Biotech Quality Control (QC) Technician
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1 Vacancy
Job Summary
Ready to make every microliter count Were looking for a detail-oriented QC Technician to ensure our products are as impactful as the mission behind them.
Changing the worldone fruit fly at a time.
Weve developed a novel insect-based expression platform to enable bio-products across humanitys most critical verticals.
Were unleashing the next biorevolution.
At Future Fields we are continually learning and evolving. We know we dont have all the answers but we try to ask all the questions. We believe in failing forward and leveraging our mistakes to help us grow. We never want our team to feel constrained by the status quo and we dont judge ideas based on where they come from. We actively work to foster a culture of collaboration innovation and psychological safety through transparency structure and open communication. We know it sounds cliché but every employee really is a valued and equal member of the Future Fields team.
Come find your purpose with Future Fields.
We are a rapidly growing venture-backed startup (with support from awesome investors including Bee Partners Y Combinator BDC Climate Tech R7 Partners Toyota Ventures and Amplify Capital). Weve even had a shoutout from Ironman himself! Joining our team now means youll have the opportunity to shape our culture and products to lead others and to influence the direction of our company. Perhaps most importantly youll be joining a team that is genuinely energized by this work and the meaningful potential of biotech to change the world.
About the role
Reporting to the QC Lead the QC Technician is a vital guardian of our product this role you will be a hands-on enabler of our quality function ensuring that every product we create meets the high standards our mission demands. As a trusted driver within the lab you will work independently on familiar tasks and troubleshoot challenges to keep our workflows moving. You will collaborate closely with the QC team Process Development (CDMO) and MSAT to provide the accurate timely and well-documented results that inform our most critical process decisions.
This role will own:
- Routine QC Testing: Executing protein and DNA analytical methods (SDS-PAGE Western Blot concentration PCR) accurately and on time to drive department-level projects.
- Documentation Excellence: Maintaining clear complete and compliant documentation ensuring all work is traceable and meets our high standards for data integrity.
- Laboratory Readiness: Ensuring sample reagent and lab readiness so that testing can proceed without bottlenecks.
- Quality Vigilance: Identifying communicating and escalating quality issues or atypical results promptly to the QC Lead.
- Flexible Support: Providing manufacturing coverage (outside of regular business hours at times) and supporting R&D activities as needed to ensure collective team success.
This role will assist by:
- Cross-functional Collaboration: Supporting Process Development and MSAT with data generation and sample testing.
- System Improvements: Proactively identifying gaps in lab processes and suggesting solution-focused fixes.
- Knowledge Sharing: Documenting decisions and troubleshooting steps so the broader team can learn and adapt.
This role requires a high degree of technical discipline and a commitment to moving with intentionality. You arent just checking boxes you are ensuring the viability of a platform that aims to better the lives of a billion people. Success here means being the person the team trusts implicitly - someone who prioritizes meaningful progress over mere activity understanding that the quickest path forward is one built on accuracy and thoughtful execution. You recognize that in a scientific environment an unexpected result is never a waste of time as long as the data is captured shared and used to fuel our next iteration.
About you
You are a detail-oriented scientist who finds satisfaction in the precision of a perfect pipette pull and the clarity of a well-organized lab bench. You are proactive and resilient; when you spot an obstacle you dont just stop - you look for a path forward or bring in the right expertise to solve it. You thrive in the fast-paced environment of a scaling startup and are motivated by the opportunity to turn technical concepts into tangible world-changing products.
Must-haves
- Technical Precision: Excellent pipetting accuracy and rigorous wet-lab discipline.
- Analytical Experience: Strong hands-on execution of routine protein and DNA methods (SDS-PAGE WB concentration PCR).
- SOP Adherence: Proven ability to follow complex procedures exactly and document work in a traceable compliant manner.
- Biological Handling: Experience handling biological samples and maintaining strict sample traceability.
- Communication: Ability to provide direct honest and kind feedback while working within a collaborative team.
Bonus points
- Specialized Expertise: Experience with mammalian cell culture handling.
- Operational Insight: Familiarity with QC-level data handling and attention to detail in a regulated environment.
- Adaptability: Experience working in a rapidly shifting startup or commercial biotech environment.
Your future (with Future Fields)
This roadmap outlines the impact youll make as you grow with us. Well use this as a guide for your first year knowing that in a fast-paced environment well adapt and evolve these goals together.
