Junior Microbiology Engineer - Spore Labs

Junior Microbiology Engineer - Spore Labs About Us Spore.Bio is a deeptech startup founded in 2023 that is redefining microbiological quality control in pharmaceutical, food & beverage, and cosmetics manufacturing. Where Spore.Bio deploys biophotonic and deep-learning technology on factory floors, Spore.Labs takes Spore.Bio 's core technology into new territory: from AMR detection to microbiome research and beyond. We are building our microbiology laboratory from the ground up and are looking for someone ready to take real ownership, shape how we work, and grow alongside the department they help build. About the Role This is the first junior hire at Spore.Labs. The role starts at bench level, with scope to grow progressively: as protocols are mastered, the role will require taking on greater experimental ownership, contribute to protocol development, and work more independently across workstreams. Your work directly feeds a diagnostic platform with real clinical and commercial relevance, in a highly collaborative, multidisciplinary environment. Sample processing and biobanking The core responsibility of this role is the rigorous handling of incoming clinical and research-grade samples: purity isolation across selective and non-selective media, colony picking, re-passaging, and morphological assessment, with full traceability at every step. You will prepare and manage glycerol stocks entering the biobank, including culture, suspension preparation, aliquoting, controlled freezing, and database cataloguing. You will support intake workflows for batches of samples arriving in varied formats and transport conditions, executing pre-processing steps (centrifugation, filtration, resuspension, dilution) per protocol and flagging deviations before proceeding. Experimental execution You will execute the experimental workflows that feed the laboratory's analytical platform: setting up and reading broth microdilution plates for MIC determination, preparing bacterial suspensions for acquisition on the Spore.Labs system, carrying out nucleic acid extractions and preparing sequencing shipments, and running antibiotic stress and growth condition experiments with defined kinetic sampling. This includes culturing a range of organisms requiring different conditions, including fastidious species and those requiring non-standard atmosphere or media, following established SOPs and flagging when expected growth is not observed. Laboratory operations and development Day-to-day responsibilities include tracking consumable stock levels, triggering replenishment, managing autoclave cycles and routine equipment maintenance, preparing culture media, and maintaining health and safety compliance. As proficiency develops across core workflows, responsibilities will expand to include contributions to SOP development, experimental design discussions, and independent management of defined sub-workstreams. About You We value curiosity, initiative, and a willingness to learn. Not every box needs to be ticked to apply; we are recruiting for trajectory as much as for current skills. Strong motivation to work at the interface of biology, optics, and AI in a multidisciplinary deeptech environment is a genuine plus. Academic background: A diplôme d'ingénieur, Master's degree, or PhD in microbiology, biotechnology, infectious diseases, or a closely related discipline. For engineering graduates, a significant applied internship or alternance is expected. For Master's graduates, a hands-on M2 in a research or applied setting is required. For PhD holders, prior experience outside academia is a strong plus. Technical skills: A minimum of 1 to 2 years of proven hands-on laboratory experience in a microbiology setting, including significant internship, alternance, or equivalent placement in an applied or industrial context. Confident with core techniques: aseptic culture, subculturing, media preparation, plate reading, and standard laboratory equipment. Experience with 96-well plates, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, or clinical sample pre-processing is a strong plus. Applied sample handling: Exposure to handling samples from complex or sensitive matrices (clinical, cosmetic research, environmental). Comfort following protocols designed for variable sample types and flagging deviations. Rigour and organisation: Works cleanly, documents systematically, and understands that traceability in applied microbiology is a scientific requirement, not an administrative task. Reliability and autonomy: Able to organise their working day independently once protocols are established, anticipate scheduling constraints (growth times, incubation windows, batching), and communicate proactively when something falls outside expected parameters. Team mindset: Comfortable contributing across tasks in a small laboratory environment. Clear written and verbal communication in English. Why Join Us? Be part of a core interdisciplinary team driving the development of a disruptive diagnostic technology with real global health impact Work at the frontier of microbiology, advanced optics, and machine learning in a team where scientific rigour is the default Process real clinical and research samples that feed a concrete diagnostic platform from an early career stage Genuine room to grow: as the laboratory scales, responsibility and independence scale with it, in a permanent position (CDI) in Paris Recruitment Process 30-min introductory call with a team member 45-minute technical interview with the Lead Microbiologist and/or Senior Microbiology Engineer, including discussion of the tech case Lab visit Exchange with the Founders Department Spore.Labs Locations Paris Remote status Hybrid Employment type Full-time