Production Optimization Scientist

San Francisco, California

Quintara Biosciences
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Take a Look at Your Future with Quintara Biosciences

The mission of Quintara Biosciences is to provide integrated DNA services (DNA reading, writing, editing, and making) to the life science community by creating and delivering innovative transitional technologies and platforms.

A path towards your most rewarding career. You will be challenged to work in a results-driven, fast-paced organization; you will work with passionate professionals who strive to develop innovative products and technologies that advance the life sciences; and you will excel in an environment of respect, integrity, and fair opportunities for growth.


JOB SCOPE

We are seeking a hands-on Scientist to support and drive technical problem-solving and continuous improvement across production workflows at our Hayward laboratory. This role will focus on troubleshooting, optimizing lab protocols, and enhancing technical efficiency across multiple production departments, including gene synthesis, cloning, DNA preparation, oligo synthesis, Sanger sequencing, and Nanopore sequencing.


The ideal candidate will be deeply involved in lab operations, directly addressing technical issues, improving SOPs, and collaborating with Commercial, R&D, Project Management (PM), and Automation teams to ensure high-quality and efficient production.


Outstanding performers may be considered for future transition into a broader Production Operation Manager role, with increased responsibilities in workflow coordination and team leadership.


PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Production Operations & Workflow Optimization

- Actively troubleshoot technical issues across synthesis and sequencing workflows to ensure timely and high-quality project delivery.

- Identify and implement workflow improvements to enhance productivity, reproducibility, and turnaround time.

- Lead efforts in protocol refinement, SOP development, and lab process documentation.

- Collaborate with automation engineers to implement scalable solutions and drive cost-efficiency.

- Support technology transfer efforts to other global sites with consistent production performance.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Project Execution

- Partner with R&D to evaluate and integrate new technologies into production workflows.

- Work closely with Project Management to coordinate custom and complex project execution, ensuring delivery timelines are met.

- Coordinate with the Commercial and Marketing teams to translate technical capabilities into customer-centric service materials.

- Engage external vendors to evaluate instruments, kits, and reagents for potential adoption in production workflows.

Technical Expertise & Team Leadership

- Serve as the go-to technical expert for troubleshooting and internal support.

- Provide training and mentoring to junior team members and new hires on lab protocols, troubleshooting methods, and software tools.

- Assist client-facing teams by participating in technical meetings, addressing customer-specific challenges, and customizing project approaches.

- Develop scripts or tools (e.g., for data delivery, status dashboards) to streamline recurring technical processes.

Financial & Inventory Management

- Monitor consumable usage, vendor pricing, and budgeting to ensure cost-effective operations.

- Coordinate with procurement and inventory teams to maintain optimal stock levels and minimize downtime.

- Support the quoting process for customized production services.

Other duties as assigned


EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

MS/Ph.D. degree in a relevant life science discipline, such as Biotechnology, Molecular Biology, Genomics, and Cell Biology or a related field.

5+ years of experience in production operations, manufacturing, or laboratory management in life sciences or biotech.

Proven track record in workflow optimization, quality control implementation, and cost efficiency strategies.

Strong knowledge of supply chain, logistics, automation, and production planning in a laboratory setting.

Excellent problem-solving, leadership, and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Experience in technical customer support and key account management is a plus.

Ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment while maintaining high attention to detail.


WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Report to: US GM

Works with: you will be working with Sales team and business stakeholders such as Marketing Team and Logistics Team

Date Posted: 02 May 2025
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