Scientist, Analytical R&D (6 month fixed-term)

About Us

UPSIDE Foods is the world's leading cultivated meat company. We’re building a new food system that moves meat forward by rethinking it from the source. By growing real meat from animal cells, we give people the choice to enjoy the meat they love without killing animals. Our work directly addresses the environmental and ethical impacts of the modern food system while supporting global food and nutrition security. It’s a vision legendary conservationist Jane Goodall called "one of the biggest ideas offering planetary hope."

Based in Emeryville, California, UPSIDE Foods has achieved numerous industry-defining milestones, including making the first cultivated meat to be green-lit by both the FDA and the USDA and sold in the United States. Our team has won numerous industry awards, including TIME World’s Top GreenTech Companies 2026, New York Times’ Good Tech Awards, FastCo’s Next Big Thing in Tech, and the Best and Brightest Companies to Work For.

To date, UPSIDE Foods has raised more than $600 million in funding from a diverse group of leading U.S. and global investors, including Cargill, SoftBank, Temasek, Tyson and Whole Foods.

About This Job

UPSIDE Foods is seeking an innovative, enthusiastic, and experienced Scientist, Analytical R&D (6 month fixed-term) to join our Analytical Research and Development (ARD) team in support of Lucius Labs and Upside Foods. In this role, you will be responsible for the end-to-end development, optimization, validation, and tech transfer of high-impact analytical assays necessary for routine operations.

This is a fast-paced, laboratory-based role requiring strong method development expertise in liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), spectroscopy, and rapid bioanalytical assays.

Responsibilities Include

• Execute and optimize sample preparation, method development, validation studies, data analysis and reporting to expand our assay portfolio with a focus on high-throughput.
• Onboard and validate new bioanalytical assays.
• Onboard, oversee, and maintain analytical instrumentation.
• Document all laboratory activities and write standard operating procedures for new and updated methods.
• Train junior team members to execute the assays for routine analysis.
• Survey literature to understand current state-of-the-art scientific technologies and practices and make recommendations for instrumentation, methods, and workflows to achieve analytical objectives.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for analytical chemistry topics to assist in collaborative problem solving.
  
  

About You

• Education & Experience: Ph.D. in Chemistry (preferably with a focus on Analytical and/or Food Chemistry) or related field or M.S. with 4+ years of industry experience specializing in rapid method development and validation.
• Mass Spectrometry Expertise: Deep hands-on experience with LC-MS instrumentation and sample handling, including developing robust multi-analyte gradients.
• Spectroscopy & Bioassay Experience: Proven experience building spectral libraries with FTIR and/or RAMAN instrumentation, overcoming matrix inhibition/enhancement is highly preferred.
• Matrix Familiarity: Strong background working with complex matrices, cell culture media, or food/biomass matrices. Experience working with micro-sampling or small-volume extractions is a plus.
• Collaboration: Strong communication skills with a track record of successfully executing tech transfers and training laboratory personnel.
  
  

Who You’ll Work With

• Primary Team: You will report to and work closely with the Analytical Research & Development (ARD) team.
• Cross-Functional Partners: Collaborate heavily with permanent staff at Lucius Labs, as well as , raw materials, cell culture media, upstream development and production teams.
  
  

Key Contributions

• Bioanalytical assay method development incorporating LC-MS/MS and FTIR
• Design and execute experiments for quantitative analytical testing.
• Mentor junior team members
  
  

Compensation Range: $120,000-$145,000

• Pay may vary depending on factors including job-related knowledge and skills.
  
  

UPSIDE Benefits!

• Stock options for all full-time incoming team members!
• 83-100% employer-paid healthcare premiums for team members (medical [including HSA and FSA], dental, and vision)
• Pet insurance for your furry family members!
• Unlimited PTO
• Employee Engagement Council
• Company-sponsored learning & development opportunities
  
  

UPSIDE Foods is an equal opportunity employer and we value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. Our company-wide mission is to create a product for everyone, so we are deeply committed to having teams and leaders that reflect this mission.