Senior Bioprocess Scientist / Engineer

About Boston Bioprocess

Boston Bioprocess, Inc.'s mission is to help fermentation product companies develop and scale up production. We specialize in providing innovative solutions and services to support the research, development, and manufacturing processes of our clients.

About the role

We have a bench scale lab and pilot facility in Champaign, IL and are looking for a highly motivated Senior engineer/scientist to develop, manage and run fermentation and respective downstream projects.

A successful candidate will lead/contribute efforts to help clients optimize their fermentation and purification processes at both bench and pilot scale and scale-up, with the goal of taking clients' production processes into scalable commercial manufacturing.

This role will serve as a client project lead and work closely together with the CSO and program management on all aspects of process development for production of proteins, lipids, amino acids, organic acids, polysaccharides, hydrocolloids, and enzymes, using bacterial, yeast, and fungal hosts.

This is a technical role but involves significant client interaction. We are a service business, and client retention and satisfaction are core aspects of our business model. Prospective candidates should understand that success requires technical expertise, but it also involves empathy, prompt communication, and a general client-service orientation.

Job Responsibilities

• Lead and manage bioprocess development projects including client interaction, ensuring timely delivery and successful outcomes.
• Design, execute, and troubleshoot experiments to understand, optimize, and scale-up processes yielding various end products from different microbial organisms.
• Provide technical expertise and guidance on experimental planning, process development, troubleshooting, and optimization.
• Generate and analyze data, prepare technical reports and presentations to communicate results to internal and external stakeholders.
• Stay abreast of industry trends, emerging technologies, and regulatory requirements in the bioprocessing field, and apply this knowledge to enhance processes and drive innovation.
• Lead, mentor, and provide technical guidance to junior engineers/scientists and support their professional development.
• Identify optimization opportunities regarding company workflows and lead initiatives to improve work excellence.

Expected Skills and Proficiencies

• Ph.D. or M.Sc. in chemical or bioprocess engineering, biotechnology or related field.
• At least 2-3 years of hands-on industry experience with detailed knowledge of bioprocess unit operations and process development.
• Deep technical knowledge and hands-on experience in microbial cultivation and product purification (centrifugation, depth and sterile filtration, precipitation, TFF, extraction) and drying at both, bench and pilot scale.
• Proven bioprocess scale-up experience using process engineering principles. Experience in manufacturing science and technology, authoring SOPs and technical transfer documents.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to independently troubleshoot technical and process issues, and to find robust and innovative solutions for process challenges.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to effectively collaborate with internal teams, clients, and external partners.
• Strong project management skills with outstanding self-organization, drive for excellence and the ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects simultaneously.

Not expected but a plus

• Proficiency in designing experiments using statistical analysis tools and design of experiments (DoE) for data analysis, planning process optimization, and process characterization (QbD).
• Understanding of process optimization based on the impact of microbial metabolism on product characteristics.
• Experience with working in regulated environments (food grade, cGMP, APHIS, BSL-2)
• Analytical methods (gel electrophoresis, moisture analysis, metabolite analysis, enzyme and protein quantification and purity assays, HPLC).
• Previous experience in leading, mentoring, and developing junior team members.

The ideal candidate

• We are a startup! Prospective candidates should enjoy working in a small team with minimal bureaucracy.
• You'll enjoy working with us if you are highly motivated, proactive and enjoy fast-paced culture, and you can effectively work together with team members, partners, and clients in a collaborative environment.

What we offer

• Salary of $90,000 to $110,000 depending on qualifications and experience
• Relocation assistance (if applicable)
• Complete benefit backage, including 401K match, ESOP, health, life, vision, and dental insurance, and four weeks paid vacation.
• Significant company stock options.
• Sponsorship and adjustment of work visas and immigration related support (must be currently a resident of the United States).

Boston Bioprocess Inc. is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, and veteran status.

The pay range for this role is:

90,000 - 110,000 USD per year (United States)