Taxa · 4 days ago
Bioprocess Engineer
San Francisco, CA
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level
$130K/yr - $130K/yr
6+ years expTaxa is seeking a Bioprocess Engineer to lead the downstream processing and stabilization of live probiotic microbes. The role involves microbial drying, shelf life performance, and scale up manufacturability, while also encompassing upstream microbial cultivation and harvest.
BiotechnologyPersonal Care and Hygiene
No H1B
Responsibilities
Lead the downstream processing and stabilization of live probiotic microbes
Own the conversion of aerobic bacterial cultures into stable, scalable dry formats
Apply a first principles understanding of drying, stabilization, and unit operations to deliver reproducible performance at pilot manufacturing scale
Operate and refine existing SOPs, develop new ones as needed, select and run equipment directly, and be accountable for real production output, shelf life, and scalability
Qualification
Required
Microbial bioprocessing — 4+ years of hands-on experience cultivating and processing aerobic microbes, including media preparation, shaker flasks, and biomass harvest
Downstream processing and desiccation — 6+ years of experience drying biological materials, with direct hands-on operation of desiccation systems used for live microbes
Process rigor and documentation — experience operating in cGMP-like environments with strong cleanliness standards, SOPs, batch records, and traceability
Independent operator mindset — ability to select, procure, set up, troubleshoot, and operate bioprocessing and drying equipment with minimal supervision
Full on-site availability — based in or willing to relocate to the San Francisco Bay Area
Authorized to work in the U.S. — Visa sponsorship is not available for this role
Preferred
Bench-scale microbial fermentation — hands-on experience running and optimizing bench-scale fermentations for aerobic bacteria, including media selection, growth monitoring, harvest timing, and consistency across batches. Practical understanding of how upstream growth conditions impact downstream drying performance, including cell health, stress tolerance, and survival through desiccation
Contamination management and response — experience identifying, containing, documenting, and escalating contamination events in microbial processes; prioritizing system integrity and long-term process health over salvaging individual batches; and supporting root cause analysis and corrective actions to prevent recurrence
Microbial spray drying — direct experience spray drying live microbes or other viability-sensitive biological materials
Lyophilization expertise — direct experience executing and iteratively optimizing lyophilization processes, with a first principles understanding of cycle parameters, excipient systems, and biological failure modes impacting viability and shelf life
Downstream finishing — experience blending dried biological materials with excipients and operating finishing equipment such as tablet presses
Process scale-up — translating bench-scale workflows into higher-throughput or more scalable manufacturing processes
Benefits
Meaningful equity package as a core component of total compensation.
Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
401(k) plan with a 6% employer match.
Company
Taxa
Taxa creates skin probiotics that reduce body odor, absorb UV, and repel mosquitoes for a full week after a single application.
11-50 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Early StageTotal Funding
$2.5M2024-02-16Pre Seed· $2.5M
Leadership Team
Xavier M. Segel
Co-founder & CEO
Yuichi Fukunaga
Co-founder, President of Asia-Pacific & Board Member
Recent News
2025-05-04
Google Patent
2025-02-10
2025-02-10
Company data provided by crunchbase