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Scientist – Biomaterial Engineering
Full-time (minimum 80%) · On-site (with limited hybrid flexibility)
 
About Mirai International AG
We are an impact-focused, innovative, and ambitious food technology startup developing real meat - cultivated directly from animal cells. Our mission is to provide delicious, high-quality cultivated meat at a fair price. Better for people, animals, and the planet. Would you like to join our mission and work at the forefront of biomaterials and cellular agriculture?
We are looking for a scientist who enjoys solving difficult technical problems and turning scientific ideas into working technologies. This role is particularly suited to someone who takes ownership of their work, enjoys hands-on laboratory work, and is motivated by seeing their work move rapidly from concept to prototype and ultimately toward scalable production.
 
Role Overview
You will lead and own key workstreams in biomaterials and scaffold development. You will engineer biomaterial and hydrogel systems with controlled architecture, mechanical properties, degradation behavior, surface chemistry, and cell-interactive properties. The role requires you to connect materials science with biology and product performance: from polymer chemistry and scaffold microstructure to cell behavior, and on to the texture, structure, and cooking performance required for cultivated steak.
You will be expected to independently define scientific problems, develop hypotheses, design experiments, identify failure mechanisms, propose innovative solutions, and drive technologies from concept → prototype → validation → scalable manufacturing process.
 
Key Responsibilities
Identify novel food-safe biomaterials, combine and functionalize them to attain desired properties.
Modify and functionalize hydrogels and scaffold materials to control cell adhesion, bioactivity, charge, hydrophilicity, ligand presentation, crosslinking density, and degradation.
Design and optimize crosslinking strategies while understanding how crosslinking influences both biological performance and material functionality.
Actively contribute to Mirai's scientific strategy by proposing novel technologies, experimental approaches, and forging collaborations to execute the projects to conclusion.
Critically interpret results, identify failure modes, and propose clear next steps.
Maintain high-quality documentation: lab notebooks, SOPs, protocols, and formulations.
Contribute to method development and lab infrastructure, including evaluation of new equipment and analytical methods.
 
We are looking for:
MSc or PhD in Tissue Engineering, Biomaterials, Biomedical Engineering, Materials Science, Polymer Science, Bioengineering, Chemical Engineering, Food Technology, or a related discipline.
Strong theoretical knowledge and substantial hands-on experience in biomaterials, hydrogels, and/or scaffold development. Strong understanding of polymer networks, crosslinking mechanisms, hydrogel chemistry, and biomaterial characterization.
Experience with ligand immobilization, surface modification, or controlled polymer functionalization.
Thorough understanding of texture analysis, rheological measurements, and translating the results to improve the product properties.
Highly independent, proactive, comfortable with ambiguity, and takes ownership.
Comfortable operating in areas where there may be no established protocol or obvious literature solution.
Scientifically rigorous while sufficiently pragmatic to make development decisions and maintain momentum. Comfortable in challenging assumptions and being challenged, with decisions ultimately driven by experimental evidence.
Excellent problem-solving skills and a bias towards experimenting, learning, and iterating.
Someone who makes the team stronger by asking good questions, sharing knowledge, challenging scientific thinking, proposing solutions, and helping colleagues succeed.
Clear written and spoken communication in English (German is a plus).
 
What We Offer
A culture that encourages curiosity, experimentation, constructive challenge, and ambitious scientific thinking.
Scientific freedom to develop and test your own hypotheses, explore unconventional ideas, and translate them into technologies for high-quality products.
Ahigh-autonomy, high-responsibility role in a small, innovative team.
Direct access to decision-makers; your data will influence product and strategy. A chance to help build today’s ambitious startup into tomorrow’s market leader.
Competitive salary and flexible working hours, with room to grow as we scale.
 
How to Apply
If you recognize yourself in this role and can demonstrate the required experience, please send:
CV and a short motivation letter describing at least one project where you engineered biomaterials, how the project progressed from conception to conclusion, highlighting the setbacks, pivoting situations, and what you personally contributed
Any supporting material (e.g. thesis, publication, patent, portfolio, or concise project summary)