Microbiome Research Scientist 
(Pune Site - Venture Center)

Location: Venture Centre, CSIR NCL Innovation Park, Pashan, Pune, India

Employment Type: Full-Time Contract (18 Months)

Compensation: ₹30,000 to ₹45,000 per month (CTC)

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About Potion/पोषण 1st

 

Potion/पोषण 1st is an award-winning nutrition technology startup developing evidence-based, fibre-rich whole food products designed to improve gut microbiome and metabolic health through translational science.

Founded by physician scientists Dr. Madhur Motwani (MBBS, PhD, University College London) and Dr. Priyadarshini Sanyal (MBBS), the company combines medicine, microbiome science, food technology, analytical chemistry, engineering, and business to develop clinically relevant food innovations.

Potion/पोषण 1st is the recipient of the National Startup Award by the Government of India and operates from Venture Centre, CSIR NCL Innovation Park, one of India’s leading deep technology incubators.

This position offers an opportunity to work beyond traditional laboratory research. You will gain hands-on experience across microbiome science, clinical research, laboratory management, analytical chemistry, product development, manufacturing, quality systems, regulatory affairs, intellectual property, and commercialization while working directly with the founders.

 

Role Overview

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We are looking for a motivated scientist who can independently execute translational microbiome research projects from laboratory setup through project completion.

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The ideal candidate should be equally comfortable performing laboratory experiments, maintaining equipment, managing documentation, coordinating collaborators, analyzing data, and ensuring timely completion of scientific milestones.

 

A. Laboratory Operations

• Establish and manage microbiome laboratory operations.

• Maintain laboratory equipment and infrastructure.

• Coordinate equipment procurement, installation, qualification, calibration, servicing, and preventive maintenance.

• Maintain equipment logbooks, calibration records, maintenance schedules, and asset documentation.

• Manage laboratory inventory, consumables, biological samples, chemicals, and procurement.

• Develop, implement, and maintain laboratory SOPs.

• Ensure compliance with GLP, biosafety, and laboratory quality systems.

• Maintain complete laboratory documentation and records.

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B. Research and Experimental Execution

• Develop freeze-dried plant-based nutritional formulations.

• Design formulations using dietary fibre diversity principles.

• Coordinate chemical, microbiological, and quality testing.

• Perform anaerobic ex vivo microbiome fermentation experiments.

• Prepare biological samples, media, substrates, and controls.

• Execute experimental quality control procedures.

• Coordinate GC-MS-based short-chain fatty acid analysis.

• Validate analytical methods and maintain analytical records.

 

C. Clinical and Data Management

• Coordinate ethics-approved participant recruitment.

• Manage informed consent documentation.

• Coordinate stool sample collection, transport, processing, and biobanking.

• Maintain complete sample traceability and chain of custody.

• Analyze microbiome and metabolomics datasets.

• Perform statistical analysis using R or equivalent software.

• Generate scientific figures, tables, and technical reports.

• Interpret biological findings and communicate results.

 

D. Project Management and Scientific Communication

• Plan project timelines and technical milestones.

• Coordinate vendors, analytical laboratories, collaborators, and consultants.

• Monitor laboratory budgets, procurement, and resource utilization.

• Identify technical risks and implement corrective actions.

• Prepare technical reports, presentations, and project documentation.

• Support patent drafting, publications, grant documentation, and regulatory submissions.

• Independently manage scientific projects with minimal supervision.

 

Qualifications

• PhD in Microbiology, Biotechnology, Molecular Biology, Food Science, Biochemistry, or a related discipline.

• Three to five years of laboratory research experience.

• Experience with microbiome research, anaerobic microbiology, metabolomics, or human biological samples is preferred.

• Experience with GC MS, LC MS, or analytical chemistry is desirable.

• Strong scientific writing, documentation, organization, and communication skills.

• Ability to independently manage multiple scientific activities simultaneously.

 

What You Will Gain

• Experience in translational microbiome research.

• Exposure to human clinical research and biobanking.

• Hands-on training in anaerobic microbiology.

• Experience with GC-MS-based metabolomics.

• Product formulation and freeze-drying technology.

• Laboratory establishment and equipment management.

• Quality systems and GLP documentation.

• Regulatory affairs and technical compliance.

• Intellectual property and scientific publications.

• Startup operations and cross-functional leadership.

• Direct mentorship from physician scientists.

• Opportunity to contribute to products progressing from laboratory research to commercialization.

 

Employment Terms

• Full-time contractual position.

• Initial appointment for 18 months, with the possibility of extension based on project requirements and performance.

• Compensation of ₹30,000 to ₹45,000 per month (CTC) depending on qualifications, experience, and demonstrated skills.

• Candidates should be comfortable working in a fast-paced startup environment with multidisciplinary responsibilities.

 

How to Apply

Interested candidates should email the following to madhur.motwani@potion1st.com:

• Updated Curriculum Vitae (CV).

• A brief cover letter describing your relevant experience and why you are interested in joining Potion/पोषण 1st.

• Contact details of two professional referees.

• Candidates should be willing to relocate to Pune, if required, and attend an in-person interview at our laboratory located at Venture Centre, CSIR NCL Innovation Park, Pashan, Pune.

 

Email Subject: Application for Microbiome Research Scientist

Application Deadline: 10 July 2026, 11:59 PM IST

 

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the interview process.