Reports to: VP, Research

Location: Alvin, TX or Ames, IA (with travel to and from)

Travel: Up to 40% (periodic, up to 2 weeks at a time)

Join a Mission-Driven Innovation Team

PowerPollen is transforming global agriculture through breakthrough pollen preservation and utilization technology. We're seeking a senior scientist to lead the advancement of our patented, proprietary pollen management systems that improve crop production, sustainability, and farmer profitability.

The Opportunity

Lead the scientific evolution of PowerPollen's pollen preservation technology from research validation through large-scale field application. You'll combine deep expertise in plant reproductive physiology with hands-on leadership to drive discoveries that enable commercial success.

This role offers:

• • Scientific leadership in breakthrough agricultural technology

• • Opportunity to remain a hands-on principal investigator while building team capabilities

• • Direct impact on sustainable agriculture on a global scale

• • Collaboration with passionate innovators in a growth-stage company

What You'll Do

Scientific Innovation

• • Design and execute rigorous science plans that generate new discoveries and evolve existing PowerPollen knowledge

• • Develop protocols to advance understanding of plant reproductive physiology and pollen preservation

• • Generate and analyze data on pollen-tissue interactions to inform commercial application development

• • Study technical literature and integrate recent scientific advances into PowerPollen's work

• • Identify and implement new research avenues from external sources, personal studies, and team contributions

• • Guide development and scaling of technologies for commercial deployment

• • Provide biological expertise to a team of engineers for the mechanical development of agricultural equipment

People Leadership

• • Manage research personnel across multiple locations and testing sites (laboratory and field)

• • Invest time with employees to advance company goals and foster professional growth

• • Participate in strategic planning, budgeting, safety, quality, and workforce planning

• • Build and maintain relationships with key internal and external stakeholders

• • Transform barriers into opportunities while delivering excellent results

Laboratory & Field Operations

• • Oversee laboratory-based scientific efforts for PowerPollen crop programs

• • Direct experiment planning, planting strategy, and field activity allocation

• • Champion safety protocols and cultivate a safety-first culture

• • Ensure proper execution of field and laboratory protocols by all teams

• • Maintain detailed activity records, reports, and process documentation

• • Coordinate complex projects across teams to optimize resource utilization

Strategic Communication

• • Serve as liaison with internal and external contacts on research objectives

• • Present to leadership on accountability areas, insights, and resolution proposals

• • Compile data analysis and generate technical reports for commercial development support

What You Bring

Required Experience & Education

• • PhD in life sciences with 3-5 years industry experience (or Master's with additional industry experience)

• • Plant physiology, microbiology, or biochemistry background

• • Molecular, metabolic, and biochemical expertise to complement strong field science

• • Working knowledge of cellular biology

• • Published as senior author demonstrating advanced scientific contributions

• • Proven principal investigator experience with desire to remain hands-on

• • Expertise designing statistical protocols for field and laboratory testing

• • Experience with plant cell analytical methods including flow cytometry, mass spectrometry, single cell viability testing, and enzyme activity quantification

Preferred Experience

• •  Cryobiology background (provided other required qualifications are met)

• • Strong laboratory orientation with applied science experience

• • Cell culture and cell viability assessment expertise

• • Knowledge of plant metabolism and pollen composition/longevity

• • Experience isolating, culturing, and freezing cells

Professional Competencies

• • Comfort working in startup or rapidly evolving environments

• • Thrives on a challenging system and desire for technical discoveries

• • Flexibility to work across assigned responsibilities and support colleagues as needed

• • Proficiency in statistics and graphing software for data analysis and presentation

• • Strong organizational skills with ability to multitask, prioritize, and adapt in fast-paced environments

• • Detail-oriented approach to independent work, team collaboration, and external partnerships

• • Proven ability to build positive stakeholder relationships and negotiate mutually beneficial outcomes

• • Knowledge of agricultural practices including field crop management and controlled environment facilities

• • Mechanical aptitude for equipment adjustments and issue identification

• • Ability to build networks that advance company capabilities

• • Excellent written and verbal communication in English (Spanish beneficial)

• • Demonstrated training ability with both technical and non-technical personnel

• • Previous experience managing employees and contracted labor teams

Working Environment

This position operates across varying conditions from controlled laboratory settings to active agricultural fields during growing seasons. Fieldwork involves exposure to extreme heat, humidity, insects, and extended standing or walking periods.

