Research Associate, Strain Engineering

About Invaio Sciences

Invaio Sciences, founded by Flagship Pioneering, is a bio platform company accelerating the leap to nature-positive agriculture. The company builds on advances in human health and digital innovation to develop biological technologies for crop health, enabling farmers to both improve yields and use more natural crop health solutions.

About the role

The Invaio Research & Development team in Cambridge, MA is seeking a highly motivated Research Associate to support the design, construction, and evaluation of engineered microbial strains for recombinant peptide and protein production. This is a hands-on laboratory position focused on molecular cloning, strain engineering, expression screening, and purification of recombinant proteins using microbial hosts. 
 
The successful candidate will work closely with scientists across strain engineering, fermentation, analytics, and bioassay teams to advance peptide and protein production programs. This role is ideal for an early-career scientist with 1–2 years of laboratory experience. 

What you'll do

Strain Engineering & Molecular Biology

• Design and construct recombinant DNA plasmids for peptide and protein expression.

• Perform PCR, Golden Gate assembly, Gibson assembly, restriction cloning, and plasmid verification.

• Generate engineered strains in E. coli and Komagataella phaffii (Pichia pastoris).

• Perform transformation, clone screening, colony PCR, plasmid preparation, and sequence verification.

• Support iterative build–test–learn cycles.

Expression & Screening

• Conduct small-scale expression studies.

• Analyze expression using SDS-PAGE, Western blotting, HPLC, or related methods.

• Screen engineered strains and identify lead candidates.

• Maintain accurate experimental records.

Protein & Peptide Purification

• Purify recombinant proteins and peptides using chromatography.

• Prepare samples for analytical characterization.

• Optimize purification workflows for yield and reproducibility.

Laboratory Operations & Collaboration

• Maintain ELNs and laboratory records.

• Prepare reagents, media, and competent cells.

• Collaborate with fermentation, analytical, and research teams.

Scientific Rigor

• Follow laboratory safety procedures.

• Troubleshoot experiments and improve workflows.

• Support SOP and protocol development.

Qualifications

Required

• M.S. in Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Chemical Engineering, or related discipline.

• 1–2 years of laboratory experience in molecular biology, microbial engineering, or recombinant protein expression.

• Hands-on experience with E. coli cloning.

• Experience with Golden Gate Assembly.

• Experience with Komagataella phaffii (Pichia pastoris) is strongly preferred.

• Experience with recombinant protein expression and purification.

• Familiarity with affinity, ion exchange, SEC, or reverse-phase chromatography.

• Strong organizational and communication skills.

Preferred

• Experience with recombinant peptide production.

• Familiarity with synthetic biology workflows.

• Experience with ELNs.

• Basic understanding of microbial fermentation.

Recruitment Agency Policy

Invaio does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firms, staffing agencies, or recruiting firms. Resume