Familiarity with protein engineering principles (e.g., structure-function relationships, rational design, directed evolution) is a plus.
• Experience with one or more specialized molecular biology aspects (i.e., specific knowledge towards DNA/RNA modifying enzymes, cell-free protein expression). 
• Experience with various NGS library preparation techniques and hands-on experience using NGS sequencing platforms

About Twist Bioscience

Twist Bioscience synthesizes genes from scratch, known as “writing” DNA. Just as children learn to both read and write, the next phase of development for the genomics revolution is the ability to write DNA.

At Twist Bioscience, we work in service of people who are changing the world for the better. In fields such as health care, agriculture, industrial chemicals and data storage, our unique silicon-based DNA Synthesis Platform provides precision at a scale that is otherwise unavailable to our customers.

Twist Bioscience Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Twist Bioscience Corporation provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic characteristics, or any other category protected by law.