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Career | Research Associate II | Upside Foods

Research Associate II

Upside Foods

Emeryville, CA, US

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Job Type: Full-Time
Function: Research Sci/Assoc/Mgr
Industry: Consumer
Post Date: 02/24/2026
Website: www.upsidefoods.com
Company Address: 804 Heinz Ave, Berkeley, California 94710, US

About Upside Foods

At UPSIDE Foods (formerly known as Memphis Meats), we're making your favorite food a force for good.

Job Description

Based in Berkeley, CA, UPSIDE Foods grows meat, poultry, and seafood directly from real animal cells. These products are not vegan or vegetarian—they are delicious meat, made without the need to raise and slaughter billions of animals. In doing so, the company aims to address some of the most pressing environmental, animal welfare, and public health challenges, while still giving people the meat they love.

Founded as the world’s first cultivated meat company in 2015, UPSIDE Foods (formerly Memphis Meats) has achieved numerous industry-defining milestones, including being the first company to produce multiple species of meat (beef, chicken, and duck) and to sell a cultivated meat product in the United States. The company believes that people shouldn’t have to choose between the foods they love and a thriving planet, and is working to build a better food system with access to delicious, humane, and sustainable meat, poultry, and seafood.

UPSIDE Foods has won various industry awards, including New York Times’ Good Tech Awards, FastCo’s Next Big Thing in Tech and World Changing Ideas Awards, and the Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in the Nation by the National Association for Business Resources. UPSIDE Foods has raised a total of $608 million, including from the Abu Dhabi Growth Fund (ADG), Baillie Gifford, Bill Gates, Cargill, John Doerr, John Mackey, Kimbal and Christiana Musk, Norwest, Richard Branson, Softbank, Temasek, Threshold, Tyson Foods, and others.

About this job:

This Research Associate II will support bioprocess development activities that enable scale-relevant cell culture characterization. This role will focus on building, operating, and continuously improving automated and high-throughput suspension cell culture workflows, as well as executing experiments in controlled bench-scale bioreactors.

This is a hands-on, laboratory-based role requiring daily experimental execution, data analysis, and clear communication of results. The Research Associate II is expected to independently run experiments, troubleshoot technical issues, and apply critical thinking to interpret data and propose next steps. Success in this role requires strong organizational skills, adaptability in a fast-paced environment, and effective collaboration with cross-functional partners to translate experimental insights into broader R&D and manufacturing decisions.

Responsibilities include:

Upstream Process Development and Cell Culture Execution

Execute suspension cell culture experiments in bench-scale bioreactors to generate process data.
Perform routine cell culture assays and support process optimization and robustness studies.

Experimental Design, Data Analysis, and Reporting

Design experiments, collect and analyze data using statistical and visualization tools, and document results. Present findings and recommendations in team and cross-functional meetings.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Partner with Cell Line Development, Media Development, Manufacturing Science and Technology (MSAT), Manufacturing, and Food R&D teams to support cross-functional data generation and product understanding.

About you:

B.S. in relevant scientific/technical area with 2+ years of relevant work experience, A.S. in relevant scientific/technical area with 4+ years of relevant work experience, OR M.S. in relevant scientific/technical area.
Hands-on experience with mammalian cell culture processes is required; experience with suspension cell culture in controlled bioreactor systems is strongly preferred.
Demonstrated proficiency in experimental design, statistical analysis (e.g., JMP), and data visualization or reporting tools (e.g., Tableau or equivalent).
Strong background in experimental data analysis, interpretation, and technical documentation.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present and discuss experimental results clearly and effectively.
Comfortable working in a fast-paced and cross-functional environment.

Who you’ll work with:

This role is part of the Process Development team and collaborates closely with Cell Line Development, Media Development, MSAT, Manufacturing, Engineering, and Food R&D teams to understand how process and culture parameters impact the final food product.

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.