Scientist III, Strain Development - Decatur, IL

ADM Cell Engineering is recruiting an experienced synthetic biologist to join our strain development team. This scientist will design, build, and test yeast strains for a high-impact project supporting ADM BioSolutions' sustainable materials strategy. The successful candidate will advance ADM’s low-pH platform yeast by combining genome editing, molecular biology, and phenotypic screens to improve fermentation performance. Collaboration with project leaders and subject matter experts in metabolic engineering, automation, genomics, and fermentation is key.

Responsibilities

• Design and build yeast strains containing heterologous metabolic pathways and/or loss-of-function mutations.
• Deploy state-of-the-art genome editing technologies to efficiently build new yeast strains.
• Design experiments, analyze and interpret data, and report findings on strain performance to link genotype to phenotype.
• Further optimize strain engineering methods to accelerate Design-Build-Test-Learn cycles.
• Analyze and interpret NGS genomic sequencing results (e.g., DNA-seq, RNA-seq).
• Collaborate with automation scientists to transfer manual bench-scale experiments to high-throughput robotic platforms.
• Maintain detailed notes in Benchling ELN/LIMS to enable data sharing and collaboration across project teams.
• Contribute to a team-oriented, positive, and safe work environment.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in molecular biology, biochemistry, biotechnology (or related field) or M.Sc. degree with 5+ years of industry experience.
• Understanding of yeast and/or microbial molecular genetics, cell biology, and physiology.
• Track record of using 96-well plate methods for molecular cloning and/or biochemical assays.
• Experience interpreting genetic, molecular biology, and biochemistry data.
• Ability to use bioinformatics and sequence analysis tools (familiarity with Python or R is desirable).
• Working knowledge of bio-based production and fermentation key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Ability to generate, organize, analyze, and interpret large datasets.
• Demonstrated success working within an interdisciplinary team.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills with both technical and non-technical personnel.

Pay

The pay range for this salaried position is expected to be between $70,400.00 and $129,000.00. Total compensation includes an annual bonus under the Salaried Incentive Plan.

Benefits

• Physical wellness: Medical, prescription, dental, and vision coverage; on-site wellness center access or gym reimbursement (as applicable).
• Financial wellness: Flexible spending accounts, health savings account, 401(k) with matching contributions, cash balance plan, discounted employee stock purchasing program, life insurance, disability, workers’ compensation, legal assistance, and identity theft protection.
• Mental and social wellness: Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), and Colleague Giving Programs (ADM Cares).
• Additional benefits: Paid time off including paid holidays, adoption assistance, paid maternity and parental leave, tuition assistance, company-sponsored training and development resources (e.g., LinkedIn Learning, language training, mentoring programs).

*Benefits may vary for bargained locations.

About ADM

At ADM, we unlock the power of nature to provide access to nutrition worldwide. With industry-advancing innovations, a complete portfolio of ingredients and solutions, and a commitment to sustainability, we help customers solve nutritional challenges. We’re a global leader in human and animal nutrition and the world’s premier agricultural origination and processing company. Our capabilities span from seed to solution, enriching the quality of life globally. Learn more at www.adm.com.