We are Arcadia Science. Arcadia is a for-profit biology research and development company founded and led by scientists. Our mission is to transform evolutionary innovations into real-world solutions by openly developing more efficient, replicable, and sustainable ways to leverage the biology of diverse organisms.

This posting is for an open search. At Arcadia, an open search (as opposed to an “active search”) means that we see a need for this role in the organization but without a specific timeline in mind. As such, this process is intentionally open-ended, and promising candidates should expect a dialogue with the organization about scientific opportunities and mutual fit. The needs and expectations described here may evolve as we have these conversations. The timeline of these searches is highly variable. 

Within Arcadia’s new scientific framework, we have two general buckets: dynamic projects and a centralized platform. Projects are fluid efforts that allow us to ask key biological questions. Our platform leverages evolutionary comparisons across diverse species and tool development, which together help us make better hypotheses and test them more efficiently. While the platform shapes projects, projects provide critical test cases for refining the platform. 

We are seeking a project scientist to pitch and lead projects at Arcadia. This scientist will spend the first month or so getting to know the team by contributing their expertise and skills to ongoing projects. Project scientists can then initiate a pilot project on the basis of team synergy and their specific interests. A pilot should make use of Arcadia’s unique expertise and structure and, as such, it should not be a direct continuation of the project scientist’s past or current research. Upon 1–3 months of design and de-risking, we may approve pilots to move to our central platform for organism and tool selection/development. Given that progression to this and other stages of the project life cycle is not guaranteed, scientists excited about pivoting and pitching new pilots are well-suited to this role. We expect to publish at all stages of the research cycle through Arcadia’s research-sharing site.

A successful candidate can expect to be compensated between $125,000–150,000/year with benefits and a highly competitive equity offering, depending on experience level. This is a full-time, on-site position.

Interested candidates should apply using the link below and include a cover letter and a brief response to the following questions (less than 500 words total):

(1) Describe how you identify yourself as a scientist based on your expertise and experience (your scientific superpowers).

(2) Describe the research finding you’re most proud of having contributed to, why it was impactful or interesting, and what your specific contribution to it was.

(3) And finally, explain actions you’ve taken that are aligned with our open science mission.

We will review applications on a rolling basis, and the job will remain open until the position is filled. Note that we are simultaneously launching a scientist-in-residence program that may be appealing to those applying to this opportunity, but is limited to a term of up to one year so that more scientists can come through Arcadia and participate in our organizational experiment. While we are able to transfer candidates between opportunities, please only apply to the most fitting open position based on your career goals.

Arcadia Science is an equal opportunity workplace; we welcome people from all backgrounds and communities. We provide competitive compensation and practical benefits to keep you happy and healthy so that you can do your best work.

Please note that an offer of employment from Arcadia is contingent upon the successful clearance of a reference and background check.