Upstream Team Lead

Lonza; Schweiz; On-site; Vertraulich; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Dynamic work culture

Inclusive workplace

Local tailored benefits in Visp

Job summary

Lonza in Visp, Switzerland, seeks an experienced USP Team Lead to provide technical leadership and manufacturing support for Upstream Processing (USP) operations. You will manage Bioprocess Engineers and collaborate with four USP Shift Team Leads to ensure safe, compliant, and efficient production, with on-call duties as needed.

The role targets a strong leader with 5+ years in biotechnology/manufacturing, excellent communication, and GMP know-how.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of experience in biotechnology or biopharmaceutical manufacturing or USP operations.
• Strong technical expertise in mammalian cell culture manufacturing.
• Leadership and people management experience preferred.
• Fluent English; German is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Plan, execute and document USP manufacturing campaigns.
• Provide technical leadership and expertise for mammalian cell culture operations.
• Support tech transfers, process validation, monitoring and lifecycle management.
• Ensure GMP-compliant manufacturing and approved procedures.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

GMP knowledge

Problem solving

Stakeholder management

English fluency

Education

Bachelors or Masters in Biotechnology/Chemical Engineering/Life Sciences

Job description

The actual location of this job is in Visp, Switzerland. Relocation assistance is available for eligible candidates and their families, if needed.

This is a fully site‑based role. Working together in person supports close, real‑time collaboration and the technical precision needed to manufacture medicines to the highest quality and safety standards

What you’ll get:

• An agile career and a dynamic work culture
• An inclusive and ethical workplace
• Compensation programs that recognize high performance

In addition to a competitive salary, you can expect numerous lifestyle, family, and leisure benefits. The full list of our local tailored benefits can also be found below.

• Benefits in Visp: https://bit.ly/3wjkoFi

The USP Team Leadis responsible forproviding technical leadership and manufacturing support for Upstream Processing (USP) operations. The role directly manages a team of Bioprocess Engineers and works closely with four USP Shift Team Leads to ensure safe, compliant, and efficient manufacturing execution.The position serves as the primary technical escalation point for USP operations and supports theHeadUSP in achieving departmental goals related to safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and people development.

Picket Dienst (on-call duty) is required sometimes in this role.

What you will do:

• Accountable for the planning,executionand documentation of manufacturing campaigns within the USP area.
• Provides technical leadership andexpertisefor mammalian cell culture manufacturing operations.
• Supports technology transfers, process validation, processmonitoringand lifecycle management activities.
• Ensures manufacturing activities are performedin accordance withcGMPrequirements and approved procedures.
• Prepares and executes SHE, EM, operational and cleaning risk assessments and ensures implementation of mitigation measures.
• Acts as manufacturing subject matter expert during customer audits,inspectionsand visits.
• Acts as manufacturing expert for capital projects, commissioning,qualificationand start-up activities.
• Drives innovation, operationalexcellenceand continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensuresa high levelof technical standardization across the USP organization.
• Provides direct line management, leadership,coachingand development for a team of Bioprocess Engineers.
• Sets objectives, establishes priorities and manages performance of direct reports.
• Ensures effective allocation of Bioprocess Engineer resources across manufacturing support, investigations and improvement projects.
• Supports recruitment, onboarding, training and retention of talent; Conducts performance reviews, talent assessments, succession planning and development discussions.
• Acts as the primary escalation point for technical and personnel‑related matters within the Bioprocess Engineering team.
• Partners closely with USP Shift Team Leads to ensure alignment between manufacturing execution and engineering support activities.
• Supports the Head USP in operational planning, resource optimization and strategic initiatives.

What we are looking for:

• Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Biotechnology, Biochemical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Life Sciences or related discipline.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in biotechnology, biopharmaceutical manufacturing, process engineering or USP operations.
• Strong technicalexpertisein mammalian cell culture and GMP-regulated manufacturing environments.
• Previousleadership and people management experience preferred.
• Strong communication, stakeholdermanagementand problem-solving skills.
• Fluent Englishrequired; German highly desirable.

At Lonza, our people are our greatest strength. With 30+ sites across five continents, our globally connected teams work together every day to manufacture the medicines of tomorrow. Our core values of Collaboration, Accountability, Excellence, Passion and Integrity reflect who we are and how we work together. Everyone’s ideas, big or small, have the potential to improve millions of lives, and that’s the kind of work we want you to be part of.

Innovation thrives when people from all backgrounds bring their unique perspectives to the table. At Lonza, we value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. If you’re ready to help turn our customers’ breakthrough ideas into viable therapies, we look forward to welcoming you on board.