microTERRA is a Mexican biotech startup developing a sustainable, scalable and affordable plant-based protein. We are growing lemna out of the unused space of inland fish farms, to upcycle the nutrients coming from fish manure into a high-value protein concentrate generating a financial incentive for them to adopt sustainable wastewater treatment practices. We started the company in 2018, developed a patented microalgae system and raised 325,000 usd in grants, prizes and a first investment from Techstarts &amp; The Nature Conservancy. After challenging our solution with 120+ experts, we pivoted and came up with a new business model, described up there. We rapidly set up an MVP and raised a pre-seed round from Indiebio and a few angel investors and are now moving to the proof-of-concept phase. The organization is looking for an R&amp;D Director, reporting directly to the CEO, to lead the lemna product development process, aligned with the business strategy and the lemna cultivation constraints, scale up its production capacity and position microTERRA as a leading plant-based speciality ingredient producer.
Roles and responsibilities
<ul>
<li>Short term (Pre seed round)
<ul>
<li>Benchmark downstream processes and costs for green protein concentration and extraction</li>
<li>Create roadmaps for the lemna protein product development, starting with MVP phase and further on scale up phase</li>
<li>Elaborate technical Data Sheet for the Lemna Product</li>
<li>Validate that our lemna cultivation process in the farm allows to generate a high-end product without altering its nutritional properties, its naturalization nor its functionality</li>
<li>Participate in microTERRA's business strategy, leading the product development vision from a scientific perspective and in partnership with the business development and the lemna production growth process.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Mid term (post seed round)
<ul>
<li>Develop the production processes for the lemna protein product out of lemna cultivated in microTERRA's fish farms</li>
<li>Research in protein concentration and extraction from green plants applied to the feed and food industry</li>
<li>Create and lead the research &amp; development team</li>
<li>Manage the R&amp;D budget and report results and KPIs to the CEO</li>
<li>Participate in and nurture microTERRA's company culture along with the other C-level team members</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
Skill and abilities
<ul>
<li>MSc. in Food science engineering (PhD preferred, MSc. accepted) and specialized in green protein extraction and isolation</li>
<li>At least 5 years experience in high demanding professional environments, either agrocorporations, biotech/food tech startups or R&amp;D projects</li>
<li>C-level previous experience preferred&nbsp;</li>
<li>Specific experience in the development and scale up of new plant-based ingredients for the feed and food industry</li>
<li>Track record of leading projects and developing relationships with internal or external manufacturing operations</li>
<li>Familiarity with regulatory requirements for manufacturing feed and food ingredients.</li>
<li>Interest and basic experience in the plant-based industry and the potential of plant-based proteins sources</li>
<li>Interest in the food-water nexus and the sustainability challenges faced the food and ag-industry</li>
<li>Excellent oral communication and writing in spanish and english</li>
<li>Naturally curious and proactive, you are a real team player and are looking for collective opportunities to create something big in terms of impact</li>
<li>Eager to participate in the development of a sustainable innovation to transform our food system and protect our waterways</li>
<li>Results orientated with a drive to succeed.</li>
</ul>
Offer
<ul>
<li>Workable days: from Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm with flexibility.</li>
<li>Remote work as long as Covid-19 crisis restrains office work and traveling, but with the perspective of getting back to a hybrid way of working between remote and office work in Mexico City (to be defined depending on your present residence).</li>
<li>Salary: negotiable upon experience and credentials</li>
<li>Shares: vested stock options offer upon completion of a 3 months-trial and the closure of the seed round of funding</li>
<li>Benefits: Mexican legal benefit package and 30 days of paid holidays</li>
<li>Joining a passionate team, committed to solving the water crisis by developing innovative circular solutions to treat aquaculture wastewater</li>
</ul>
Apply by sending at <a href="mailto:founders@microterra.com.mx">founders@microterra.com.mx</a>&nbsp;your CV and a letter telling us about you and why you're interested in joining microTERRA's management team. We want to know you! So don't hesitate in telling us honestly about your experience.

Our mission is to use biotechnology as a tool to create circular economy solutions for water with a high economical and ecological impact.
We develop, sell and install systems to clean wastewater using microalgae to absorb the excess nutrients and transform them into valuable bio-product.
Our vision is to empower every farmer to become part of a fully circular agro-industry preserving our resources and the environment in order to benefit people and the planet.

