Senior Scientist, Upstream Process Development

GlycoEra AG; Wädenswil; On-site; CHF 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

GlycoEra AG in Switzerland seeks a Senior Scientist, Upstream Process Development, to lead hands-on fermentation and cell-culture efforts, advancing our novel expression technology. You will design, optimize, and scale early-stage processes with a focus on robustness and transferability.

The ideal candidate holds a PhD and has 5+ years’ experience in fermentation or cell-culture development, with proven ability to troubleshoot bottlenecks and collaborate across process development, analytical

Qualifications

• PhD in Biotechnology, Biochemical Engineering, Microbiology or a related field.
• 5+ years of relevant fermentation or cell-culture process development experience, with at least 3 years in industry.
• Strong hands-on expertise with bioreactors, fermentation control systems, and scale-up principles.
• Experience with contamination-control strategies, operational risk assessment, and process monitoring.
• Broad hands-on experience with mammalian cell culture platforms (fed-batch and/or perfusion) and microbial expression systems is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute upstream process-development studies with minimal supervision.
• Translate literature insights into hypothesis-driven experiments and process improvements.
• Identify and optimize critical process parameters affecting upstream performance.
• Apply analytical tools to improve understanding of organism physiology and fermentation performance.
• Run bioreactors regularly as part of the development workflow and support routine production when needed.
• Document, analyze, and present experimental data clearly.
• Follow SOPs and guidelines to maintain culture integrity, prevent contamination, and ensure compliance.
• Collaborate with process development, analytical development, and protein sciences teams.
• Contribute to project planning, timelines, and risk assessments.

Skills

Bioreactor operation

Fermentation control

Scale-up engineering

Process monitoring

Data analysis

Troubleshooting

Laboratory hands-on

Education

PhD in Biotechnology/ Biochemical Engineering/ Microbiology or related field

Job description

The Senior Scientist, Upstream Process Development will play a hands-on role in advancing our novel expression technology by developing, optimizing, and scaling fermentation and cell-culture processes.

This role is for a senior upstream scientist who will help push our novel expression technology to the next level by developing, challenging, and improving fermentation and cell-culture processes through deep scientific thinking, creativity, and hands-on experimentation.

We are looking for an experienced, creative, and persistent upstream Senior Scientist who actively uses literature, engineering judgment, and hands-on experimentation to solve complex bioprocess challenges.

Tasks

Upstream Process Development

• Design and execute upstream process-development studies with minimal supervision.
• Translate literature insights into hypothesis-driven experiments and process improvements.
• Identify and optimize critical process parameters affecting upstream performance.
• Apply analytical tools to improve understanding of organism physiology and fermentation performance.
• Run bioreactors regularly as part of the development workflow and support routine production when needed.
• Document, analyze, and present experimental data clearly.
• Perform core laboratory activities, including media preparation, shake-flask studies, bioreactor setup and operation, process monitoring, inoculation, harvest, centrifugation, and sterile filtration.
• Follow SOPs and guidelines to maintain culture integrity, prevent contamination, and ensure compliance.

Innovation & Problem Solving

• Apply creative, engineering-driven thinking to improve the expression platform.
• Troubleshoot bottlenecks and propose innovative, scientifically grounded solutions.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate with process development, analytical development, and protein sciences teams.
• Contribute to project planning, timelines, and risk assessments.

Requirements

• PhD in Biotechnology, Biochemical Engineering, Microbiology, or related field.
• At least 5 years of relevant experience in fermentation or cell-culture process development. 3 years industry experience.
• Strong hands-on expertise with bioreactors, fermentation control systems, and scale-up principles.
• Experience with contamination-control strategies, operational risk assessment, and process monitoring.
• Solid understanding of bioprocess engineering fundamentals, metabolic principles, and cell physiology.
• Experience with tech transfer activities is a plus.
• Broad hands-on experience with mammalian cell culture platforms, including fed-batch and/or perfusion.
• Experience with microbial expression systems is a plus.
• Independent, proactive, and able to drive progress with minimal supervision.
• Willing to spend a considerable amount of time hands-on in the laboratory.
• Strong data analysis skills and familiarity with common bioprocess software tools.
• Creative, resourceful, and persistent in solving technical challenges.
• Clear communicator and collaborative team player.