{"id":466476,"url":"https://alion.io/job/pivot-bio-research-associate-ii-downstream","title":"Research Associate II, Downstream","company":{"id":179578,"name":"Pivot Bio","domain":"pivotbio.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/pivot-bio","size_band":null,"is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Greenhouse","truth_index":null},"role":"Science & Research","role_family":"Science & Research","seniority":"middle","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"explicit","locations":["Saint Louis, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":64000,"max":80000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":80000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":2,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"LIMS","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-09-02T19:08:04Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-09-02","last_verified_at":"2026-10-28T07:28:42Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":55,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":55},"description":"Fueled by an innovative drive and a deep understanding of the soil microbiome, Pivot Bio is pioneering game-changing advances in agriculture. Our commercial products harness the power of naturally occurring microbes to provide nutrients to crops. We provide new and sustainable ways for farmers to improve yield as they work to help feed the world’s growing population. Read/Hear more about Pivot Bio onForbes or PBS News Hour. \nWe are looking for a Research Associate II who thrives in fast-paced industry research lab environment and is motivated by Pivot Bio’s mission to provide sustainable, microbial-based solutions for nitrogen delivery to crops. The successful candidate should be willing to learn and support innovation, while maintaining excellent laboratory practices. \nReporting to the Scientist III, Downstream, the candidate will be responsible for supporting the development of microbial downstream processes intended to increase product quality and shelf-life, and improve nitrogen-use efficiency in cereal crops. An ideal candidate has solid working knowledge of downstream processes and equipment, including disc-stack centrifuge, Tangential Flow Filtration system, freeze-dryer and spray-dryer systems. Familiarity with fermentation systems, laboratory automation, and LIMS systems is a plus. The candidate should have a working knowledge of microbiology and chemistry, an eye for detail, excellent communication skills, and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment with changing research objectives. \nEssential functions \nUsing previously acquired skills independently executes day-to-day work, with minimal supervision. \nProvides input on experiment design and/or operational processes. \nMay be responsible for maintaining laboratory equipment, supplies and reagents. \nCan execute multi-stage workflows with limited input on prioritization and troubleshooting. \nAble to follow detailed SOPs. \nAble to recognize errors and troubleshoot with limited support. \nDocuments of work performed and observations in a timely, accurate way. \nCommunicates results within the team and across capabilities as needed. \nAwareness and adherence to safety, hygiene, and organizational policies. \nEHS: Keeps up to date with safety training. Reports near misses and safety concerns. Conforms to all PPE requirements. Disposes all waste safely and appropriately. \nCompetencies \nKnowledge & Application \nBasic laboratory knowledge such as the use of common equipment, for example: pipetting, spectrophotometers, aseptic techniques, etc.) \nAble to revise and draft routine protocols. \nSome familiarity with core downstream concepts, such cell separation, and cell drying systems, etc. \nPerforms routine data tasks including data entry and data QC. \nComplexity & Problem Solving \nPerforms well defined work with occasional problem-solving required. \nDaily work requires some specialized knowledge or skills. \nIdentifies how their work fits into the wider team and apply knowledge to different situations. \nObserves and reports unexpected research and operations events to supervisors or more senior staff. \nMay propose and enact solutions to operational issues or inefficiencies. \nCollaboration & Interaction \nCollaborate within the team provides input in team meetings. \nCommunicates respectfully within and across teams. \nAsk questions to build knowledge and context. \nShares and communicates plans requiring resources and equipment from other teams. \nMay present data or workflow development with support primarily within the immediate team/department. \nMay train colleagues within and outside the immediate team. \nSupervisory responsibilities: Limited to training and task coordination \nPhysical demands: \nThis is a laboratory-based position \nRepeating motions that may include the wrists, hands, or fingers \nCommunicating with others to exchange information \nOccasionally perform physically repetitive tasks like pipetting, sample weighing, and liquid transfers. \nOccasionally lift 30+pounds \nWorkflows may require extended workdays or working during weekends on occasion \nTravel required: N/A \nRequired education and experience \nBachelor of science degree in life sciences, food science, biological systems engineering, biochemical engineering, or related field or equivalent experience \n2-5yearsofexperience in a fast-paced industry research lab environment \nExperiencewith sterile/aseptic technique for handling microbes \nComfortable with standard microbiology techniques, including CFU/viability plating and cell counting \nExcellent communication skillsand ability to work independently, ask good questions, and recognize anomalies \nAttention to detail, skilled in making observations and documenting anomalies \nCan-do attitude, strong problem solving and troubleshooting skills \nWork authorization/security clearance requirements \nMust be authorized to work in the United States \nOther duties \nPlease note that this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice. \nHiring Compensation Range\n$64,000—$80,000 USD","description_format":"text","description_chars":5231,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":2,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":[],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Farming & Agriculture","AgTech"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-09-06T12:18:26Z"}],"visa":[{"country":"US","licensed_sponsor":true,"evidence":"H-1B filings in 12 months: 1 · green card filings: 1","filings_12m":1,"filings_prev_12m":1,"green_card_filings_12m":1,"median_offered_wage_usd":150000,"route":null,"cap_exempt":false,"checked_at":"2026-10-15T11:24:14+00:00","sources":["US Department of Labor: LCA disclosure data (H-1B, H-1B1, E-3)","US Department of Labor: PERM disclosure data (green cards)"],"filings_for_role_12m":0}],"liveness":{"score":23,"band":"cold","label":"Long shot","p_open":1,"p_active":0.518,"p_room":0.45,"age_days":55,"expected_fill_days":29,"reasons":["conf:3","win:tail"],"computed_at":"2026-10-28T05:59:10Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":80000,"is_top_pay":false},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/pivot-bio-research-associate-ii-downstream","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/pivot-bio-research-associate-ii-downstream.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-28T10:57:16Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":14314,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-29T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":179578},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=179578"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fpivot-bio-research-associate-ii-downstream"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fpivot-bio-research-associate-ii-downstream"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fpivot-bio-research-associate-ii-downstream"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/pivot-bio-research-associate-ii-downstream\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fpivot-bio-research-associate-ii-downstream"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":466476}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"pivotbio.com","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":466476},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. 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