How to Transition Into Molecular Farming: A Guide for Scientists and Engineers

Molecular farming – the use of genetically engineered plants to produce high-value proteins – is fast becoming one of the most exciting frontiers in Alternative Protein and ingredient production, offering scalable, cost-efficient alternatives to animal-derived compounds like casein, heme, lactoferrin, and ovalbumin.

For scientists and engineers with a background in biotech, agtech, synthetic biology, or even pharma, it’s an opportunity to help reshape how the world produces protein. If you’re looking to move into a sector where your expertise can drive meaningful innovation, this guide is for you.

What is Molecular Farming?

At its core, molecular farming uses plants as bioreactors to express specific proteins, enzymes, or compounds – often identical to those found in animal or microbial systems. Unlike fermentation or cultivated meat, it requires no steel bioreactors or cleanroom facilities. Instead, it leverages existing agricultural infrastructure: greenhouses, fields, and seeds.

This approach has been used in pharma since the 1980s, but its application to food and nutrition is more recent. Today’s molecular farming startups are producing everything from cheese proteins in potatoes (Finally Foods, PoLoPo) to growth factors for cultivated meat in barley (ORF Genetics).

Why Make the Move?

Here’s what makes molecular farming attractive for professionals looking to switch industries:

• It’s technically rich: You’ll apply advanced bioengineering, gene editing, metabolic pathway design, and plant physiology in new ways.

• It’s scalable and grounded: Unlike some alt protein tech, molecular farming has built-in scale potential through existing agricultural systems.

• It’s mission-driven: This field directly supports sustainability goals – reducing the footprint of protein production and enabling affordable animal-free foods.

• It’s still young: The field is small but growing, meaning your impact as an early mover can be significant.

Who’s Hiring: Top Startups in Molecular Farming

Several global startups are leading the molecular farming revolution. Each uses a unique plant host and targets different product applications:

• Finally Foods (Israel): Producing casein in potatoes for animal-free cheese.

• PoLoPo (Israel): Expressing egg protein ovalbumin in potatoes.

• Alpine Bio (USA): Producing dairy proteins like casein in soybeans.

• Miruku (New Zealand): Making dairy proteins in oilseed crops.

• Kyomei (UK): Producing heme proteins in various crops.

• IngredientWerks (USA): Making “meaty corn” by expressing heme and casein in maize.

• ORF Genetics (Iceland): Producing growth factors in barley for cultivated meat and cosmetics.

• Elo Life Systems (USA): Developing zero-calorie sweeteners using watermelon.

• VelozBio (Mexico): Leveraging discarded fruits to produce functional proteins.

Each of these companies has different talent needs – from molecular biologists and plant geneticists to bioprocess engineers and data scientists.

What Skills Are in Demand?

If you're considering a transition, here's what employers in this space are typically looking for:

Core Scientific Skills

• Plant molecular biology and gene editing (CRISPR, RNAi)

• Genetic transformation and expression systems (Agrobacterium-mediated, protoplast)

• Protein purification and downstream processing

• Tissue culture and greenhouse-scale plant growth

• Pathway engineering, synthetic biology

Engineering & Process Development

• Bioprocess scale-up (especially related to plant biomass)

• Extraction and filtration system design

• Agricultural operations optimization

• Tech transfer and pilot-scale manufacturing

Regulatory & Commercial Skills

• GRAS and novel food approvals

• Quality assurance and food safety (HACCP, GMP)

• B2B product strategy in functional food ingredients

• IP strategy and patenting for biotech inventions

How to Position Yourself

Even if you’re coming from pharma, microbial fermentation, or a research-heavy academic role, you likely have highly transferable skills. Here's how to start your transition:

1. Learn the Landscape
   Read up on key players, current funding trends, and product pipelines. Vegconomist, ISPMF, and FoodHack all cover molecular farming startups regularly.

2. Follow the Science
   Check out recent publications and patents. Molecular farming builds on years of plant biotech research, so staying close to the science can help you speak the language.

3. Highlight Relevant Experience
   In your resume and interviews, focus on:

• Experience with protein expression systems

• Cross-functional collaboration (e.g., working with regulatory, engineering, or agronomy teams)

• Process or scale-up knowledge

4. Network Within the Ecosystem
   Attend industry-specific conferences (like ISPMF events), apply for fellowships, or connect with founders and scientists at early-stage startups. This is still a small community – being proactive goes a long way.

5. Start with a Strategic Role
   If you’re mid-career, consider positions like:

• Senior Scientist or Lead in Molecular Biology

• Director of Bioprocessing

• VP of R&D or Platform Strategy

• Tech Transfer & Scale-Up Lead

Early-stage startups also need generalists – people who can wear multiple hats across science, product, and operations.

Final Thoughts

Molecular farming blends the technical challenge of biotech with the grounding of agriculture and the urgency of food system transformation. For scientists and engineers eager to apply their skills to a future-forward mission – this is a sector worth watching.

If you're curious about where you could fit in, keep an eye on the molecular farming jobs listed on AltProtein.Jobs – or use the platform for free matchmaking and hiring support in the sector.