Scientist – eXoZymes Inc. (Monrovia, CA)
About eXoZymes
eXoZymes Inc. (NASDAQ: EXOZ) is a Monrovia, CA–based biotechnology company developing AI-enhanced enzymes - exozymes - to produce high-value nutraceutical and pharmaceutical ingredients from sustainable feedstocks. Our proprietary cell-free biocatalysis platform enables the conversion of low-cost inputs into bioactive compounds at near theoretical yields, providing a scalable and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional methods of producing or extracting chemicals.
Backed by public-market capital, private investment, and multi-million-dollar government grants, eXoZymes is expanding its platform, products, and team as we build the next generation of sustainable biomanufacturing technologies.
Position and Scope
We are seeking an experienced scientist with an engineering mindset/or an engineer with scientific curiosity and grounding; and a background in biochemistry, chemical biology, or chemical/biological engineering or related fields to join our team developing nutraceutical and pharmaceutical ingredients via our enzymatic cell-free systems. The ideal candidate combines hands-on experience in enzymatic biocatalysis and reaction optimization with an empirical, systematic approach to translate new product innovation from bench-scale results into scalable manufacturing processes. The position is full-time and located in Monrovia, CA.
Duties and Responsibilities
Biocatalytic Pathway & Reaction Design
- Collaborate cross-functionally to design, assemble, and optimize cell-free, multi-enzyme pathways and biocatalytic reaction systems from bench through early process scale, targeting specifications for yield, purity, and activity.
- Develop and execute biochemical assays to characterize enzyme kinetics, stability, and selectivity; independently evaluate purified proteins and enzyme variants and interpret results to drive project decisions.
- Apply disciplined experimental approaches (e.g., DoE) to develop robust, cost-efficient biosolutions from prototype through technology transfer to manufacturing.
Method & Platform Development
- Establish robust, reproducible biocatalyst test methods that generate reliable, comparable data independent of experiment, operator, or time.
- Define clear, data-driven acceptance criteria that translate experimental results into actionable go/no-go decisions across enzyme candidates and unit operations.
- Develop and improve assay and screening platforms to advance throughput, sensitivity, and scalability for enzyme characterization and variant selection.
Scale-Up & Process Transfer
- Systematic, methodical approach to translating preliminary results into a robust process through structured multivariate optimization and data-driven experimental iteration.
- Partner with process development engineers to support scale-up of biocatalytic and cell-free reactions from bench to the 1–100 L range, identifying and resolving technical challenges at each scale transition.
- Contribute to development and optimization of downstream isolation and purification methods for small molecules from complex biocatalytic mixtures, with attention to yield, purity, and scalability.
- Build mechanistic and empirical models to support scale translation and third-party technology transfer.
Required Skills and Experience
- Education:
- PhD in biochemistry, chemical biology, chemical/biological engineering, or a closely related field, with 3–5 years of relevant industry or postdoctoral experience. OR
- MS in one of these fields, with 5 – 8 years of industry experience.
- Demonstrated ability to independently design experiments, troubleshoot complex technical problems, and communicate findings clearly to cross-functional teams.
- Proven track record of rigorous scientific documentation, including peer-reviewed publication, and/or technical reports, SOP development, as well as meticulous laboratory record keeping consistent with industry quality standards.
- Legal authorization to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Visa sponsorship for exceptional candidates may be considered
Additional Knowledge and Experience — Strong Preference for Candidates with Expertise in Several of the Following:
- Hands-on experience developing biocatalytic or cell-free reaction systems, with working knowledge of engineering and process parameters that govern performance across scales.
- Proficiency with analytical techniques used for protein and small molecule characterization (e.g., electrophoresis, UV/Vis, HPLC, LC-MS, GC-FID), including high-throughput plate-based workflows.
- Knowledgeable in small molecule isolation methods, including purification techniques such as extraction, chromatography, as well as crystallization and an understanding for how these methods interact with and are dependent on upstream reaction conditions.
- Exposure to recombinant protein expression across multiple microbial hosts (e.g., E. coli, B. subtilis, Pichia pastoris) and downstream processing techniques including affinity chromatography, TFF, lyophilization, and enzyme immobilization.
- Familiarity with basic chemical engineering concepts, such as mass transfer, mixing or heating, process modeling and simulation tools.
- Experience mentoring and managing research associates, providing hands-on technical guidance in the lab as well as supporting individual professional development and career growth.
Personal Attributes
- Entrepreneurial spirit and self-starter
- Team player and enjoys working with others, collaborative
- Excellent communication skills, written and verbal, including executive presentation
- A proactive, ambitious individual, willing to make the extra effort to achieve objectives and thrives in a stimulating, fast-paced environment
- Highest level of integrity, character and humility
Targeted Annual Salary Range: $100 - $150K
A Diverse, Talent-Centered Culture Worth Joining
The challenges eXoZymes is working to solve — reimagining how ingredients and medicines are made through next-gen biomanufacturing — require the broadest possible range of perspectives, skills, and lived experiences. That's why diversity isn't a checkbox for us. It's a scientific and strategic imperative.
Our team describes our culture as hardworking and innovative, deeply collaborative, and genuinely caring — and we mean all of it. We are a curious, ambitious, and international group of people who lead with trust, embrace new ideas, and support one another with kindness and humility. We believe that inclusive teams build better science, and we are committed to making eXoZymes a place where people of all backgrounds can do meaningful work, develop their skills, and build careers they're proud of.
eXoZymes is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law. Reasonable accommodations are available for qualified individuals with disabilities.
We welcome candidates from all backgrounds. If this role and this culture excite you, we want to hear from you. The future is bright — come help us build it.
Interested candidates, please email cover letter and CV to hiring@exozymes.com.