Within 1 month you will:
- Onboard & Integrate: Complete training on QC workflows lab systems and documentation standards.
- Establish Core Skills: Demonstrate mastery of pipetting accuracy and core routine assays (SDS-PAGE Western Blot).
- Contribute to Throughput: Begin taking ownership of routine straightforward QC tasks to ensure consistent turnaround times and support the immediate data needs of the quality team.
Within 3 months you will:
- Become a Dependable Driver: Reliably execute routine assays on schedule with minimal documentation corrections.
- Expand Capabilities: Develop familiarity with molecular biology (PCR) and mammalian cell culture workflows.
- Communicate with Candor: Identify and escalate deviations or atypical results early and effectively.
Within 6 months you will:
- Own Your Domain: Independently manage recurring QC testing with minimal oversight significantly increasing team throughput.
- Drive Quality Readiness: Maintain organized reagent and sample flows reducing bottlenecks for core activities.
- Bridging Gaps: Expand your hands-on support in molecular and cell biology to strengthen the teams current capabilities.
Within 1 year you will:
- Sustain the Engine: Act as a trusted owner of routine QC workflows enabling leadership to focus on scaling and method development.
- Strategic Partner: Serve as a reliable cross-functional partner for CDMO and MSAT ensuring consistent data output.
- Professional Mastery: Demonstrate functional independence and a reputation for high-standard iteration-driven excellence.
About our team
Our story and approach to science are anything but conventional. Matt (co-founder/CEO) was a touring punk rock musician who dropped out of University before returning to complete his PhD in cell biology. Jalene (co-founder/COO) is a social researcher by training previously working on issues from the right to affordable housing to harm reduction. The spark of an idea for our technology came while waiting in line for tiny Canadian donuts. Our broader team of scientists engineers circus performers restaurateurs dancers music aficionados kid parents pet parents cyclists and artists hail from every corner of the world - from small town Alberta to Poland India Vietnam and Pakistan. We credit our diverse team and experiences as the key to our success - and we encourage candidates of all identities and backgrounds to apply.
FAQs
Where is Future Fields located
Our headquarters and production facility are located in downtown Edmonton Alberta in a renovated historic warehouse. From the exposed brick to our summer patio - its not your average lab space. It is central close to transit and bike lanes and walking distance to some of the citys best coffee shops restaurants and Edmontons incredible river valley.
I dont live in Edmonton. Why would I want to relocate there
Because its great! Edmonton is a young vibrant city that punches way above its weight. We are one of Canadas sunniest cities and offer an unmatched quality of life with a low cost of living. Were home to North Americas largest urban parkland (the River Valley is a playground for cyclists and runners) a festival scene that runs year-round a rapidly growing tech and biotech ecosystem and were exploding with award-winning independent restaurants. Its a place where you can build a career and a life - without the big-city price tag.
Any other perks
Many! Some include: comprehensive health dental and vision benefits; flexible paid time off policy; and the office is always stocked with snacks and all the coffee you can drink.
Will I like working for a startup
Great question. Startup life is definitely not for everyone. We move quickly. Projects and priorities shift fast. There is a lot of ambiguity and uncertainty at times and were not immune to the growing pains of a rapidly scaling startup. The risk is high but so is the reward. We promise you will never get bored. You will have fun and learn a lot. You will grow personally and professionally in ways you never imagined (alongside our company). You will be part of something much bigger than yourself and contribute directly to the mission of a team who cares deeply about changing the world for the better. Oh and equity!
Sound like something you are interested in Here are the next steps:
Apply online using our job portal.
Application deadline: This role will remain open until a suitable candidate is found.
If it seems like a good fit next steps will look somewhat like this:
- We will contact you for a casual 30-minute video call.
- We will set up an interview to dive into your technical skills and motivation.
- Well arrange another interview to figure out how you fit with our team and culture and better understand your career trajectory.
- We will set up a coffee chat with you and a team member. This is your chance to dig in and find out what its really like to work for Future Fields. This is for you!
- We will speak with two of your references to confirm our assumption that you are in fact our next great hire.
- We offer you a job!
We are committed to building a diverse team and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We welcome and encourage applications from all qualified individuals including those with disabilities and candidates from all backgrounds and identities. Please note that for this specific position we are unable to provide sponsorship for work authorization; candidates must currently be legally authorized to work in Canada.
Required Experience:
IC
About Company
We use fruit flies to make Earth's most sustainable recombinant proteins.
