Research Associate II, Media Development/RMQ
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:
We are seeking a Research Associate II to support our Cell Culture Media (CCM) team. This role will directly support the media development (MD) and Raw Material Qualification (RMQ) workflows. You will be responsible for running experiments to assess the functionality of cell culture media components and formulations to ensure robust manufacturability and functionality. This role will be required to work cross-functionally to support cell culture testing as well as media manufacturing. Our ideal RA II is someone who can work independently to execute experiments in the lab and bring creative suggestions to improve the team’s workflows. We hope to find a researcher with a background in cell culture who constantly seeks out new skills and methods to enhance their knowledge.
Responsibilities include:
- Mammalian cell culture, including thawing, subculturing, freezing, and aseptic execution
- Set up, execute, record, and analyze experiments -- done independently or with minimal guidance from team/project lead
- Perform troubleshooting experiments and assess the scalability of cell culture media components and formulations
- Proficient data collection, management, and interpretation
- Provides input for further experiments based on data and objectives
- Works across traditional and high-throughput cell culture platforms at multiple scales
- Media preparation including liquid hydration and manufacturing of Dry Powder Media (DPM) through milling processes
- Benchtop studies involving the setup and execution of experiments to characterize and qualify raw materials used in cell culture media
About you:
- BS in cell biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, bioengineering or closely related science with 2+ years of research laboratory experience
- Desired: MS with 1+ years of post-graduate research and development experience in the biopharmaceutical or similar industry
- Working knowledge or hands-on experience of cell culture processes
- Competent with Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Word.
- Strong written and oral communication skills
- Comfortable working in a fast-paced, evolving, and cross-functional environment
- Comfortable developing scientific knowledge base by learning new methods from peers, seminars and scientific literature.
- Fosters a team environment collaborating scientifically with team members
- Maintains laboratory notebooks with detailed experimental designs and results, which can be presented at team meetings
Desirable skills:
- Mammalian cell culture, adherent and suspension
- Cell culture media preparation and media formulation
- Understanding of Design of Experiment (DoE) and familiarity with statistical software like JMP, Minitab, R.
Who you’ll work with:
- This role will heavily participate in projects within Cell Culture Media and will collaborate closely with multiple teams within R&D
Key Contributions in First Year:
- Contribute to multiple projects that support the development of cell culture media and processes
- Development and implementation of new processes and assays associated with cell culture media development
Compensation Range: $75,000 - $85,000*
*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
- 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.