Simplify Logo
Prolific Machines

Prolific Machines

Develops cost-efficient cultured meat production

Analytical Scientist 1

Full-Time
$120k - $140k/yr
Junior, Mid
PhD
Emeryville, CA, USA
In Person

About the job

Requirements
  • Hold a PhD in Analytical Chemistry, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, or Pharmaceutical Sciences, with 1+ years of biologics industry experience; candidates without a PhD but with similar industry experience are encouraged to apply.
  • Have experience with therapeutic protein characterization approaches, including high-performance liquid chromatography, sodium dodecyl sulfate, capillary electrophoresis, capillary isoelectric focusing, and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry.
  • Develop, execute, and interpret intact mass, sequence confirmation, and post-translational modification analyses, including glycosylation, disulfide mapping, and peptide mapping, through mass spectrometry.
  • Develop, execute, and interpret aggregation and charge-variant characterizations for biologics.
  • Have experience developing and executing Good Laboratory Practice-compliant methods for characterizing protein quality attributes across a wide range of therapeutic classes.
  • Have hands-on experience operating liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. Familiarity with Agilent quadrupole time-of-flight instrumentation applied to protein-quality assays and proteomic software is advantageous.
  • Be comfortable teaching and sharing knowledge at multiple levels of technical detail.
Responsibilities
  • Collaborate with cell line development and bioprocess teams to deliver key internal technology programs and external customer projects.
  • Develop, optimize, and validate assays for protein titer and quality across broad classes of recombinant therapeutic proteins.
  • Plan and execute experiments to understand protein quality through cell line, upstream, and downstream process development.
  • Execute, summarize, interpret, and present routine and complex therapeutic protein characterizations.
  • Qualify and validate analytical procedures to compliance standards while maintaining rigorous execution and documentation standards.
  • Routinely operate, maintain, and troubleshoot analytical instrumentation, including high-performance liquid chromatographs, fast protein liquid chromatographs, and mass spectrometers.
  • Author, review, and implement methods, protocols, validations, and standard operating procedures, and ensure processes follow these standards.
Desired Qualifications
  • Familiarity with Agilent quadrupole time-of-flight instrumentation applied to protein-quality assays.
  • Familiarity with proteomic software.

About the company

temp

Company Size

51-200

Company Stage

Series B

Total Funding

$97M

Headquarters

Emeryville, California

Founded

2020

Get referred to Prolific Machines

See people who can refer or advise you

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • July 2026 Gates Foundation grant funds affordable monoclonal antibodies for low-income countries.
  • 2026 site lists services for biotechs, CDMOs, and licensing, broadening revenue paths.
  • May 2025 FDA program status improves credibility with regulators and pharma partners.

What critics are saying

  • The company pivoted from cultured meat toward biopharma, confusing employer branding and hiring.
  • No 2026 customer revenues are public, so commercialization still depends on partner conversions.
  • If biomanufacturing deals stall, Prolific risks becoming a funded platform without durable demand.

What makes Prolific Machines unique

  • 2026 website says Prolific integrates optogenetic cell lines, illumination, AI optimization.
  • May 2025 FDA Emerging Technology Program entry validates its industrial biomanufacturing platform.
  • June 2024 Series B1 drew Fonterra, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, and In-Q-Tel.

Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?

Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

Hybrid Work Options

Company Equity

Mental Health Support

Paid Vacation

Meal Benefits

Company Social Events

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

1%

1 year growth

-2%

2 year growth

0%
Business Wire
Feb 13th, 2025
Prolific Machines Announces the Appointment of Former Forge Biologics Executive, Christina Perry, as CFO Setting the Stage for Optogenetics Leader's Biopharmaceutical Commercial Ramp Up

Christina Perry, MSA, CPA, former Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Forge Biologics, recently acquired by Ajinomoto Co., has been appointed as CFO of Prolific Machines to support the company's meteoric growth as it works towards building a resilient, sustainable business.

Business Wire
Aug 16th, 2024
Prolific Machines Receives Grant to Develop a Platform to Produce Affordable Monoclonal Antibodies to Prevent Infectious Disease in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Prolific Machines receives Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation grant to leverage optogenetics expertise to develop more affordable monoclonal antibodies.

Webrazzi
Jun 7th, 2024
Prolific Machines raises $55M for light-based protein

Biotechnology startup Prolific Machines, which uses a photomolecular platform to create new proteins at low costs, has raised $55 million in a Series B1 round led by Fonterra's VC arm, The Ki Tua Fund. Other investors include Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Mayfield, SOSV, Shorewind Capital, Darco Capital, Conti Ventures, and In-Q-Tel (IQT). The funding will be used to commercialize their platform through industry partnerships.

AgFunder
Jun 6th, 2024
Optogenetics startup Prolific Machines raises $55m series B1, uses light to 'control virtually any cell function in any cell type'

Prolific Machines harnesses light-sensitive proteins to control cells used in biomanufacturing using optogenetics.

The Business Journals
Jun 6th, 2024
Prolific Machines raises $55 million to harness light on a cellular level

Prolific Machines announced on Thursday that it raised $55 million in a Series B round led by the Ki Tua Fund, the corporate venture capital division of New Zealand-based dairy giant Fonterra Co-operative Group.