#192 [Genome Construction company] Scientist～Principal Scientist(iPS cells × scaling up)

Company Overview

As a biotechnology company, they develop and provide a unique large-scale genome construction platform.

While traditional genome editing involves “partially rewriting” specific genes, their platform is characterized by the ability to “design and reconstruct” extremely wide genome regions with high precision on a megabase (one million base pairs) scale. This allows them to grant cells and microorganisms sophisticated new functions that were previously impossible.

[Main Business Areas and Use Cases]

• Regenerative Medicine and Cell Therapy: They design and modify iPS cell genomes on a large scale to develop “Master Cell Lines” with controlled rejection, providing a foundation for next-generation cell therapeutics and safer, high-performance transplant medicine.

• Bio-manufacturing (Synthetic Biology): They provide solutions to optimize industrial microorganisms (bacteria, yeast, etc.) to produce pharmaceutical raw materials, sustainable biofuels, and high-function materials cleanly and efficiently.

[Strengths and Outlook]

• Global Technological Superiority: They possess world-class scientific expertise, including being the only Japanese participant in the International Yeast Genome Project “Sc2.0” and a key member of the international genome writing consortium “GP-write.”

• Universal OS for Cells: They aim to become a “universal operating system (OS)” for cell engineering.

• Rapid Growth: In July 2025, they raised 2.8 billion yen in Series A funding. They have also initiated joint research with leading US biotech companies and universities, accelerating their global expansion.

• Their headquarters are located in San Carlos, California (Silicon Valley), and they are accelerating their U.S. operations. Even while based in Japan, you can always work directly connected to the U.S. ecosystem and market.

Job Description

• Development and optimization of differentiation induction technology: Creating cell-based therapies by establishing multifunctional iPS cells through large-scale genetic modification and then differentiating them into target cells (pancreatic islet cells, hepatocytes, immune cells, etc.)
• Establishment of manufacturing processes (bioprocessing), large-scale culture development for commercial manufacturing, and establishment of analytical methods (including quantitative evaluation of cell characteristics)
• Responding to regulatory review
• Collaboration with external partners

Requirements

・PhD holders or Master’s degree holders with at least 3 years of practical experience in biopharmaceutical development
・Experience in scale-up (large-scale culture) process development
・Experience in cell characterization evaluation
・Collaborative individuals
・Interested in creating new industries using cutting-edge genome engineering technologies

Preferred Requirements

・ Experience in maintenance culture of human iPS/ES cells/MSCs and differentiation induction experiments into target cells.
・ Experience in suspension culture and scale-up manufacturing using bioreactors (single-use, agitated tank type, etc.).
・ Experience in CMC (Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Quality Control) development, or knowledge of cell manufacturing under GCTP/GMP standards.
・ Business-level English proficiency (international meetings, paper writing, document creation).
・ Experience in dealing with regulatory authorities and providing face-to-face advice.

Terms and Conditions

• Annual Salary: 6 – 13 million JPY 

• Bonus: None

• Salary Increase: Once a year

• Probation Period: 6 months

• Location: Kanagawa

• Social Insurance: Fully covered

• Working Hours: Based on 9:00-18:00 (left to the individual’s discretion)

• Holidays: Saturdays, Sundays, and National Holidays

• Average Overtime: Discretionary labor system

• Smoking Cessation Measures: Non-smoking indoors

Selection Process

• Selection Flow: They conduct 2–3 interviews followed by a reference check.

• Required Documents: They require a resume and a curriculum vitae (CV) for the initial screening.

• Interview Language: Their interviews can be conducted in either Japanese or English.