FOREST FUNGAL INOCULATION ENGINEER
Funga is a public benefit corporation harnessing forest fungal networks to address the climate crisis. We develop fungal biotechnology to accelerate healthy tree growth and carbon capture, while building more biodiverse and resilient belowground fungal networks. We do this by combining DNA sequencing and machine learning technology to link molecular scale variation in soil fungal communities to emergent forest properties.
We are hiring an inoculation development and scale-up engineer to lead the development and scaling of our inoculation program. This role is based in Austin, TX. The ideal candidate will have experience growing fungi at kilogram+ scale in a small laboratory setting, as well as inoculating mycorrhizal symbionts onto tree seedlings. This person will run small-scale trials at our facility in Austin, TX, and coordinate with our tree nursery and inoculant scale-up partners. This scientist will design experiments in collaboration with Funga’s Lead Data Scientist and Lead Forest Scientist. Our ultimate goal is to inoculate tens of millions of seedlings in a tree nursery on an annual basis. Nursery and inoculation partners are key company relationships, and the Inoculation Scientist will build and maintain strong relationships with these stakeholders and their teams. We need someone who knows the traditional ways of growing fungal inoculants and is also willing to question traditions in fungal and forest biology as we develop fundamentally new ways to restore the forest fungal microbiome. We expect a significant amount of travel to visit our tree nursery partners in the southeast U.S.
We are a small team, and each of us operates beyond our "roles" on a daily basis. We are looking for someone excited to implement new approaches, problem solve, and think creatively. This role is an opportunity to develop a novel forest fungal inoculation program and address one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time.
If you are excited by starting new things, learning as you go, and being hands-on in applying your work to the private sector, you will dig working with us. We encourage you to apply even if only some of the below criteria are met - just make sure to tell us why you’re excited about Funga!
In Summary, the Forest Fungal Inoculation Scientist will:
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Work with our Austin-based team to establish an experimental facility to support bench-scale trials
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Develop and trial a wide variety of inoculation methods at our facility in Austin, TX.
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Collaborate with our tree nursery partners to implement inoculation programs at the scale of millions of seedlings.
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Collaborate with fungal production partners to scale up fungal inoculants.
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Assist in nursery trials and quality control in the southeastern US.
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Assist in field implementation as necessary, in collaboration with our Lead Forest Scientist.
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Communicate seamlessly with company leadership to make sure all is going according to plan and schedule, and to help them understand opportunities for further R&D.
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Maintain excellent relationships with our company partners.
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We are looking for strengths and experience in:
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Growing fungi at a bench top scale
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Data management
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Flexibility and willingness to learn new things, roll up your sleeves, and take on new roles to push the company forward.
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Experience with pine mycorrhizal ecology is a bonus
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NOTE - please apply if you feel you are qualified, but don’t necessarily meet all of the above criteria!
We expect you to:
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Bring a passion for ecology, biodiversity, and addressing climate change.
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Work collaboratively with our Austin, TX and remote team members to build shared understanding across all functions.
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Take ownership of all project work from end-to-end.
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Take part in strategic thinking.
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Communicate, develop, and document all work with painstaking detail.