Senior Process Engineer

Extracellular; Bristol; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A biotechnology startup in Bristol is looking for an experienced process development engineer to lead the development of scalable bioprocesses. The role includes operating large-scale bioreactors and offering technical guidance for internal and client projects. Candidates should have 5-10 years in biomanufacturing, experience with 1,000L+ bioreactors, and a focus on team collaboration. Opportunities for progression and training are available.

Benefits

Generous employee option scheme

Career progression opportunities

Training for personal and professional development

Qualifications

• 5-10 years of experience in cell-culture bioprocess development or commercial biomanufacturing.
• Experience operating 1,000L+ bioreactors.
• Leadership experience and line management skills.
• Understanding of CDMO business model is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Develop scalable bioprocesses and operate large-scale bioreactors.
• Lead and provide technical guidance on internal and client projects.
• Deliver commercial manufacturing processes to generate quality products.
• Adapt skillset to various bioprocess challenges.

Skills

bioreactor monitoring and control

intensified bioprocessing

bioprocess development across methodologies

scale-up from bench scale to pilot-scale

safe working practices in a life science lab

team leadership

Job description

Extracellular is a Bristol based start-up aiming to be a global leader in sustainable biotechnology. We're channeling expertise in biology, digitalisation and biomanufacturing to accelerate sustainable and ethical novel food, materials and cosmetics products using animal and plant cell culture technologies.

Our mission is to accelerate the success of ethical, sustainable cell-based products, byblending scientific excellence, innovative processes, and commercialinsight to drive rapid, scalable, cost-effective manufacturing.

We focus on providing R&D and manufacturing as a service to other biotech companies. We’ve built world-class development and scale-up capabilities, which we use to help dozens of companies hit their R&D targets, and reach commercial scale as efficiently as possible.

The Role

We're looking for an experienced process development engineer, with experience developing scalable bioprocesses and operating large-scale bioreactors. You will be leading, advising and providing technical guidance on a wide range of internal and client projects focused on developing bioprocesses and scale-up between 1L and 2,000L (and eventually further).

You will be developing bioreactor processes with the aim of making commercial manufacturing processes more efficient and sustainable, scaling these up to commercial scales and delivering on commercial manufacturing runs to generate commercial quality products. You will be working with everything from animal to plant cells; adherent to suspension cultures; primary cells to iPSCs. You don't need to be an expert in all, but you need to be able to adapt your skillset to each given challenge.

This role will utilise your skills or understanding in:

• bioreactor monitoring and control.
• intensified bioprocessing, including perfusion, semi-continuous and continuous bioprocessing.
• bioprocess development across methodologies.
  
• scale-up from bench scale to pilot-scale and above.
• safe working practices in a life science lab.
• leading a team of people to deliver project goals.

The Candidate Profile

• You will likely have 5-10 years of experience working in cell-culture bioprocess development or commercial biomanufacturing, but we value quality of experience over quantity.
• You should have experience working in industry, with a commercial mindset and understanding of project management principles.
• You'll ideally have had experience operating 1,000L+ bioreactors.
• You should have experience being a leader and as line manager.
  
• You will have had experience adhering to (and ideally leading) quality and control processes to ensure production of safe commercial products.
• You'll need excellent organisational skills and a great attention to detail with a focus on data quality and integrity. You will have experience utilising a quality management system or electronic lab notebooks.
• Understanding and knowledge of CDMO business model, or experience delivering and managing customer projects is a plus.
• You'll need to be a genuine team-player who asks for help when it's needed and offers help when it isn't.
• You'll need to be comfortable with ambiguity, shifting priorities and being proactive in finding innovative ways to move projects forward. You'll see failure as a learning opportunity.

Opportunities

• A generous employee option scheme will be available.
• As an early stage start-up with high growth potential, there will be progression opportunities available to suit your career ambitions.
• Training will be offered, in line with your personal and professional development goals.