Research Associate-Formulation & Product Development

Pluton Biosciences is seeking a highly motivated Research Associate to join our Formulation & Product Development team located at our St. Louis, MO offices reporting to the Director of Production. This role focuses on developing, optimizing, and characterizing formulations of microbial bioinoculants aimed at replacing synthetic fertilizers. The ideal candidate is passionate about translating biological discoveries into scalable, shelf-stable products that have a meaningful impact on sustainable agriculture.

Description

About Us:

Pluton Biosciences is an AgTech startup focused on developing microbial products that provide critical crop nutrition, enrich soils and support profitable, sustainable farming practices. Our dynamic team values community, collaboration, and innovation as we scale emerging biotechnologies into commercial products that have a meaningful impact on global agriculture.


Responsibilities:

• Develop and optimize liquid and dry formulations of microbial bioinoculants for agricultural applications.
• Evaluate formulation components including excipients, adjuvants, nutrients, protectants, and stabilizers for compatibility and performance.
• Conduct viability and stability studies to assess formulation performance across a range of storage conditions.
• Design and execute in-house analyses to characterize, track, and quantify formulated products' soil performance.
• Maintain and update formulation development data in electronic lab notebooks and databases.
• Troubleshoot and optimize formulation protocols and standard operating procedures.
• Operate and maintain formulation and analytical equipment, ensuring quality control of all experimental setups.
• Collaborate with the Research & Discovery and Field teams to align formulation development with product performance targets.
• Analyze and present formulation data, contributing to go/no-go decisions and product development milestones.
• Review and apply relevant scientific literature on microbial formulation to support and accelerate product development.

Requirements:

• B.S. in Microbiology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering, or related field.
• Strong laboratory skills including preparation, analytical instrumentation, and aseptic techniques.
• Experience with microbial cultivation, viability testing, and handling of live biological materials.
• Comfortable working independently while maintaining a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite and statistical/data visualization software (R, RStudio, Python).
• Ability to manage and collaborate on multiple formulation projects simultaneously with strong organizational skills.
• Must be a reliable team player and able to collaborate effectively with others to advance overall formulation and product development goals forward.
• Must be authorized to work in the U.S. and have reliable transportation.

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience with microbial or biological product formulation, including liquid, wettable powder, or granule formats.
• Familiarity with stability testing, shelf-life study design, and accelerated aging protocols for biological products.
• Working knowledge of lyophilization and/or spray drying applications for microbial products.

Compensation & Benefits:

• Competitive salary and equity participation commensurate with experience
• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance.
• 401(k) with company match.
• Paid time off, company holidays, and paid parental leave.

At Pluton, we're building a team united by curiosity, scientific rigor, and a commitment to solving important challenges in agriculture. We welcome candidates with a variety of experiences, perspectives, and career paths, recognizing that strong teams are built through different viewpoints and approaches. If you're excited about our mission, we encourage you to apply even if you don't meet every qualification listed.