Tissue Culture Production Lead

Position Title: Tissue Culture Production Lead

Location: South San Francisco, CA

Type: Full-time

Ohalo™ is seeking a motivated Tissue Culture Production Lead to contribute to advancing plant variety development by leading the Tissue Culture production line during a day or a night shift. The successful candidate will be creative and passionate about discovery, pushing science forward. Furthermore, the successful candidate will be well-organized, detail-oriented, and work independently as well as in a team environment. The candidate will spend approximately 80% of their time on plant tissue culture and regeneration and 20% on data management and analysis.

Our tissue culture lab production runs two shifts per 24-hour cycle.  The Lead will be responsible for the work completed during both shifts, though they will delegate responsibilities to team members on each shift.

Responsibilities:

• Leading a Tissue Culture production line covering both day and night shifts
• Responsible for ensuring high work quality and performance of shift team
• Responsible for meeting shift team production metrics 
• Responsible for shift member training 
• Ensuring high shift team morale and engagement
• Oversee day shift and provide instruction for night shift team
• Media Prep and Inventory 
• Managing  a variety of media formulations made to stock  to support production activities
• Overseeing and maintaining sterilization, washing and dispensing equipment
• Culture and Subculture Maintenance
• Direct expansion and subculturing efforts through the plant lifecycle
• Train and assure aseptic techniques are followed
• Culture protoplasts to regenerate callus
• Contribute to the continuous improvement and documentation of SOPs workflows.
• Microscopy and Imaging:
• Assess protoplast yield, viability, and cell health using fluorescence and confocal  microscopy and viability dyes (e.g., FDA staining).
• Data Recording and Analysis:
• Maintain accurate and detailed electronic lab notebooks (ELN) and batch records.
• Compile and analyze experimental data using tools such as ImageJ, GraphPad Prism, or Excel.
• Sample Preparation:
• Prepare samples for downstream molecular analyses, including RNA extraction, protein extraction, and genomic DNA isolation.
• Lab Maintenance and Compliance:
• Follow safety protocols and institutional guidelines for working with plant tissue and enzymes.
• Perform all tasks in a manner consistent with and in support of all company policies and practices related to safety and compliance.
• Performs other duties as assigned
• Callus Culture:
• Manage protoplast callus culture
• Identify regenerated plantlets to sample for molecular analysis
• Molecular Analysis:
• Analyze sequencing data, identifying regenerated plantlets to advance to greenhouse and field trials.  
• Cross-Functional Support and Collaboration:
• Manage and collaborate with other Technicians, Research Associates, and Scientists on workflows, ensuring that critical processes are completed.
• Participate in planning and coordination meetings to align on timelines and resource needs
• Manage production timelines and resource needs

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Microbiology, Plant Science, or related field with 2-3 years of experience OR a Master’s degree in Biology, Microbiology, Plant Science, or related field with 0-2 years of experience.  
• Ability to accurately follow verbal and written instructions as well as make suggestions to optimize methodologies 
• Ability to ask clarifying questions, articulate challenges, and suggest solutions
• Ability to sit for extended periods of time and do repetitive motions
• Ability to take a proactive approach to routine tasks
• Must be passionate about learning and enthusiastic about plants and hands-on work 
• Must have a positive attitude and good interpersonal skills

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of plant science, plant breeding, and molecular biology
• Experience working in a lab including sterile technique, micropropagation, media preparation, microscopy, and DNA extraction
• Proficiency in MS Office (Excel, Powerpoint and Word) OR Google Suite (Mail, Docs, Slides, Sheets, and Drive