Director of Research and Development

About the role

An exceptional opportunity to lead research and development at a successful, self-sufficient startup leveraging biotechnology in the consumer space.

You’ll lead a small team of scientists developing new genetically engineered bacteria for use in ZBiotics-branded consumer products and improving and validating existing ones. Report directly to the CEO and continue to build the fundamental cornerstone of our business: our novel invented ingredients that make our products unique, powerful, impactful, and exciting. Work cross-functionally with our product, marketing, and quality departments to ensure our research and development support the company mission, vision, and overall success of the business.

About ZBiotics

At ZBiotics, we make genetically engineered probiotics that improve daily life. As a group of motivated yet down-to-earth people, we are fueled by two things: a love for science and a commitment to being people-first. GMO products like ours, built to create benefits for people in their daily lives, are the future. As the first to market, we believe it’s our duty to set a high bar for product quality, safety, and transparency for others to follow.

In 2019, we launched the world’s first genetically engineered probiotic: a 15mL probiotic drink designed to break down an alcohol byproduct that leads to rough mornings after drinking. Since then, ZBiotics’ business has continued to grow rapidly year over year.

We are preparing to launch our second product, a genetically engineered probiotic with a new function related to microbiome health.

ZBiotics is profitable, headquartered in San Francisco, and backed by venture investors including Y Combinator, Khosla Ventures, and Social+Capital, among others.

Your responsibilities

Manage people. Manage projects. Manage technology.

R&D leadership

• Lead the technical elements of R&D.
• In collaboration with the CEO, craft the vision and lead the implementation of our genetically engineered probiotics pipeline, including new strain/function development, chassis improvements, and validation of strain performance.
• Help the R&D scientists with experimental design and data interpretation, as necessary.
• Guide research projects and appropriately prioritize lab work and experimentation to ensure alignment with company goals and create maximum value.
• Ensure the lab is well-run, well-staffed, and well-resourced.
• Manage and inspire the R&D team, be a leader, and create an excellent work experience for your department.
• Manage the budget, set goals, and track progress towards those goals for the R&D department.

Company leadership

• Appropriately align the R&D department with Marketing, Product, Quality and Safety, and Operations departments to support the business’s needs.
• Be a source of innovation for new product development and new avenues for application of our technology.
• Drive business success and further the company mission to elevate the conversation around GMOs and demonstrate their value to people.
• Find ways to help ZBiotics be an outstanding place to work and provide mentorship and leadership to other members of the team.
• Present ZBiotics’s science and unique applications of that science in academic and industry settings, as needed.
• Establish industry and academic collaborations to further our science and our mission.
• Communicate our science to the rest of the team in a way that informs and inspires team members as part of a science-first organization.

Desired experience

This job is a leadership position that will direct ZBiotics’s R&D to help drive the company forward toward its mission and vision. There is an expectation of autonomy and strategy, leading and supporting product development while coordinating with Marketing, Product, Quality and Safety, and Operations.

Desired qualifications are listed below. However, we recognize that ZBiotics is relatively unique in its position straddling biotechnology and consumer products. If your experience does not perfectly match the description below – but you’re excited about the opportunity – please apply!

• PhD (or equivalent experience) in microbiology, bioengineering, or another related field
• 10+ years of experience working with microbes, ideally with a significant portion of that in synthetic biology
• Expertise in bacterial genetics and gene regulation
• Prior experience in scientific leadership in industry (biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, devices, nutraceuticals, food, agriculture, etc.)
• Experienced and effective project manager, people manager, and team leader
• Excellent communicator of scientific concepts to both scientific and lay audiences
• Ability to operate with a high degree of autonomy in a startup environment with dynamically shifting needs and priorities
• Demonstrated experience in translating company needs into R&D programs
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Open-minded, adaptable, and flexible in approach to problems and challenges
• Leads with kindness and empathy
  

Experience nice-to-haves

• Experience translating scientific discoveries into IP
• Experience working in R&D in the consumer space
• Demonstrated ability to conduct customer research and to use that to inform research priorities
• Experience in fermentation optimization, product commercialization, and/or human validation studies 
  

This role is for you if …

• You’re passionate about getting your science into people’s hands.
• Your blood boils every time you see brands inappropriately using the Non-GMO butterfly logo to sell a “healthier” bag of potato chips for more money, and you want to do something about it.
• Using your science as a means of changing public perception is a motivating justification for going to work every day.
• You are interested in how science and business intersect and support each other.
• You like to be a leader and look for opportunities to create impact.
• You care about people and believe that a team works best when they’re happy, given true autonomy, and their work-life balance is a genuine priority.
• You believe a manager’s output is not just products or results, but also the happiness and effectiveness of the team.
• You’re humble, open-minded, and think of yourself as a servant leader.
• You embody the ZBiotics values of People-first, Integrity, Citizenship, and Science.
  • People-first - We always put people first, especially our customers.
  • Integrity - We communicate honestly and deliver high quality always.
  • Citizenship - We are inclusive and committed to doing what’s right.
  • Science - We question our own assumptions and adapt to new data.
    

Benefits

We believe in a life well-lived. ZBiotics offers competitive benefits for a life outside of work, including: health / dental, 401(k) matching, a minimum PTO policy (with unlimited time off), 16 weeks fully paid parental leave, a home office stipend, transit benefits for those in the San Francisco Bay Area, and access to coworking office space if located in or visiting San Francisco. This role requires working on-site with our lab team in Mountain View, California three days a week, some travel for all-hands meetings twice a year, and facility and conference visits as-needed for the responsibilities of the position.

The base salary for this position is $238,000 / year, and will include additional equity. Relocation assistance is available to candidates located outside of the Bay Area.

We encourage you to apply …

At ZBiotics, we value our differences, and we encourage all – especially those whose identities are traditionally underrepresented in tech organizations – to apply.