Vice President Research And Development (Recombinant Protein Platform)

About Loopworm

At Loopworm, we’re on the cusp of a

breakthrough in recombinant protein production

• . Our proprietary platform leverages insects as miniature bio-factories to produce complex recombinant proteins — a sustainable and cost-efficient alternative to conventional cell culture systems. Our mission : to redefine protein manufacturing for health, nutrition, and biotech industries globally.

We are looking for a seasoned industrial R&D professional to lead and scale our recombinant protein production R&D efforts, reporting directly to the Board and managing a

20-member team

across five specialised verticals :

Molecular Biology & Genetics

Upstream Process Optimisation

Downstream Process Optimisation

QA / QC & Assays

Intellectual Property

Key Responsibilities

Lead, mentor, and manage a cross-functional R&D team of scientists, setting clear

KPIs

and ensuring milestone achievement.

Develop & execute

R&D strategy

, timelines, and budgets for recombinant protein projects.

Ensure smooth collaboration between vertical teams to accelerate tech development.

Drive

process optimisation

from gene to purified protein, ensuring scalability and quality.

Partner with the IP team to

protect innovations through global patent filings

Establish and refine

R&D processes

in line with international best practices.

Oversee hiring within R&D to build high-performing teams.

Present technical updates to leadership, partners, and stakeholders.

What We’re Looking For

PhD

in Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Bioprocess Engineering, or related field.

Hands-on experience

in project management within recombinant protein platforms —

Insect Cells

or

Mammalian Cell

systems.

Core expertise

in

Molecular Biology / Genetics

or

Downstream Processing

(must have deep technical skills in at least one).

Strong understanding of all R&D verticals in the protein production pipeline.

Proven track record in

team leadership

strategic planning

, and

meeting R&D timelines

Hiring and team development experience within R&D.

Experience with

IP strategy

and working alongside patent attorneys.

Excellent

communication, analytical, and critical thinking skills

Preferred Tools & Software Proficiency

(Experience in equivalent tools is equally valued)

Molecular Biology & Bioinformatics

– e.g.,

SnapGene

Vector NTI

Benchling

, or similar platforms for construct design, cloning strategy, and sequence analysis.

Data Analysis & Statistical Tools

– e.g.,

GraphPad Prism

Python

, or equivalent software for experimental data analysis and modelling.

Process Development & Simulation

– familiarity with

SuperPro Designer

BioSolve

, or similar tools for process optimisation and cost modelling.

Quality Management & Documentation

– e.g.,

LIMS

platforms (Benchling LIMS, LabWare) or equivalent systems for lab data management and traceability.

Protein Structure & Modelling

– e.g.,

PyMOL

SwissSidechain

AlphaFold

, or similar tools for protein structure analysis and visualisation.

Project Management

– e.g.,

Microsoft Project

Asana

Monday.com

, or other workflow planning and milestone tracking tools.

IP Management

– familiarity with patent search and management databases such as

Orbit

PatSnap

WIPO Patentscope

, or similar.

Why Join Us?

Be part of an

India-first platform

redefining how recombinant proteins are made.

Lead a team at the forefront of

biotech innovation

Shape the future of sustainable protein production with global impact.

Work in a

fast-paced, VC-backed

startup environment where your ideas directly shape outcomes.