Biotech Quality Control (QC) Lead

We’ve developed a novel insect-based expression platform to enable bio-products across humanity’s most critical verticals.

We’re unleashing the next biorevolution.
At Future Fields, we are continually learning and evolving. We know we don’t have all the answers, but we try to ask all the questions. We believe in “failing forward” and leveraging our mistakes to help us grow. We never want our team to feel constrained by the status quo and we don’t judge ideas based on where they come from. We actively work to foster a culture of collaboration, innovation and psychological safety through transparency, structure, and open communication. We know it sounds cliché, but every employee really is a valued and equal member of the Future Fields team.

Come find your purpose with Future Fields.
We are a rapidly growing venture-backed startup (with support from awesome investors including Bee Partners, Y Combinator, BDC Climate Tech, R7 Partners, Toyota Ventures and Amplify Capital). We’ve even had a shoutout from Ironman himself! Joining our team now means you’ll have the opportunity to shape our culture and products, to lead others, and to influence the direction of our company. Perhaps most importantly, you’ll be joining a team that is genuinely energized by this work and the meaningful potential of biotech to change the world.

About the role
Reporting to the Head of Quality, the Quality Control (QC) Lead is a pivotal role responsible for accelerating our evolution to a best-in-industry manufacturing engine that puts the customer at the forefront of every result. In this role, you will balance a hands-on presence at the bench with the strategic thinking required to scale our QC workflows. You will own the outcome by ensuring the integrity of our product testing programs and collaborating on the development of robust assays.

As a pragmatic builder, you will lead with curiosity – asking “why” to help create simpler, automated systems that replace manual data entry, analysis, and review. You thrive in the “grey” of a startup while bringing the statistical rigour of a commercial pro, ensuring our quality standards are both rigorous and integrated into our fast-paced workflow. Crucially, you apply a risk-based approach to decision-making, balancing quality, safety and technical requirements with commercial urgency to keep the business moving.

This role will own:
* Technical Leadership: Strategic oversight and hands-on execution of analytical assays (SDS-PAGE, Western blot, LC-MS, HPLC) to ensure product attributes like purity, aggregation, and consistency meet “gold standard” specifications.

* Biological Validation: Performing functional assays (ELISA, cell-based potency, SPR) to prove the biological value of our fly-derived proteins.

* Molecular & Safety Controls: Implementing PCR/qPCR workflows for genetic stability and establishing industry-forward safety protocols (Endotoxin, Mycoplasma, Gel Clot) and environmental monitoring.

* Method Lifecycle Ownership: Driving phase-appropriate method transfers, qualifications, and validations to ensure seamless scalability. You will serve as the primary troubleshooter for assay performance, bridging the gap between R&D and routine
QC while maintaining robust analytical rigour.

* Quality Infrastructure: Designing the stability life cycle (trending/investigations) and creating pragmatic SOPs and QMS processes that support efficiency without sacrificing compliance.

* Digital Transformation: Leading the transition from manual workflows to a digital-first ecosystem by implementing automated reporting and statistical data analysis to maximize throughput and data integrity.

* Team Performance: Supervising and mentoring a team of analysts, providing the hands-on training and influence needed to scale our collective expertise.

* Discrepancy Management: Leading Out-of-Specification (OOS) investigations and method validation/verification to ensure all data is impeccable and audit-ready.

This role will assist by:

* Strategic Alignment: Contributing to the long-term direction of the Quality department and its integration with broader company milestones and revenue targets.

* Cross-functional Innovation: Leading initiatives that align quality goals with manufacturing output and R&D innovation to proactively resolve pipeline bottlenecks.

* Customer Readiness: Supporting the MSAT and Sales teams by providing the technical validation data required to fast-track manufacturing contracts.

About you
You are a pragmatic builder who is energized by ambiguity and capable of leading through influence. You excel in using risk based principles to navigate the complexities of a scaling startup without becoming a blocker. You are someone who defaults to open communication, builds trust across teams, and understands that a “perfect” system is one that is flexible enough to adapt to new markets and customer requirements. You are as comfortable troubleshooting an assay at the bench as you are at presenting a quality control strategy to leadership.

You are a Strategic Architect: You don’t just solve problems; you design systems that prevent them from happening in the first place.
You Lead with Curiosity: You ask “why” to simplify processes and foster an environment where your team feels safe to innovate and fail forward.

You are a Force Multiplier: Your expertise and strategic thinking enable everyone around you to perform at a higher level.
You Own the Outcome: You view quality as a strategic asset and take full accountability for the success of our products in the real world.

You Thrive in Ambiguity: Complex and ambiguous projects don’t intimidate you, they provide the canvas for your best work.

Must-haves

* 5+ years experience in Quality Control working with recombinant proteins.

* Deep technical mastery of analytical methods (e.g., Western blot, SDS-PAGE, HPLC, * Purity/Activity assays) and their application in a commercial manufacturing environment.

* Demonstrated ability to lead and influence a technical team toward high-impact results.

* Expertise in diverse safety testing methods and knowing why the industry uses them for different product applications.

* Understanding of recombinant protein analysis (purity, identity, quantitation) and molecular biology (PCR/qPCR).

* A commercial mindset – you understand how quality impacts the bottom line and market viability.

* Ability to work in Canada without sponsorship.

Bonus points

* Experience with method validation for regulatory submissions.
* Experience with cell culture to develop and execute cell-based potency assays.
* Previous experience in a rapidly scaling startup environment.