Preclinical Trials & In Vitro Bioactivity Lead

About Nūmi

Nūmi is a bioproduction platform harnessing human mammary cells to produce key ingredients with proven health benefits across all stages of life. More specifically, it is the first European cultivated breast milk company aiming to produce human milk constituents to better match the ideal nutrition for babies. We are an early-stage, VC-backed biotech based in the heart of Paris (Hôpital Cochin, Paris 14th) and supported by world-class investors and scientific partners.

Nūmi's Values

• Positivity: At Nūmi, we cultivate positivity every day. Our mission drives us to communicate with passion and energy, always keeping the bigger impact in sight. We celebrate quick wins, but never lose track of our ultimate goal.
• Excellence: At Nūmi, excellence starts with dedication and a commitment to constant improvement. We embrace challenges as opportunities to learn and push ourselves to deliver high-quality results. Through effort, attention to detail, and integrity, we grow both individually and collectively as a team.
• Team-Work and Pedagogy: At Nūmi, we believe that teamwork makes us stronger. We encourage knowledge-sharing, open feedback, and mutual respect. Each Nūmiz is here to lift others up, ensuring that the collective succeeds.
• Ambition: At Nūmi, we set ambitious goals and challenge ourselves to think big. Nūmi is driven by bold ideas and relentless determination, always aiming for the stars to create real impact.

Why this role matters

Nūmi's ingredients are not commodity products. Each one is designed to deliver a specific, evidence-backed functional benefit for infant nutrition and beyond. Proving that benefit rigorously through in vitro bioactivity assays and preclinical studies is what turns our ingredients from raw materials into science-backed nutritional actives.

Key Responsibilities

Bioactivity Strategy & Portfolio Design

Define the in vitro bioactivity portfolio required to support Nūmi's ingredient claims : digestion models, gut epithelial barrier, immune cell modulation, gut microbiome / prebiotic activity, brain-relevant bioactivity, and other functional readouts as the pipeline evolves. Prioritise which assays are developed in-house versus outsourced to CROs, based on strategic importance, technical availability and speed. Define the preclinical animal study portfolio (rodent, piglet models) needed as regulatory support.

CRO Management and External Collaboration

Identify, qualify and manage relationships with contract research organisations (CROs) for outsourced in vitro and in vivo studies. Own scoping, RFP process, contract negotiation input, study design review, milestone tracking, data quality control and study interpretation with each CRO. Coordinate with academic partners (organoid platforms, microbiome specialists, infant nutrition academics) to complement our internal capabilities.

In-House Bench Ownership (Selective)

Design and oversee execution of selected high-strategic-value in vitro assays run in-house. Coordinate with the R&D team on assay development, protocol qualification and data interpretation.

Data Integration into Regulatory Dossier

Partner with the CMC Lead and Reg & QC Implementation Lead to translate bioactivity and preclinical data into defensible content for the EFSA Novel Food dossier (safety, efficacy, nutritional profile sections). Ensure GLP or equivalent standards are respected across the studies feeding the dossier.

Scientific Voice and Communication

Represent Nūmi's science externally at conferences, in academic partnerships and in commercial discussions with strategic partners. Translate complex bioactivity data into decision-ready narratives for internal leadership, board and investors.

Experience & Knowledge

PhD preferred, or MSc with significant equivalent experience, in cell biology, molecular biology, immunology, nutrition sciences, microbiome sciences or a related field, with 5 to 10 years of hands-on experience post-PhD or post-MSc. Deep expertise in in vitro bioactivity assay design and interpretation : cell-based assays, immune cell functional assays, microbiome or prebiotic characterisation. Proven experience managing external collaborations with CROs and/or academic partners on preclinical or in vitro bioactivity studies. This is a core requirement of the