About Plenty
Plenty is on a mission to make fresh, pesticide-free fruits and vegetables more accessible to everyone. Our cutting-edge indoor, vertical farms produce extraordinary yields using a fraction of the land and water outdoor farms need. Nutrient-rich, mouth-watering and locally grown, our crops help people, communities and our planet to be healthier and more resilient.
The people and teams who make up Plenty are at the core of how we do this. We are a collaborative and innovative bunch. We are passionate about our contributions to Plenty, the communities around us and our planet, but never take ourselves too seriously. We’re down to Earth, we grow together, and we always find a way. Most importantly, we’re here to improve the lives of plants, people and our planet.
Plenty is looking for a Senior Scientist, Plant Metabolomics to join our Plant Science team. As Senior Scientist, Plant Metabolomics you will be responsible for applying analytical chemistry and metabolomics techniques to address product quality and crop performance research for Plenty. This role will work together with a creative and motivated team to support research within Plant Science. This researcher will plan and assure completion of complex projects involving cross-functional teams. Responsibilities include discovery and applied projects, method development, workflow optimization, informatics, supervision of technical staff, and maintenance of laboratory equipment and instrumentation. It will be critical to stay current with the newest instrumentation and methodologies that will aid Plenty in accomplishing our mission to bring delicious, nutritious, low-cost produce to people around the world.
- Develop, perform, and optimize targeted and untargeted metabolomics workflows in numerous plant species
- Planning, management, and implementation of complex research projects involving interdisciplinary teams
- Collaborate with crop researchers to design and test analytical chemistry and metabolomics applications to advance quality and yield
- Interpret and report on chromatography and mass spectrometry data using metabolomics and chem-informatics approaches
- Provide expertise in areas of analytical chemistry, biochemistry, and product composition
- Operate and maintain analytical instrumentation such as GC-MS and LC-MS
- Keep a stocked, clean, and orderly laboratory to promote safety and productivity
- Manage and mentor research associates in areas of analytical chemistry and method development
- Supervise and train technical staff in standardized methods to assist in research efforts as needed
- Maintain collaborative working relationships with other Plant Science teams and business departments at Plenty
- Establish collaborative relationships with other researchers in the field through attendance of conferences, symposia, and workshops
- Keep an up-to-date digital lab notebook and contribute to SOPs (standard operating procedures
- Travel up to 10% both domestic and internationally
- Other duties as assigned
- Ph.D. with 3+ years’ research experience in metabolomics, analytical chemistry, flavor chemistry, nutrition, and/or plant biochemistry as well as 6+ years of professional experience developing analytical workflows including sample preparation, instrument methods, and data analysis in a research environment
- Able to translate research results into product differentiation, crop performance, or research opportunities
- Demonstrated ability for end-to-end analytical platform development, execution of sample analysis, and completion of research projects
- Extensive practical experience and theoretical knowledge of LC-MS or GC-MS
- Experience with metabolomics or cheminformatics data analysis tools and workflows
- Excellent analytical, statistical, data visualization, and communication skills
- Proven ability to develop nondestructive techniques is a plus
- Knowledge of other analytical instrumentation such as FTIR, NMR, DESI, MSn, etc.
- A hard-working, proactive, and self-motivated individual
- Ability to work in a startup environment with rapidly developing goals and timelines
What we can offer
- Compensation; we’ll pay you a competitive salary, give you a stake in the company via equity and contribute toward your 401K
- Health & well-being; we’ll invest in your physical and mental well-being with comprehensive medical, dental, & vision benefits, in-office gyms, and an Employee Assistance Program to help with mental health, financial & legal matters
- Food; in-office lunches, snacks and access to our leafy greens & new produce in development -- are you up for a side gig as a taste tester?
- Grow together; learning & development opportunities including unlimited access to our Upstart University platform, LinkedIn Learning, lunch & learns, training certifications, and more
- Equipment; we’ll provide you with the equipment you need to be successful, including $75/month toward your phone bill and $250 every 2 years to upgrade your phone
- Paid time off; we know you’ll do your best if you’re taking time to recharge, so we don’t cap the amount of days you can take off per year in addition to the paid holidays we observe
- Parental leave; 12 weeks off for all new parents - fully paid so you can focus your energy on your newest addition
Food & Safety Requirements
- Comply with all Plant, State and Federal OSHA, EPA, FDA, HACCP, and SQF regulations
- All applicants must be 18 years or older to apply
