Application Guide

How to Apply for Senior Engineer I, Science

at GinkGo Bioworks

🏢 About GinkGo Bioworks

Ginkgo Bioworks is pioneering automated bioengineering foundries to redesign living organisms for global challenges in health, energy, and materials. Unlike traditional biotech companies, Ginkgo operates at the intersection of biology, automation, and data science, creating a unique platform approach to biological engineering. Working here means contributing to scalable solutions that could transform multiple industries through engineered biology.

About This Role

This Senior Engineer I role focuses on developing and optimizing high-throughput in vitro ADME assays using automated systems, with heavy emphasis on mass spectrometry analysis (LC-MS/MS or acoustic ejection MS) for pharmacokinetic parameter calculation. You'll directly influence go/no-go decisions for drug candidates by providing critical ADME data, making this position central to Ginkgo's drug discovery pipeline and platform validation efforts.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day involves developing and optimizing automated ADME assays using robotic liquid handlers, preparing and analyzing samples via LC-MS/MS or acoustic MS, then interpreting complex data to calculate pharmacokinetic parameters. You'll document everything in electronic notebooks while collaborating with cross-functional teams to provide ADME insights that directly impact project progression decisions.

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who GinkGo Bioworks Is Looking For

  • Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences/Pharmacology/Analytical Chemistry with 2+ years industry experience OR Master's with 5+ years, specifically in high-throughput ADME assay development
  • Extensive hands-on expertise with LC-MS or acoustic MS in automated, high-throughput laboratory environments, not just occasional use
  • Proven experience developing and running automated in vitro ADME assays using state-of-the-art laboratory automation platforms
  • Strong theoretical and practical knowledge of drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics (DMPK) principles applied to early-stage drug discovery

📝 Tips for Applying to GinkGo Bioworks

1

Quantify your high-throughput experience: specify assay throughput numbers (e.g., 'developed assays processing 500+ samples daily'), automation platforms used (Hamilton, Tecan, etc.), and MS instrument models

2

Highlight any experience with Ginkgo's relevant technology areas: acoustic ejection mass spectrometry, automated biofoundry workflows, or platform-scale biological engineering

3

Demonstrate how you've used ADME data to influence project decisions, including specific examples of go/no-go recommendations based on your pharmacokinetic parameter calculations

4

Show familiarity with Ginkgo's platform approach by describing how you've standardized or scaled biological assays in previous roles

5

Include keywords from their mission ('automated bioengineering foundries,' 'making biology easier to engineer') while describing your technical experience

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Your specific experience with high-throughput ADME assay development and automation, naming platforms and throughput metrics', 'How your mass spectrometry expertise (LC-MS/MS or acoustic MS) has been applied in drug discovery decision-making contexts', "Examples of how you've maintained compliance and quality standards in automated laboratory environments", "Why Ginkgo's platform approach to bioengineering appeals to you, referencing their mission to 'make biology easier to engineer'"]

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Ginkgo's biofoundry platform and how they apply automation to biological engineering (review their Foundry pages and technical publications)
  • → Their specific work in health/biopharma versus other areas (energy, food, materials) to understand where this ADME role fits
  • → Recent news about their drug discovery partnerships or platform expansions in pharmaceutical applications
  • → Their technology stack mentions: acoustic ejection mass spectrometry, automated strain engineering, and their Codebase biological asset platform

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Detailed technical discussion of your experience with acoustic ejection mass spectrometry or LC-MS/MS method development for ADME samples
2 How you've optimized high-throughput ADME assays using laboratory automation, including troubleshooting specific automation challenges
3 Case study: Walk through how you analyzed complex ADME data, calculated pharmacokinetic parameters, and presented results for a go/no-go decision
4 Your approach to maintaining compliance and detailed documentation in a fast-paced, automated laboratory environment
5 How you stay current with advancements in high-throughput ADME screening and mass spectrometry technologies
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Presenting experience with manual/low-throughput ADME assays without emphasizing automation or high-throughput components
  • Failing to demonstrate how your mass spectrometry experience connects to drug discovery decision-making and pharmacokinetic parameter calculation
  • Generic applications that don't reference Ginkgo's unique platform approach or mission to engineer biology at scale

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

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Good luck with your application to GinkGo Bioworks!

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