Physical requirements include:

• • Lifting objects up to 50 pounds

• • Walking on uneven terrain

• • Tolerance for heat and humidity during field conditions

• • Extended hours that vary with crop development

• • Periods of computer work and standing at lab facilities

The ideal candidate thrives in both indoor laboratory and outdoor agricultural environments year-round.

Why PowerPollen

• • Lead scientific innovation with real-world impact on global agriculture

• • Work with patented technology that's transforming how crops are pollinated

• • Contribute to sustainable farming practices that improve yields and farmer profitability

• • Remain hands-on as a principal investigator while developing team capabilities

• • Join a mission-driven team solving critical challenges in agricultural production

Work Authorization

This position requires authorization to work in the United States. We are unable to sponsor work visas at this time.

Ready to lead the science behind agricultural transformation? Apply today.

Rice Pollen Technology Development

Location: Alvin, TX or Ames, IA (with travel to and from)

Travel: Up to 50% (periodic, up to 2 weeks at a time)

About PowerPollen

PowerPollen is revolutionizing agriculture through innovative pollen preservation and application technology. Our patented approach is transforming how crops are pollinated at scale, driving improvements in cross-pollination efficiency and accelerating the development of large-scale commercial applications.

The Opportunity

Join our Biology team as we scale PowerPollen's technology for rice pollen programs. You'll bridge research and commercial execution, driving collaboration across teams while advancing the science that makes large-scale field applications possible.

What makes this role exciting:

• • Advance cutting-edge pollen preservation technology from lab to field

• • Work at the intersection of plant reproductive biology and commercial agriculture

• • Lead field operations and manage research teams during critical testing periods

• • Collaborate with internal teams and external partners to solve complex agricultural challenges

What You'll Do

Scientific Leadership

• • Support development of rice pollen and pollination technologies for large-scale deployment

• • Contribute to the design and execution of experiments that advance understanding of pollen-plant tissue interactions

• • Generate, analyze, and synthesize data to inform process enhancements and commercial strategies

• • Develop protocols with external research teams to expand knowledge of plant reproductive physiology

Operations Management

• • Manage research personnel at agricultural testing sites and laboratory crews during commercial execution

• • Oversee lab, growth chamber, and field activities to facilitate technology scaling

• • Maintain safe testing processes with robust control strategies

• • Support program leadership with insights, lessons learned, and resolution proposals

Collaboration & Innovation

• • Partner with internal and external stakeholders to improve efficiency and reliability of commercial activities

• • Contribute to identifying and implementing new research directions

• • Prepare technical reports and methods documentation to support timely commercial application development

What You Bring

Required Qualifications

• • Bachelor's degree in life sciences with minimum 3 years of industry experience (Master's degree may substitute for experience)

• • Demonstrated ability to work independently and within multidisciplinary teams

• • Strong organizational skills with ability to multitask, prioritize, and adapt to meet shifting goals

• • Detail-oriented, data-driven problem solver who sees barriers as opportunities

• • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including ability to train others

• • Capability to build positive relationships with stakeholders and reach mutually beneficial outcomes

Preferred Qualifications

• • Formal training and research experience in breeding or pollination technologies for agricultural crops

• • Skilled in agricultural practices including field crop management and controlled environment facilities

• • Previous experience managing teams and crews, including employees and contract labor

Working Environment

This role operates across diverse environments from controlled laboratory settings to active agricultural fields. Expect to work in outdoor conditions that may include extreme heat, humidity, and insect presence. Physical demands include lifting up to 50 pounds, walking on uneven terrain, and extended periods of standing or walking during peak seasons.

The ideal candidate thrives in both indoor lab conditions and outdoor agricultural settings year-round.

Why PowerPollen

• • Work on technology that's transforming global agriculture

• • Contribute to sustainable farming practices that improve crop yields and farmer profitability

• • Collaborate with passionate scientists and commercial experts

• • Make direct impact on research that scales to real-world agricultural applications

Work Authorization

This position requires authorization to work in the United States. We are unable to sponsor work visas at this time.

Ready to advance agriculture science at scale? Apply today.

