Research Associate I – Plant Bioassays

Pivot Bio
Creve Coeur, MO
On-site

Who this role is best for

Aimed at entry-level to mid-level candidates in plant science or microbiology who can work independently and contribute to experimental workflows.

Best fit for

  • Candidates with greenhouse research experience and a background in plant or microbial science
    — “Hands-on experience greenhouse/growth chamber research”
  • Individuals who can document and reproduce experimental workflows with precision
    — “Strong attention to detail with demonstrated ability to accurately document and reproduce experimental workflows”
  • Those with experience in plant phenotyping and data analysis using LIMS systems
    — “Collect, accurately record, and analyze experimental and phenotypic data using LIMS or structured electronic data capture systems”

Things to consider

  • This temporary role requires a 6-month commitment and on-site presence in Creve Coeur, MO
    — “This role is a 6 month Temporary position and onsite at our Creve Coeur, MO location”
  • The candidate must be authorized to work in the United States, which limits eligibility
    — “Must be authorized to work in the United States”

How to stand out

  • Highlight experience with microbial culturing and aseptic techniques in your resume
    — “Grow, plate, quantify, and maintain microbial cultures using aseptic technique”
  • Emphasize your ability to maintain reproducible data and SOP development
    — “Maintain detailed experimental records and support development or refinement of assay SOPs”
  • Showcase your experience with plant-microbe interactions or related research
    — “Experience with plant-microbe interactions or microbial culturing techniques is preferred”
Pace · SteadyCollaboration · MediumAutonomy · MediumDecision Impact · Individual

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • high-quality, reproducible in-planta data
  • experimental workflow development
Typical background
Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, Plant Science, Agronomy, Microbiology, or related field

Skills & requirements

Required

Plant PhysiologyGreenhouse ResearchMicrobial CulturingData AnalysisAseptic TechniquePhenotypic Data Collection

Preferred

Plant-microbe InteractionsControlled Environment Plant Assays

Stack & domain

Greenhouse ResearchGrowth Chamber ResearchAseptic TechniqueMicrobial Enumeration MethodsData AnalysisLIMSStructured Electronic Data Capture SystemsExperimental PlanningTroubleshootingMicrobial Screening PipelinesExperimental Data GenerationAttention To DetailScientific ReasoningProblem-solvingTeamworkCommunicationPresentationIndependenceMicrobiologyGenomicsCrop NutritionAgricultureFertilizer TechnologyNitrogen-fixing TechnologiesPlant PhysiologyPlant DevelopmentPlant Stress ResponsesPlant Phenotyping

About the role

Original posting from Pivot Bio

About Pivot Bio:  

Fueled by an innovative drive and a deep understanding of microbiology, genomics, crop nutrition and agriculture, Pivot Bio is pioneering game-changing advances in fertilizer technology. Our first commercial product harnesses the power of naturally-occurring microbes, modern gene editing and application technologies to provide nitrogen to crops.  We are dedicated to providing new solutions for farmers to improve yield as they work to help feed the world’s growing population. Read/Hear more about Pivot Bio on Forbes or PBS News Hour.

Reporting to the Plant Bioassay Team Lead, the successful candidate will support the execution and development of greenhouse and controlled environment plant assays evaluating the performance of Pivot Bio’s microbial nitrogen-fixing technologies. The team’s key objective is to generate high-quality, reproducible in-planta data that supports candidate advancement, product characterization, and field performance prediction. This role will contribute to the development and scaling of plant assay workflows, microbial screening pipelines, and experimental data generation to support product innovation and validation. 

 This role is a 6 month Temporary position and onsite at our Creve Coeur, MO location.

Essential Functions 

Conduct and support execution of in planta assays in greenhouse and growth chamber environments with minimal supervision 

Support the scaling, optimization, and standardization of experimental assays to enable higher-throughput biological discovery pipelines 

Grow, plate, quantify, and maintain microbial cultures using aseptic technique and standard microbial enumeration methods 

Collect, accurately record, and analyze experimental and phenotypic data using LIMS or structured electronic data capture systems 

Attend and present data in R&D meetings and contribute to experimental planning and troubleshooting discussions 

Maintain detailed experimental records and support development or refinement of assay SOPs  

Competencies 

Knowledge & Application 

Understanding of plant physiology, development, and stress responses 

Familiarity with plant phenotyping approaches and greenhouse plant management 

Basic statistical analysis and data interpretation 

Complexity & Problem Solving 

Strong attention to detail with demonstrated ability to accurately document and reproduce experimental workflows 

Applies scientific reasoning to interpret unexpected results 

 Collaboration & Interaction 

 Strong problem-solving and team collaboration skills   

 Excellent communication skills and ability to work independently 

Required Education & Experience 

Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, Plant Science, Agronomy, Microbiology, or related field 

Hands-on experience greenhouse/growth chamber research (industry or academic research experience acceptable) 

Experience with plant-microbe interactions or microbial culturing techniques is preferred but not required 

Must be authorized to work in the United States 

#LI-Onsite

Hiring Compensation Range$33.16—$33.16 USD

Source: Pivot Bio careers

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