Research Technician

Research Technician

VitaKey is an exciting start-up developing and commercializing proprietary technology for controlled, targeted, extended, and sustained delivery of macronutrients, micronutrients, probiotics, biologics, and small molecules, to be included in everyday foods and beverages to improve human health. We are seeking innovative and motivated scientists and engineers to be part of the company's next-phase of growth at our Durham, NC HQ. Learn more about our company on our website at

Please submit a short cover letter with your application/resume describing how you fit the listed qualifications and responsibilities.

Role Summary

We are seeking a Research Technician to assist in lab maintenance. Responsibilities will involve routine maintenance of mammalian cell culture lines, general tissue culture support, preparing stock solutions for screening, laboratory organization and cleaning, and data annotation. This role will provide exposure to all company research at the intersection of wet lab and machine learning and will provide the opportunity to develop technical skills in these areas.

Duties and Responsibilities

· Maintain several mammalian and microbial cultures simultaneously, including thawing, passaging, plating, freezing, and aliquoting stocks on schedule

· Perform routine QC assays on mammalian and microbiological cell culture samples

· Manage inventories of reagents and consumables across all projects including organization, restocking, and ordering

· Prepare stock solutions and buffers to support research work

· Manage and upkeep LIMS systems, including data annotation where necessary

· Prepare stock solutions of compounds, nutrients, foods, ingredients, etc. for screening experiments

· Aid formulation development activities

· Occasionally perform other duties to assist other teams as needed

· Work with fellow scientists within the group or with external laboratories and present ideas and results

Qualifications

· AS or BS with 0-1 years’ experience in microbiology, biology, biochemistry, chemistry, food science, or allied disciplines

· Candidates with hands-on biology laboratory coursework with mammalian and microbiology cell culture exposure are preferred

· Candidates with limited exposure to non-coursework research are encouraged to apply

· Familiarity with lab notebooks and electronic documentation is preferred

· Candidates must be highly organized, detail-oriented, and have a documentation-first mindset

· Candidates must be highly motivated to learn and develop practical skills in laboratory science

· Entrepreneurial and self-motivated work style

· Candidates must work full time on-site in Durham, NC

· Ability to adjust rapidly to changing scientific priorities and technologies