Location: Alvin, TX

PowerPollen is developing innovative technology that improves crop productivity and sustainability worldwide. We are seeking a Senior Design Engineer to lead mechanical design efforts supporting prototype development and early field testing of next-generation agricultural systems.

This role combines hands-on engineering design with collaboration across biology, operations, and engineering teams to move new technology from concept to real-world deployment.

What Makes This Role Unique

This role provides the opportunity to work on first-of-its-kind agricultural technology and see designs move from early prototypes into field environments.

You’ll collaborate across engineering, biology, and operations teams to develop equipment systems used directly in crop production.

What You’ll Do

• Lead the design and development of prototype equipment and mechanical systems

• Support engineering innovation from early concepts through field testing

• Create detailed designs, assemblies, and engineering documentation

• Conduct testing, validation, and feasibility analysis for new designs

• Collaborate with engineers, biologists, and equipment partners

• Support fabrication, assembly, and field deployment of equipment systems

• Contribute to design improvements and engineering change processes

What You Bring

• Background in Mechanical, Agricultural, Industrial, or related engineering disciplines

• Experience working in mechanical design, product development, or equipment engineering

• Exposure to machinery, equipment systems, or industrial technologies

• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail

• Ability to collaborate across technical teams and project environments

• Experience working in dynamic engineering environments

• Willingness to travel to support equipment testing and deployment

Helpful Experience

• Agricultural equipment or ag technology environments

• Mechanical design using CAD or 3D modeling tools

• Product development from concept through testing

• Mechanical, hydraulic, or electrical systems development

• Hands-on engineering and prototype testing

Why Engineers Join PowerPollen

PowerPollen engineers work on technology that has real impact on agriculture and global food production.

Our team has the opportunity to:

• Design innovative agricultural equipment and systems

• Work on technology moving from prototype to commercial deployment

• Collaborate with scientists, engineers, and industry partners

• Solve complex challenges at the intersection of engineering and biology

• Help scale technology supporting sustainable crop production worldwide

Why Engineers Join PowerPollen

Engineers at PowerPollen work on technology that directly supports global food production and agricultural sustainability.

Our team has the opportunity to:

• Develop innovative agricultural equipment and systems

• Take ideas from concept and prototype through field deployment

• Collaborate with engineers, scientists, and agricultural partners

• Solve real-world engineering challenges in production agriculture

• Help scale technology that improves crop yields and sustainability worldwide

Working Environment

This position works primarily in a field or fabrication shop setting, with frequent interactions in stationary and mobile labs, outdoor agricultural fields environments, and remote office settings.

Physical requirements include:

The position involves physical activity including lifting objects up to 50 pounds, walking on uneven terrain, ability to tolerate heat and humidity conditions typical of agricultural outdoor field conditions in summer, with extended hours that will vary with crop development in different locales.

Compensation

• Competitive base salary aligned with experience

• Performance-based bonus opportunity

• Comprehensive benefits package

Work Authorization

This position requires authorization to work in the United States. We are unable to sponsor work visas at this time.

This is an opportunity to lead scientific innovation with direct commercial impact in global agriculture.

Ready to lead the science behind agricultural transformation? Apply today!

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $75,000.00 per year

Application Question(s):

• Will you now or in the future require sponsorship for employment visa status?

• Describe your experience translating research into commercial-scale application.

• This role is ideally based in the Houston, TX area. Which best describes your situation?

• I currently live in the Houston area

• I am willing to relocate

• I prefer remote work

• Do you have a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, or a related field?

• How many years of professional experience do you have working in an engineering or technical role?

• Have you worked on the design, development, testing, or support of machinery, equipment systems, or industrial technology?

• Have you participated in engineering projects involving prototype development, equipment systems, or product development?

• Which types of engineering systems have you worked with?

• Mechanical systems

• Hydraulic systems

• Electrical systems

• Industrial equipment or machinery

• Agricultural equipment

• This role requires approximately 40% travel, including field deployments and project support. Are you comfortable with this level of travel?

• Which best describes your experience with hands-on engineering work such as equipment testing, prototype development, or field deployment?

• Extensive hands-on experience

• Some hands-on experience

• Primarily design/analysis work

• Limited hands-on exposure

Work Location: In person

Ready to advance agriculture science at scale? Apply today.

