Lab Technician

About the Company

Helaina is a cutting-edge nutrition biotech company creating nutrients of the future. Helaina leverages a world-class team in food science, nutrition, and engineering to develop breakthrough food ingredients designed to improve health for everyone.

The company's vision is to build a nutrient platform that powers the future of consumer health by introducing bioactive proteins to the market for the very first time. Our journey was inspired by breast milk—a unique substance that is both food and medicine. Helaina’s Founder, Laura Katz, saw parents, cancer patients, and athletes seeking out these proteins for their proven ability to boost immunity, gut health, and brain development. Helaina was founded on the belief that we could replicate this profound function to create ingredients with real impact, moving beyond alternatives that only replicate taste.

Helaina's first product is effera™, a "holy grail" molecule that is an identical replica of human lactoferrin, one of breast milk’s most powerful proteins. As a dynamic bioactive protein (unlike static supplements), effera™ can adapt to the body’s specific needs, offering multiple benefits:

• supports iron absorption and women's health

• boosts immunity by fighting infections

• crosses the blood-brain barrier for cognitive benefits

• reduces inflammation for sports recovery and longevity

About the Role

We're looking for a hands-on, detail-oriented Lab Technician to join our team. You'll be a key part of our lab operations — preparing experiments, keeping equipment and materials clean and ready, and data accurate. If you're early in your lab career and looking for a place to build real skills in a fast-moving biotech environment, this is it. This is a full-time, on-site role based at Helaina's NYC office, Monday through Friday with occasional weekend availability required for lab monitoring.

What you’ll do

• Assist scientists with various experiments, including reagent and media preparation.

• Organization and maintenance of lab equipment.

• Perform support activities such as inventory checks, ordering, collection and distribution of new lab consumables and materials

• Contribute to preparing weekly presentations of your work and results from in-lab experiments.

• Maintain daily accurate records of laboratory activities on electronic lab notebook

• Maintain a clean, organized, and safe lab environment

About you

• Associate's degree or higher in biotechnology, chemistry, microbiology, or a related life sciences field

• Prior lab experience is a must — academic, internship, or industry.

• Familiarity with aseptic technique, and operating standard lab equipment is preferred

• Strong attention to detail and commitment to following procedures accurately

• Comfortable working independently as well as collaboratively within a team

• Must be AI-native, using modern tools and automation daily to work faster and smarter

• Must obtain an FDNY C-14 Fire Safety Certificate (can be completed after hire)

• Able to commit to weekend availability (2-4 hours). The hours can be offset during weekdays.

Compensation is market-competitive with a yearly cash base of $50k – $65k plus equity.