Senior Scientist, Translational and Clinical Research
Brightseed
South San Francisco, CA, USA
Posted on Tuesday, June 4, 2024
ABOUT BRIGHTSEED
Brightseed®, the bioactives company is a World Economic Global Innovator that illuminates nature to restore human health. Brightseed’s proprietary AI, Forager®, accelerates bioactive discovery, biological validation, and ingredient formulation from years to months, rapidly revealing new connections between nature and humanity. Brightseed produces clinically proven bioactives for dietary supplements, food & beverage CPG, specialty nutrition and medical foods to power proactive health worldwide. Learn more at brightseedbio.com.
ABOUT BIOACTIVES
Bioactives are compounds found in plants, fungi, and bacteria that also benefit human health. They are an important part of a nutrient dense diet, and their health impact often goes beyond basic nutrition. For example, the bioactive lycopene found in tomatoes has been found to lower the risk of certain types of cancer and heart disease. In addition, there are multitudes of other bioactives that are only accessible through complex interactions within the gut microbiome. One example is the compound salicin found in willow bark, which transforms into salicylic acid when it interacts with gut microbes. Science has long known that bioactives are critical to human health, yet the vast majority remain unknown and are often referred to as the “dark matter” of nutrition.
ABOUT THE ROLE
This role directly enables how we identify novel plant bioactives, design research to better understand “how they work”, their health benefits and translating the science to enable launching new products into the market.
THE IMPACT YOU WILL MAKE
- Lead the design, execution and interpretation of human clinical studies linking mechanism(s) action to clinical endpoints. Specifically serving as an internal subject matter expert for dietary interventions related to a variety of health conditions.
- Expand expertise across one or more Brightseed priority health areas and specifically adopt new methodologies, techniques and/or approaches to enhance our human clinical research capabilities/impact.
- Manage outsourcing to CROs and other external vendors to support clinical studies and ensure adherence to project timelines and budgets.
- Oversee the creation and maintenance of clinical documentation and processes, including Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), protocols, and Informed Consent Forms (ICFs).
- Ensure all clinical studies meet ethical and regulatory standards, including IRB submissions and adherence to Good Clinical Practice (GCP) guidelines.
- Collaborate in discovery efforts by evaluating health opportunities and assessing their potential for dietary intervention by researching the underlying biology of prospective molecular targets in support of external partnerships & internal bioactives pipeline.
- Actively driving a range of active research programs, interpreting results on plants, their bioactive compounds, and their potential applications to human health, and that highlight the commercial potential of discoveries.
- Strengthen the external partnerships by confirming the technical team “voice” is captured and actively partner with Business Development to deliver highly successful project deliverables.
THE EXPERIENCE YOU WILL NEED
- PhD inNutrition Science, Nutritional Biochemistry, Physiology or a biomedical or human biology-related field.
- Senior Scientist I - PhD with 4-6 years related experience, or MS with 7+ years related experience.
- Senior Scientist II - PhD with 6-8 years related experience, or MS with 10+ years related experience.
- Direct experience designing human clinical studies in the context of tying biological targets to human health.
- Direct experience managing clinical trials from early development stages, including protocol design, ICF preparation, SOP development, and Institutional Review Board (IRB) submissions.
- Lead the interpretation of clinical trial results, presenting findings internally to leadership teams, and effectively translating results into actionable insights for Marketing and Business Development teams.
- In-depth knowledge of clinical trial design, regulatory requirements, and GCP guidelines.
- Strong expertise in nutritional or therapeutic discovery and/or translation with a minimum of 4 years of industry experience required.
- Deep knowledge of the molecular biology and biochemistry underlying the effects of diet on human health.
- Demonstrated record of generating original scientific insights related to nutrition and health and publishing articles in peer-review publications.
- Self-starting, entrepreneurial orientation a must.
- Highly collaborative and able to build strong working relationships across multiple cross-functional teams.
- Strong ability to communicate and effectively present scientific data across diverse teams.
- Technical proficiency with MS Office, CRM’s, and virtual meeting tools.
- Strong track record of meeting program/project deliverables on time and within budget.
- Ability to collaborate with internal cross-functional teams and external partners, ensuring seamless program coordination.
- Strong problem-solving and critical thinking skills with ability to provide practical solutions.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
- Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
- Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at time.
COMPENSATION
- The salary range for this position is $148,000 - $166,000
- Compensation for this position is commensurate with relevant qualifications and work experience, academic credentials, job related skills, employment location and other factors.
- More senior candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
THE BENEFITS YOU’LL ENJOY
As a lab based company, where in person collaboration is key to drive innovation, we encourage all team members to be in our office most days each week. However we appreciate and honor the need and desire for flexibility and have implemented a hybrid working model for some positions which will be outlined on the job description. Our property provides a professional gym onsite, plenty of free parking, weekly tenant events and a state-of-the-art lab and office.
We offer a competitive total rewards package with team-first benefits programs for full-time employees, including medical, dental and vision coverage, unlimited paid time off, life insurance, employee assistance programs, 401(k) plan, a mental health platform, employee discounts, payroll credits for cell phone and commuter costs and a paid parental leave program.
JOIN US, AND BE YOU
We are committed to making transformative discoveries with a team-first mentality. Successful team members are truth-seeking and trusting, with the tenacity required to trail-blaze in uncharted territory. We are a collaborative team that actively seeks input and values differing perspectives. And we produce tangible results, holding ourselves accountable in the process.
We are also committed to cultivating and preserving a culture of connectedness and inclusion. We grow and learn together, respecting professional and personal experiences, areas of expertise, and types of self expression.
In recruiting for our team, we welcome the unique contributions that each one of us brings in terms of education, opinions, culture, color, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veteran’s status, religion, different abilities, sexual orientation and beliefs.
Brightseed requires all employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment, subject to accommodation. If hired we will require you to provide proof of vaccination.