Cell Culture Process Development Lead Scientist

Lonza Biologics Porriño SLU; Slough; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in life sciences is seeking a Cell Culture Process Development Lead Scientist in Slough. The role involves leading process characterisation studies, managing lab workflows, and engaging with clients. Ideal candidates will have a PhD or MSc and extensive experience in cell culture techniques and statistical analysis.

Qualifications

• PhD, MSc or equivalent experience in cell culture.
• Proven experience in cell culture process development.
• Hands-on expertise in bioreactor operations.

Responsibilities

• Lead process characterisation and technology transfer studies.
• Manage matrix teams for lab work across development stages.
• Conduct risk assessments and design experimental studies.

Skills

Cell culture techniques

Statistical analysis

DOE methodologies

Risk assessments

Education

PhD or MSc in relevant field

Tools

Excel

JMP

Design Expert

Minitab

Job description

Cell Culture Process Development Lead Scientist

United Kingdom, Slough

Today, Lonza is a global leader in life sciences operating across five continents. While we work in science, there’s no magic formula to how we do it. Our greatest scientific solution is talented people working together, devising ideas that help businesses to help people. In exchange, we let our people own their careers. Their ideas, big and small, genuinely improve the world. And that’s the kind of work we want to be part of.

The role:

We are looking for a highly skilled Cell Culture Process Development Lead Scientist with experience in cell culture process development and characterisation, statistical analysis, and data-driven decision-making. The selected candidate will lead matrix teams to complete lab work across various development stages while engaging with clients in a customer-facing capacity.

Lead Scientist in Cell Culture Development role requires technical competence and foresight in specialised areas. Manage multiple projects efficiently and develop scientific capabilities.

Key responsibilities:

Lead process characterisation and technology transfer studies related to cell culture development for successfully delivering projects of growing complexity.

Manage and guide matrix teams to conduct lab work across multiple stages of process development.

Efficiently manage personal and team workflows to meet project goals with minimal supervision.

Conduct risk assessments based on Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) to identify the process parameter for experimentation to identify/qualify the design space.

Engage in routine mammalian cell culture workflows involving media preparation, revival, and subculture as required for an experiment.

Design and implement experimental studies using Design of Experiments (DOE) methodologies. (e.g. DOE in 250mL and 10 L scale bioreactors for process characterisation stages)

Detail the study results and analyse the data using Excel, JMP, Design Expert, or Minitab to interpret experimental results effectively.

Collaborate with customer technical representatives, serving as the primary technical point of contact for process characterisation projects.

Key requirements:

PhD, MSc or equivalent experience with experience of progressive experience in cell culture techniques and cell culture process development and characterisation.

Proven experience in cell culture process development and characterisation studies.

Strong knowledge of DOE methodologies, small-scale model qualification, and risk assessments (using C&E and FMEA tools) for process characterisation studies.

Hands-on expertise in cell culture techniques, including bioreactor operations at 10 L cell bag, 250mL and 10 L lab scale.

Experience with statistical analysis tools such as Excel, JMP, Design Expert, and Minitab.

Familiarity with biologics drug development involving cell line construction Gene to IND to BLA filings and cGMP regulations for developing the large molecule.

Every day, Lonza’s products and services have a positive impact on millions of people. For us, this is not only a great privilege, but also a great responsibility. How we achieve our business results is just as important as the achievements themselves. At Lonza, we respect and protect our people and our environment. Any success we achieve is no success at all if not achieved ethically.

People come to Lonza for the challenge and creativity of solving complex problems and developing new ideas in life sciences. In return, we offer the satisfaction that comes with improving lives all around the world. The satisfaction that comes with making a meaningful difference.