Chief of Product

microTERRA is a Mexican biotech startup developing a sustainable, scalable and affordable plant-based protein. We are growing lemna out of the unused space of inland fish farms, to upcycle the nutrients coming from fish manure into a high-value protein concentrate generating a financial incentive for them to adopt sustainable wastewater treatment practices. We started the company in 2018, developed a patented microalgae system and raised 325,000 usd in grants, prizes and a first investment from Techstarts &amp; The Nature Conservancy. After challenging our solution with 120+ experts, we pivoted and came up with a new business model, described up there. We rapidly set up an MVP and raised a pre-seed round from Indiebio and a few angel investors and are now moving to the proof-of-concept phase. The organization is looking for an R&amp;D Director, reporting directly to the CEO, to lead the lemna product development process, aligned with the business strategy and the lemna cultivation constraints, scale up its production capacity and position microTERRA as a leading plant-based speciality ingredient producer.
Roles and responsibilities
<ul>
<li>Short term (Pre seed round)
<ul>
<li>Benchmark downstream processes and costs for green protein concentration and extraction</li>
<li>Create roadmaps for the lemna protein product development, starting with MVP phase and further on scale up phase</li>
<li>Elaborate technical Data Sheet for the Lemna Product</li>
<li>Validate that our lemna cultivation process in the farm allows to generate a high-end product without altering its nutritional properties, its naturalization nor its functionality</li>
<li>Participate in microTERRA's business strategy, leading the product development vision from a scientific perspective and in partnership with the business development and the lemna production growth process.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Mid term (post seed round)
<ul>
<li>Develop the production processes for the lemna protein product out of lemna cultivated in microTERRA's fish farms</li>
<li>Research in protein concentration and extraction from green plants applied to the feed and food industry</li>
<li>Create and lead the research &amp; development team</li>
<li>Manage the R&amp;D budget and report results and KPIs to the CEO</li>
<li>Participate in and nurture microTERRA's company culture along with the other C-level team members</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
Skill and abilities
<ul>
<li>MSc. in Food science engineering (PhD preferred, MSc. accepted) and specialized in green protein extraction and isolation</li>
<li>At least 5 years experience in high demanding professional environments, either agrocorporations, biotech/food tech startups or R&amp;D projects</li>
<li>C-level previous experience preferred&nbsp;</li>
<li>Specific experience in the development and scale up of new plant-based ingredients for the feed and food industry</li>
<li>Track record of leading projects and developing relationships with internal or external manufacturing operations</li>
<li>Familiarity with regulatory requirements for manufacturing feed and food ingredients.</li>
<li>Interest and basic experience in the plant-based industry and the potential of plant-based proteins sources</li>
<li>Interest in the food-water nexus and the sustainability challenges faced the food and ag-industry</li>
<li>Excellent oral communication and writing in spanish and english</li>
<li>Naturally curious and proactive, you are a real team player and are looking for collective opportunities to create something big in terms of impact</li>
<li>Eager to participate in the development of a sustainable innovation to transform our food system and protect our waterways</li>
<li>Results orientated with a drive to succeed.</li>
</ul>
Offer
<ul>
<li>Workable days: from Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm with flexibility.</li>
<li>Remote work as long as Covid-19 crisis restrains office work and traveling, but with the perspective of getting back to a hybrid way of working between remote and office work in Mexico City (to be defined depending on your present residence).</li>
<li>Salary: negotiable upon experience and credentials</li>
<li>Shares: vested stock options offer upon completion of a 3 months-trial and the closure of the seed round of funding</li>
<li>Benefits: Mexican legal benefit package and 30 days of paid holidays</li>
<li>Joining a passionate team, committed to solving the water crisis by developing innovative circular solutions to treat aquaculture wastewater</li>
</ul>
Apply by sending at <a href="mailto:founders@microterra.com.mx">founders@microterra.com.mx</a>&nbsp;your CV and a letter telling us about you and why you're interested in joining microTERRA's management team. We want to know you! So don't hesitate in telling us honestly about your experience.

Chief of Product

About the Job

About the Company

microTERRA