Senior programmer Jobs in San Mateo, CA

At Corbion, we exist to champion preservation in all its forms, preserving food and food production, health, and our planet.

Corbion’s Algae Ingredients business is based in California and leads the industry in developing new applications and markets for algae-based products. We have a range of sustainably produced algae products that deliver breakthrough innovations for human and animal nutrition.

We are hiring a Sr. Scientist, Product Development to apply deep technical expertise to product improvement and new product development initiatives. You will focus on translating customer and market-based needs into scalable, high quality solutions while partnering closely with R&D, Manufacturing, Quality, Regulatory and Commercial teams.

Responsibilities:

• Partner with R&D, Commercial, and cross-functional teams to identify and prioritize product development opportunities aligned with customer and market needs
• Design and lead laboratory-scale development and process optimization to define product characteristics and achieve desired quality, functionality, and performance outcomes
• Develop and scale processing methods from lab through pilot in collaboration with Process Development to enable efficient technology transfer and commercialization
• Develop and apply analytical methods to characterize products, assess quality, and generate data, including coordination with external laboratories as needed
• Lead product characterization efforts, including shelf-life studies, specification development, and quality assessments to ensure product stability and performance
• Design, test and support implementation of preservation strategies, packaging solutions, and storage conditions to meet quality, regulatory, and shelf-life requirements
• Identify intellectual property opportunities and prepare invention disclosures to support innovation and protect company technologies
• Act as a technical liaison for Business Development and Sales, contributing to customer engagements and providing technical expertise as needed
• Maintain detailed and accurate documentation, analyze and communicate data, and prepare reports and presentations to support regulatory submissions and technology transfer to manufacturing
• Provide technical guidance to Process Development and Manufacturing sites to support product quality, consistency, and continuous improvement

Qualifications/Requirements:

• BS, MS or PhD in Chemistry, Biochemistry or related field
• 8+ years of experience working in R&D and/or QC laboratories
• 5+ years of experience in Product R&D, technical support of Business Development, and providing support for new products to Manufacturing
• Proficiency with basic wet chemistry techniques. Familiarity with oil chemistry and associated analytical methods. Experience working with microalgae or microbial biomass and/or oils helpful
• Exceptional attention to detail in planning, executing, documenting, and reporting experimental work.
• Demonstrated strong written, presentation, and verbal communication skills tailored to diverse audiences
• Proficiency working with analytical instruments such as Karl Fisher Analyzer, Titration for determination of peroxide and free fatty acid values, Rancimat for OSI determination, laser diffraction particle size analyzer, rheometer and viscometer, Hunter colorimeter, Rotovap, etc.
• Experience developing, validating and documenting analytical methods
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively on cross-functional teams (including R&D, Business Development, and Manufacturing) and independently in support of projects and initiatives
• Excellent organizational, time management and problem solving skills
• Familiar with the use of advanced features of Excel for data management and statistical analyses
• Experience in training, mentoring or leading junior personnel
• Travel required (international, approx. 5 - 10%)

The below range reflects the range of possible compensation for this role at the time of this posting. This range may be modified in the future. An employee’s title and position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, performance, and business or organizational needs. The annual base salary range for this role is $130,000 to $150,000. In addition, we offer:

• Variable bonus potential
• Paid time off, including company holidays
• Medical, dental and vision coverage
• 401K with company match
• Education assistance
• Short- and long-term disability
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

About Corbion

Corbion is a sustainable ingredients company dedicated to preserving what matters, including food and food production, health, and the planet. We specialize in lactic acid, lactic acid derivatives, food preservation solutions, functional blends, and algae ingredients, using our deep application and product knowledge to propel nature’s ingenuity through science. With more than a century of experience, we continue working side-by-side with our customers to make our cutting-edge technologies work for them. Leveraging our advanced capabilities in fermentation and preservation technology, we help customers differentiate their products in diverse markets ranging from food and animal nutrition to home & personal care, pharmaceuticals, electronics, medical devices, and bioplastics. In 2025, Corbion generated annual sales of € 1,267.4 million with a workforce of 2,408 FTEs. Corbion is listed on Euronext Amsterdam. For more information: www.corbion.com

Corbion is an equal opportunity employer and committed to a diverse workplace. All applicants will be considered equally without regard to race, color, ethnicity, veteran status, religion, national origin, marital status, political affiliation, age, sex, sexual orientation, handicapping condition, membership in an organization or any other non-merit factors.

Corbion provides reasonable accommodation to applicants.

EOE/M/F/Vet/Disabled

Corbion does not accept unsolicited resumes from individual recruiters or third party recruiting agencies in response to job postings. No fee will be paid to third parties who submit unsolicited candidates directly to our hiring managers. All candidates must be submitted by approved Corbion vendors who have been expressly requested to make a submission by our Talent Acquisition team for a specific job opening. No placement fees will be paid to any firm unless such a request has been made by the Corbion Talent Acquisition team and such candidate was submitted to the Corbion Talent Acquisition Team.