Technical Co-Founder / Chief Scientific Officer (CSO)

About AlgaMálaga

AlgaMálaga is a pre-revenue blue biotechnology venture building a modular, land-based seaweed cultivation platform in Andalusia. We are designed as a commercial B2B ingredients platform, not an academic research project.

The role

You will serve as the primary cultivation specialist and technical anchor. Your immediate priority is to validate cultivation protocols, build the initial indoor modules, and execute the Phase 0 micro-Proof of Concept needed to generate certified data for institutional capital and grant applications.

Core responsibilities

• Build and optimise three identical 300 L shallow indoor tumbling modules using food-grade materials and photobioreactor-informed controls.
• Lead 5-to-7-day partial harvest cycles of native Ulva strains within strict operating targets, including stocking density, salinity and temperature.
• Manage the lean “buy water / treat as waste” model using filtered or artificial seawater to maintain a near-zero liquid discharge loop.
• Track growth metrics, relative growth rate and batch yields using Specific Growth Rate calculations.
• Implement digital batch tracking and Certificate of Analysis workflows, including release panels for heavy metals and microbiology.

What we look for

• Advanced degree such as a Master’s or Ph.D. in Marine Biology, Aquaculture Engineering or Hydrobiotechnology.
• Hands-on experience with land-based macroalgae cultivation setups, ideally including Ulva species.
• Practical builder mindset: comfortable with plumbing, lighting rigs, sensors and spreadsheets.
• Strong alignment with commercial realities over pure academic research.

Important note

This is an equity-first entrepreneurial track. It is not a classic salaried vacancy at this stage. The intended path is meaningful co-founder equity transitioning to standard salary post-funding.