Head of Fermentation / Fermentation Scientist (Fungal / Mycoprotein)

About EssentialEssential is building low‑cost, climate‑resilient proteins to transform nutrition in emerging markets. We’re an R&D‑driven nonprofit/for‑profit hybrid at the intersection of fermentation, food systems, and global health. Our core product is a mycoprotein biomass powder: high‑protein, climate‑friendly, and designed to plug into school feeding programs, humanitarian assistance, and local food manufacturers.We’re using fungal fermentation to tackle malnutrition where climate and cost constraints are very real. From our base in Nairobi, we’ve built one of the strongest fermentation capabilities on the African continent and are becoming a go‑to reference for policymakers, donors, and industry.You’d be joining at a time when your work will be highly visible in our science, products, and real‑world impact. ***This role can be based anywhere globally and with frequent travel to our offices in Nairobi, Kenya***The Role in a NutshellWe’re looking for a senior fungal / mycoprotein fermentation expert to lead our R&D on biomass fermentation. Your two big missions:Turn a great process into a robust one – solve consistency and repeatability in submerged fungal biomass fermentation.Own the sensory science – build a systematic way to understand and tune flavor and other sensory attributes.Internally, this could be scoped as Head of Fermentation / Director / Principal or Senior Scientist, depending on your background. You’ll sit in R&D, report directly to our co‑founder & CTO and work day‑to‑day with our PhD scientists and associates in Nairobi. This is a hands‑on scientific leadership role: you design the experiments and strategy, and work closely with the team to execute.What You’ll DoWork with the fermentation team to set priorities, review data, and adjust plans.Analyze fermentation runs (biomass quality, yields, contamination, sensory) and define the next wave of experiments.Design and oversee fungal / mycoprotein fermentation work to:Improve process consistency and robustness.Tune sensory attributes (flavor, off‑notes, secondary metabolites).Optimize titers, biomass, and product quality.Think end‑to‑end about biology + process: morphology, rheology/viscosity, oxygen transfer, media, process parameters, and how upstream choices affect downstream sensory and performance.Work across scales: shake flasks / bench‑top → 5–20 L → 500 L as capacity comes online.Collaborate with engineering, product, and strategy to:Communicate technical challenges and trade‑offs in clear, accessible language.Align work with company OKRs and donor/investor milestones.Lead R&D planning and risk management: surface risks early, propose options, and choose the right experiment paths.Depending on seniority, mentor and/or manage scientists and associates and help build a strong, curious scientific culture.Over time, potentially represent Essential’s science in conversations with donors, customers, and partners.What We’re Looking For / Technical must‑havesIndustrial fungal / mycoprotein experienceStrong background in filamentous fungi / mycoprotein biomass fermentation (food, feed, or related).R&D‑oriented: you’ve designed and run experiments, not just followed SOPs.Industrial fermentation process expertise (R&D side)Comfortable moving from lab to pilot scale (up to ~100–500 L).Understand how morphology, viscosity, oxygen transfer, media, and controls interact in submerged fermentation.Experience troubleshooting inconsistency, contamination, and quality issues.Experimental design + problem‑solvingYou can look at a messy biological system and design hypothesis‑driven experiments to understand and fix it.You naturally link biology to process (e.g., secondary metabolites, pathway thinking, upstream vs. downstream levers).Experience level: typically PhD + ~5+ years post‑PhD in relevant industry roles (or clearly equivalent experience). We do need someone who has already solved hard fungal fermentation problems in an industrial context.Who You AreWe’re likely a strong fit if you:Are impact‑driven – malnutrition, climate, and real‑world outcomes matter to you.Enjoy adventure and ambiguity – you’re energised by building in a new context, not put off by it.Are strategic and hands‑on – you can design the roadmap and also dig into data and protocols.Communicate clearly – you can explain complex fungal fermentation issues to non‑scientists.Enjoy collaboration and mentoring – you like helping others grow.Are patient but persistent – you respect the messiness of biology and still push forward methodically.Life & Work in Nairobi (What It’s Really Like) -- If you are interestedThis role can be based anywhere globally and requires frequent travel to our offices in Nairobi, Kenya. With that, for those interested we welcome someone to be based in Nairobi full-time. We know Nairobi may feel like a big leap if you’re coming from the US or Europe. A few realities from our team’s experience:Major African hub: Nairobi is one of the continent’s key economic centers. Global players like Google, Microsoft, Unilever, Coca‑Cola, McKinsey, and PwC have large offices here. There’s a big, diverse international community.Lifestyle & cost of living: Salaries are benchmarked globally, but buying power is much higher. Many expats live in spacious houses with gardens in green neighborhoods. Full‑time help (driver, childcare, cleaning, sometimes cooking) is common and affordable, freeing up time for family, hobbies, and rest.Family‑friendly with strong international and private schools at a fraction of US/EU private school costs. Culture is very kid‑friendly; children are welcomed and included.Nature & travel: Think of Nairobi as a kind of “San Francisco of Africa”: a mid‑sized city with world‑class nature 45–60 minutes away. Easy weekend access to national parks, safaris, mountains, and Indian Ocean beaches.Language & daily life: English is widely spoken and is our working language. You don’t need Swahili to function day‑to‑day (though you’ll hear it and can learn if you’d like).Why Join Essential?Direct, meaningful impact. You’re not optimizing a marginal feature for a luxury product. You’re building a protein platform that can change how millions of people in emerging markets access nutrition in a climate‑stressed world.Category‑defining work in a new geography. You’ll help build one of the strongest fermentation R&D hubs on the African continent. There’s a lot of white space; you’ll shape how this ecosystem develops.Serious team and backing. Our team and board include: A CTO (Fre) with top‑tier fermentation and industry experience in Silicon Valley and beyond. A CEO (Grant) with a track record in large‑scale innovation, global health, and policy. Senior leaders from organizations like Unilever.Adventure with a safety net. We’re well‑funded via non‑dilutive grants, with 2–3+ years of runway and active fundraising for our demo plant and large‑scale plant. It’s a genuine adventure, not a shot in the dark.Real growth opportunities. As we expand R&D and manufacturing, there will be room to grow into VP‑level scientific leadership, build teams, and shape new product lines.Compensation & StructureBase salary: Benchmarking around USD 100–140k equivalent for international hires, with flexibility for exceptional experience. In Nairobi, this will afford you a very comfortable lifestyle. It typically means expansive standalone housing for “SF apartment” prices, affordable full‑time help (e.g., ~USD 400/month for a driver or nanny), far lower day‑to‑day costs, and the ability to live very comfortably on a single income.Benefits: Health coverage and support for relocation and settling in Nairobi.Interested?If you’re thinking, “This is a bit wild, but exactly the kind of adventure and challenge I want,” we’d love to talk. You don’t need to tick every box. The two essentials are:Deep fungal / mycoprotein fermentation expertise in an industrial setting.A genuine interest in traveling to and working in Nairobi with an appetite for impact and adventure.