Biocatalysis Process Development Scientist – Scale-Up & Impact

Cascadebio; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Cascade Biocatalysts is building the next generation of industrial biocatalysts and seeks a hands-on Process Development Scientist, Biocatalysis to lead development, intensification, and scale-up efforts.

You will own the process development function from bench-scale proof of concept to commercially scalable processes, define SOPs and standards, and shape both science and the company culture with the founding team.

Qualifications

• PhD or MS in biochemistry, chemical engineering, organic chemistry, or a related field with a strong biocatalysis or heterogeneous catalysis focus.
• Minimum of 4 years of experience in process development including scale up, continuous improvements and commercial biocatalysis development.
• Demonstrated ability to improve process performance against real commercial targets, including yield, cost, throughput, not just feasibility.
• Experience with techno-economic modeling and process analytical tools.
• Familiarity with DOE-driven development and comfort using data systematically to guide decisions.
• Experience working across disciplines, including protein engineering, analytical chemistry, and engineering, and translating between scientific and commercial priorities.
• Prior experience at a biocatalysis-focused company, CDMO, or industrial process chemistry group strongly preferred.
• Comfort operating in an early-stage environment with limited resources, ambiguity, and ambitious goals.

Responsibilities

• Own biocatalytic process development end-to-end, from initial hits to optimized ready to scale processes.
• Run and optimize enzymatic reactions, driving process intensification by improving space-time yield, reducing enzyme loading, extending catalyst lifetime, and lowering overall process costs.
• Collaborate with our enzyme immobilization team to evaluate and implement biocatalyst formats.
• Evaluate and implement new equipment and process analytical technology solutions.
• Lead and grow a small process development team over time, mentoring junior scientists while maintaining a technical culture and standards.
• Build and maintain techno-economic models tracking key process metrics: E-factor, PMI, catalyst cost contribution, and downstream processing implications.
• Interface with protein engineering efforts, translating process bottlenecks into enzyme engineering targets and back-integrating improved variants.
• Contribute broadly across the organization: at this stage of the company, the most impactful team members bring their expertise to problems beyond their core scope.
• Strong communication skills and ability to balance multiple priorities in a fast-paced, cross-functional and dynamic environment across a variety of programs

Skills

Biocatalysis

Process development

Scale-up

DOE-driven development

Techno-economic modeling

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

PhD or MS in Biochemistry/Chemical Engineering/Organic Chemistry

Tools

Process analytical technology (PAT)

Techno-economic modeling software

Job description

Cascade Biocatalysts is building the next generation of industrial biocatalysts and seeks a hands-on Process Development Scientist, Biocatalysis to lead development, intensification, and scale-up efforts.

You will own the process development function from bench-scale proof of concept to commercially scalable processes, define SOPs and standards, and shape both science and the company culture with the founding team.