Senior Research Associate

About the Company

UPSIDE Foods is the world's leading cultivated meat company, building a new food system that rethinks meat production from the source. By growing real meat from animal cells, we provide the choice to enjoy meat without harming animals. Our work addresses environmental and ethical impacts of the modern food system while supporting global food and nutrition security. Based in Emeryville, California, UPSIDE Foods has achieved industry-defining milestones, including the first cultivated meat green-lit by both the FDA and USDA and sold in the U.S. The team has won awards such as TIME World’s Top GreenTech Companies 2026, New York Times’ Good Tech Awards, and FastCo’s Next Big Thing in Tech. To date, UPSIDE Foods has raised over $600 million from leading investors including Cargill, SoftBank, Temasek, Tyson, and Whole Foods.

About the Role

We are seeking a highly motivated Senior Research Associate to support bioprocess development for cell culture process characterization and optimization. This hands-on role focuses on executing experiments in bench-scale bioreactors, supporting automation for lab workflows, and contributing to downstream process development, including cell separation and concentration. The successful candidate will independently execute experiments, troubleshoot, analyze data, and communicate findings to cross-functional teams while leading discrete technical projects or workstreams within PD/MSAT.

Responsibilities

• Lead discrete technical projects or workstreams within PD/MSAT, including planning experiments, coordinating with stakeholders, and driving timely execution.
• Execute suspension cell culture experiments in bench-scale bioreactors to support upstream process development and data generation.
• Perform routine cell culture assays and support process optimization and robustness studies.
• Design and execute experiments, applying statistical analysis and data visualization tools to interpret results.
• Analyze data and generate clear, high-quality technical documentation and reports.
• Present experimental findings and recommendations in team and cross-functional meetings.
• Partner with Cell Line, Media Development, PD/MSAT, Manufacturing, and Engineering teams to support cross-functional data generation and process understanding.

Qualifications

• B.S. in a relevant scientific or technical discipline with 4+ years, or M.S. with 2+ years of industry experience.
• Hands-on experience with mammalian cell culture processes; experience with suspension cell culture in controlled bioreactor systems is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated proficiency in experimental design, statistical analysis (e.g., JMP), and data visualization or reporting tools (e.g., Tableau or equivalent).
• Strong background in experimental data analysis, interpretation, and technical documentation.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present and discuss experimental results clearly and effectively.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced and cross-functional environment.

Who You’ll Work With

This role sits within the Process Development (PD) team and collaborates closely with Cell Line Development, Media Development, MSAT, Manufacturing, Engineering, and Food R&D to understand how process parameters impact both process performance and final product quality.

Pay

Compensation range: $85,000 - $100,000. Pay may vary depending on job-related knowledge and skills.

Benefits

• Stock options for all full-time incoming team members.
• 90-100% employer-paid healthcare premiums for team members (medical [including HSA and FSA], dental, and vision).
• Pet insurance for your furry family members.
• Unlimited PTO.
• Company-sponsored learning & development opportunities.