Scientist I, Discovery & Platform Innovation

Based in Berkeley, CA, UPSIDE Foods grows meat, poultry, and seafood directly from real animal cells without the need to raise and slaughter billions of animals. In doing so, the company aims to address some of the most pressing environmental, animal welfare, and public health challenges, while still giving people the meat they love.

Founded as the world’s first cultivated meat company in 2015, UPSIDE Foods (formerly Memphis Meats) has achieved numerous industry-defining milestones, including being the first company to produce multiple species of meat (beef, chicken, and duck) and to sell a cultivated meat product in the United States. The company believes that people shouldn’t have to choose between the foods they love and a thriving planet, and is working to build a better food system with access to delicious, humane, and sustainable meat, poultry, and seafood.

UPSIDE Foods has won various industry awards, including New York Times’ Good Tech Awards, FastCo’s Next Big Thing in Tech and World Changing Ideas Awards, and the Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in the Nation by the National Association for Business Resources. UPSIDE Foods has raised more than $600 million in funding from a diverse group of leading U.S. and global investors, including top-tier venture capital firms, sovereign investment funds, strategic food and agriculture partners, and prominent technology and sustainability investors.

We are seeking a high-agency bench scientist to architect our next frontier. As a Scientist I, you will be at the heart of our laboratory operations, thriving on the "blank page" stage of research. This role is built for a visionary "finisher"—someone who has the grit to drive deep fundamental science into scalable, revenue-generating commercial products through hands-on experimentation. 

As a Scientist I in the Discovery group, you will take full ownership of laboratory-based research programs, transforming ambitious hypotheses into validated technologies and high-value cellular derivatives. You will innovate "out-of-the-box" to solve non-traditional biological hurdles using sophisticated genome engineering/cell biology/cell culture media strategies. Your work will bridge the digital-physical divide by implementing digital pipelines for automated data capture, ensuring discovery is efficient and data-rich.

• Drive Bench-Scale Discovery: Transform ambitious hypotheses into validated technologies and high-value cellular derivatives.
• Hands-on Innovation: Perform cell line development and tissue engineering using cutting edge technologies.
• Multi-Omics Characterization: Integrate metabolomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics to characterize cell states.
• AI Integration: Create and utilize AI-augmented workflows to predict biological outcomes and accelerate the DBTL cycle.
• Pipeline Automation: Implement digital pipelines for automated data capture to ensure discovery is data-rich.
• Technical Mentorship: Act as a technical resource and subject matter expert for the R&D group with opportunities to mentor junior staff.

In this role, you will be a key pillar of our Discovery team. While you will spend much of your time developing cell-based technologies and running experiments, you will serve as a vital technical resource for the broader R&D group. You will mentor junior scientific staff and collaborate closely with digital and computational teams to integrate AI and automation into our discovery pipeline.

• Academic Pedigree: PhD in Molecular/Cell Biology or a related field, supported by a strong record of peer-reviewed publications or patents.
• Hands-on "Finisher": You are a dedicated bench scientist with a proven track record of navigating the ambiguity of early-stage discovery and driving projects from concept to completion.
• Technical Mastery: Expert in advanced molecular biology, cellular assays, genome engineering (CRISPR/Cas9), and mammalian cell biology.
• Systems Biology & Omics: Hands-on experience generating and interpreting large-scale datasets, experience on metabolomics and transcriptomics preferred.
• Computational Fluency: Proficient in using Python, R, or AI-driven tools to automate data pipelines and extract patterns from complex biological noise.
• Mindset: Driven by scientific accuracy over ego; you are a self-starter who prefers creating new protocols over following existing ones.

Bonus Points:

• Experience with secretome analysis or specialized cellular products.
• Background in tissue engineering or specialized serum-free media development.
• Prior experience in a high-growth biotech startup environment.

• Pay may vary depending on factors including location, job-related knowledge, and skills.

• Stock options for all full-time incoming team members!
• 83-100% 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

UPSIDE Foods is an equal opportunity employer and we value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. Our goal is to create an inclusive culture where everyone feels they belong and can do their best work.