Associate Synthetic Biologist

OXMAN Overview

OXMAN is a nature-based research and design company based in Manhattan. We incubate ventures and technologies that reimagine the relationship between humanity and the natural world. Working across disciplines, from architecture and ecology to materials science and computation, we develop nature-centric solutions to critical environmental challenges.

Role Overview

OXMAN is seeking an Associate Synthetic Biologist to join an interdisciplinary team of deep thinkers and brilliant makers. Working at the bench alongside and under the direction of our Synthetic Biologist, the Associate Synthetic Biologist is the hand that brings experiments to life, culturing, transforming, and evolving common model microbes.

Successful applicants pair dependable, precise technical execution with genuine curiosity and an appetite to grow. They are comfortable navigating uncertainty at the bench, take pride in reproducible work, and are drawn to a practice that speaks the languages of biology (wetware), computing (software), and fabrication (hardware), or some combination thereof. They appreciate the intersection of engineering, science, and art and want to help translate ambitious synthetic biology concepts into tangible products and demonstrations - as such, their scientific contribution may result in a design outcome (like a proof-of-concept product or art object) as opposed to a publishable scientific finding.

The Associate Synthetic Biologist will play a central, hands-on role in executing and supporting experiments across a range of biological and bio-inspired systems-from single-celled organisms to biotic-abiotic hybrid systems. Their work directly advances a future of unification between synthetic biology and product design.

Key Responsibilities

• Execute key biological experiments at the bench under the direction of the Synthetic Microbiologist, including transformation, cloning, and assay work.
• Support the development and testing of next-generation synthetic biology tools and protocols, providing the experimental data that informs models, pipelines, and methods.
• Prepare stocks, media, and samples; design and run molecular biology workflows; and perform analysis and report results.
• Maintain high-quality, meticulous documentation of scientific output.
• Partner closely with a multidisciplinary team of biologists, engineers, and designers across scientific and design pursuits.

Required Experience

• Master's degree in synthetic biology, microbiology, molecular biology, bioengineering, or a related field; a relevant bachelor's degree with equivalent years of hands-on bench experience will also be considered.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience at the bench, showing proficiency with core molecular biology workflows.
• Experience with software tools used to design molecular biology experiments, such as SnapGene or Geneious.
• Experience with R and/or Python in a lab environment.

Preferred Experience

• Demonstrated ability to work across a variety of biological systems and scales (bacteria, yeast, algae, plants, etc.). Non-traditional and unusual model organisms is a plus.
• Exposure to custom & DIY scientific instrumentation.

Essential Qualities

• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• A deep curiosity about the functioning of natural and artificial systems.
• Demonstrates strong initiative and executes independently without requiring close oversight.
• Clear communicator who is able to work well in an interdisciplinary team (design, biology, engineering).
• Embodies ethics and impeccable scientific integrity, respecting both company and broader community policies in all conduct.