SAE- Sr. Research Associate/Engineer (SOF)

Shee Atiká Enterprises, LLC (SAE) and VitaKey are teaming up for an exciting opportunity to work in a start-up setting using proprietary technology to encapsulate micronutrients and probiotics that improves nutritional value of foods and beverages for better human health. VitaKey was developed in the MIT laboratory of engineer, inventor, scientist and entrepreneur Dr. Robert S. Langer — a founding father of drug delivery and controlled-release technology — to enable precision nutrition and the future of food. We are seeking innovative and motivated scientists and engineers to join the SAE team at VitaKey's Durham, NC location. Learn more about our team at www.sae-llc.net and www.VitaKey.com.

Role Summary

Work in a laboratory that provides formulations development and customization expertise utilizing a validated platform technology for encapsulating nutrients. You will serve as a team member on project teams. Projects will be highly interdisciplinary, at the intersection of engineering, biochemistry, materials science, food science and nutrition.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Formulate encapsulated nutrients using various techniques (e.g., emulsion, extrusion, atomization, etc.)
• Characterize and evaluate encapsulated nutrient formulations for oral administration
• Evaluate release of nutrient formulations from a specific matrix in a specific medium
• Work with fellow scientists within the group and with external laboratories, and present ideas and results
• Conduct in vitro stability and release kinetics studies
• Develop reproducible standard operating procedures

Required Qualifications/Experience

• Candidate must have a Bachelor’s of Science with a minimum of 1+ year(s) experience in academia or industry in chemical engineering, pharmaceutical sciences, formulation, biomedical engineering, food science or allied disciplines
• Candidate must have authorization to work for any employer in the US without sponsorship. SAE will not sponsor for this position.
• Experience working with formulations
• Experience working with spray dryers, fluid bed coaters, extruders, or other manufacturing equipment
• Experience working with proteins, polymers, bacteria, and/or lipids
• Experience generating and interpreting experimental data
• Demonstrated record of successfully executing complex projects in a related field
• Entrepreneurial and self-motivated work style
• Excellent cross-disciplinary skills in communicating scientific ideas to non-scientist stakeholders to foster collaboration and deliverable-based teamwork
• Ability to adjust rapidly to changing scientific priorities and technologies

Desired skills/qualifications

• Startup experience is highly valued, but not required.
• Record of industry achievement is a plus

Shee Atika Enterprises, LLC (SAE) maintains an outstanding work environment that includes competitive compensation, outstanding benefits, and challenging work assignments with opportunities for advancement/career growth. To be considered for employment opportunities you must complete an online application.

EEO Statement: SAE is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action-Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or protected veteran status. U.S. Citizenship is required for most positions. SAE is an advocate of preferential hiring and professional development of qualified Shee Atiká Inc and Subsidiary Companies shareholders, their spouses and descendants, and Alaska Natives in accordance with Public Law 93-638.

For further information on our equal opportunity protections as part of the employment process, please see

• http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf
• http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/OFCCP_EEO_Supplement_Final_JRF_QA_508c.pdf

Accessibility
SAE is committed to expanding access to employment for people with disabilities and disabled veterans. If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, and your disability prevents you from applying, please advise what reasonable accommodation SAE can provide to assist you in applying for one of our open positions. You may contact us by sending an email to [email protected] .

Reasonable accommodations are considered on a case-by-case basis. Please note that only those inquiries concerning a request for reasonable accommodation for applying for a specific posted position will be responded to. Requests will be kept confidential and shared strictly on a need-to-know basis.