Ginkgo Bioworks is a Boston-based biotechnology company that designs custom microbes for customers in pharmaceuticals, food, agriculture, and other industries. The organization employs roughly 1,170 people and has experienced modest hiring alongside a meaningful amount of employee turnover, producing a leaner workforce that still supports its highly technical mission. Despite the net reduction, the company continues to recruit selectively for specialized roles that advance its cell-programming platform and commercial partnerships.
Engineering is the largest function at Ginkgo Bioworks, accounting for about 42 % of all employees (nearly 500 people). Operations, Sales & Support, Business Management, and Marketing & Product each contribute between 7 % and 10 % of the workforce, illustrating a balanced focus on both laboratory execution and commercial outreach. Finance & Administration represents approximately 6 % of staff, while an “Other” category—largely made up of research and scientific roles that do not fit traditional business titles—makes up nearly one-fifth of headcount. Limited hiring and some departures have been recorded across most groups, with recruiting efforts concentrated in highly technical engineering and science positions.
The majority of Ginkgo Bioworks employees are based in the Boston headquarters, which hosts just over 45 % of the company’s total staff. Additional U.S. hubs include San Francisco, Sacramento, New York, and Washington, D.C., collectively representing about one-fifth of headcount. Smaller pockets of employees work in Seattle, San Diego, Chicago, and Los Angeles, while a sizable remote or field-based population—classified as “Other”—accounts for roughly one-third of the workforce. This geographic spread enables the company to tap into diverse biotech talent pools while maintaining a strong presence near key customers and research partners.