PowerPollen is transforming global agriculture through breakthrough pollen preservation and application technology that improves crop yields, sustainability, and farmer profitability.

We are seeking an Engineering Project Leader to guide the development and deployment of innovative agricultural equipment systems. This role leads engineering initiatives from early prototype through full-scale field deployment, working closely with engineers, scientists, and operations teams to bring new technology into real-world agricultural environments.

What Makes This Role Unique

Unlike traditional engineering roles focused only on design, this position offers the opportunity to see your work move from concept to real-world agricultural deployment.

You’ll collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to develop technology that operates in real farming environments and helps scale solutions that support global food production.

What You’ll Do

• Lead engineering projects from concept through design, fabrication, testing, and production

• Coordinate internal engineers, external partners, fabricators, and vendors

• Manage project scope, schedules, and technical deliverables

• Oversee system design, prototyping, and design validation

• Support equipment installation and testing in agricultural field environments

• Communicate technical updates to leadership and cross-functional stakeholders

• Document engineering results and support product development initiatives

What You Bring

• Background in Mechanical, Electrical, Agricultural, or related engineering disciplines

• Experience working in engineering, product development, or technical project environments

• Exposure to complex equipment, machinery, or industrial systems

• Ability to lead or contribute to cross-functional engineering projects

• Strong problem-solving and troubleshooting skills

• Ability to manage priorities and deliver work in a fast-paced environment

• Excellent communication and collaboration skills

• Willingness to travel up to approximately 40% to support project work and field deployments

Helpful Experience

• Agricultural technology or machinery environments

• Product development from prototype to production

• Working with external vendors, contractors, or fabrication teams

• Mechanical, hydraulic, or electrical system development

• Hands-on equipment development or field testing

Why Engineers Join PowerPollen

Engineers at PowerPollen work on technology that directly supports global food production and agricultural sustainability.

Our team has the opportunity to:

• Develop innovative agricultural equipment and systems

• Take ideas from concept and prototype through field deployment

• Collaborate with engineers, scientists, and agricultural partners

• Solve real-world engineering challenges in production agriculture

• Help scale technology that improves crop yields and sustainability worldwide

Working Environment

This position works primarily in a field or fabrication shop setting, with frequent interactions in stationary and mobile labs, outdoor agricultural fields environments, and remote office settings.

Physical requirements include:

The position involves physical activity including lifting objects up to 50 pounds, walking on uneven terrain, ability to tolerate heat and humidity conditions typical of agricultural outdoor field conditions in summer, with extended hours that will vary with crop development in different locales.

Compensation

• Competitive base salary aligned with experience

• Performance-based bonus opportunity

• Comprehensive benefits package

Work Authorization

This position requires authorization to work in the United States. We are unable to sponsor work visas at this time.

This is an opportunity to lead scientific innovation with direct commercial impact in global agriculture.

Ready to lead the science behind agricultural transformation? Apply today!

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $110,000.00 per year

Application Question(s):

• Will you now or in the future require sponsorship for employment visa status?

• Describe your experience translating research into commercial-scale application.

• This role is ideally based in the Houston, TX area. Which best describes your situation?

• I currently live in the Houston area

• I am willing to relocate

• I prefer remote work

• Do you have a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, or a related field?

• How many years of professional experience do you have working in an engineering or technical role?

• Have you worked on the design, development, testing, or support of machinery, equipment systems, or industrial technology?

• Have you participated in engineering projects involving prototype development, equipment systems, or product development?

• Which types of engineering systems have you worked with?

• Mechanical systems

• Hydraulic systems

• Electrical systems

• Industrial equipment or machinery

• Agricultural equipment

• This role requires approximately 40% travel, including field deployments and project support. Are you comfortable with this level of travel?

• Which best describes your experience with hands-on engineering work such as equipment testing, prototype development, or field deployment?

• Extensive hands-on experience

• Some hands-on experience

• Primarily design/analysis work

• Limited hands-on exposure

Work Location: In person

Ready to advance agriculture science at scale? Apply today.

We are constantly growing and looking for exceptional talent to join our team.

We know that the best people don't always look for a job when a job is looking for them. If you are passionate about agriculture and what we’re doing, we encourage you to submit your application.

Apply today