Applied Mycologist
We are looking for an applied scientist who loves solving complex biological problems and wants to turn lab success into real, commercial production.
- Work on problems no one has solved before and shape our scale-up pathway
- Use your mycology or microbiology expertise to improve consistency and yield
- Join a small, ambitious team where your work has immediate, visible impact
Help Us Scale Next-Generation Mycelium Materials
Mushroom Material is on a mission to replace polystyrene with sustainable, mycelium-based packaging. Our product works and the pilot line is running. The next step is solving scale, consistency and commercial readiness.
We are looking for an Applied Mycologist or Senior Mycologist with strong microbiology or fungal biology experience who can take something that works in the lab and make it work reliably at scale. This is a hands-on role where you will troubleshoot, experiment, optimise and play a critical part in our growth.
If you enjoy complex problems, learning fast and building something new, this is the place for you.
This role can be Auckland or Singapore based.
What You Will Do
You will work on problems no one has solved before. The work is practical, experimental and impactful. You will see the whole system, not just a small part of it, and you will have real ownership over your results. Your work will directly influence our ability to scale and enter commercial markets.
What You Get
Mushroom Material is on a mission to replace polystyrene with sustainable, mycelium-based packaging. Our product works and the pilot line is running. The next step is solving scale, consistency and commercial readiness.
We are looking for an Applied Mycologist or Senior Mycologist with strong microbiology or fungal biology experience who can take something that works in the lab and make it work reliably at scale. This is a hands-on role where you will troubleshoot, experiment, optimise and play a critical part in our growth.
If you enjoy complex problems, learning fast and building something new, this is the place for you.
This role can be Auckland or Singapore based.
What You Will Do
- Optimise mycelium growth and help lift the stability of our pilot line
- Design and run experiments to improve yield, consistency and reproducibility
- Troubleshoot biological and process issues across lab and pilot environments
- Manage strains, spawn systems and sterile workflows
- Validate new substrates, additives and regional raw materials
- Work closely with engineers to turn lab findings into reliable processes
- Document methods, results and insights clearly
- Support a culture of accountability, problem solving and continuous learning
- Background in mycology, microbiology, fungal biology, fermentation or bioprocessing
- Experience taking biological processes from lab to pilot or production
- Strong understanding of fungal or microbial growth cycles and cultivation
- Hands-on experience with sterile technique and experimental design
- Practical, solutions-focused working style
- Good communication skills and the confidence to share insights across the team
- Curiosity, resilience and the ability to solve problems when things get messy
- Experience in biomanufacturing, fermentation, biomaterials or sustainable materials
- Exposure to scale-up environments or process optimisation
You will work on problems no one has solved before. The work is practical, experimental and impactful. You will see the whole system, not just a small part of it, and you will have real ownership over your results. Your work will directly influence our ability to scale and enter commercial markets.
What You Get
- Competitive salary based on experience
- A collaborative team that values honesty, learning and initiative
- Flexibility when your work allows
- Training, workshops and learning opportunities
- Career growth as our R&D function expands
- The chance to have a real impact in a fast-growing deep tech startup