Director of Mammalian Cell Line Development

USA - 3316 Takeda Development Center Americas, Inc.

Cambridge (MA)

On-site

USD 177,000 - 278,000

Full time

14 days+

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Job summary

Takeda is seeking a Director, Head of Cell Line Development in Cambridge, MA to lead a ~10-person team and guide end-to-end mammalian cell line development for a biologics portfolio including monoclonal antibodies and bispecifics.

You will set CLD strategy, own budgets, and oversee MCB/WCB readiness, while driving automation, technology evaluation, and collaboration with CRO/CDMOs and upstream teams. Strong leadership and regulatory experience are essential.

Qualifications

Recognized expert in Cell Line Development with track record delivering clinical production cell lines and tech transfer packages.
Deep expertise in cell biology, host cell engineering, and expression vector design with awareness of emerging technologies.
Understanding CLD decisions' impact on product quality and manufacturability, esp. for bi-specifics and complex proteins.
Ability to influence, manage in a matrix environment, collaborate across functions, and communicate to senior stakeholders.
Experience managing and coaching a team of scientists at all levels and establishing career development plans.
Experience supporting commercial cell lines and lifecycle management with understanding of regulatory and quality requirements for MCB/WCBs and IND/BLAs.
Automation/HTS implementations and collaboration with analytical teams to improve cycle times.
Troubleshooting expertise and coaching abilities.

Responsibilities

Define CLD vision and platform strategy aligned to portfolio demand.
Lead a team of ~10 scientists for clinical cell line delivery and technology evaluation.
Own functional budget, cell line timelines, and CRO/CDMO governance.
Provide oversight of mammalian cell line development including vector/transfection strategy and single-cell cloning.
Ensure characterization packages for growth, productivity, stability, and product quality.
Lead risk-based strategies for difficult-to-express molecules and complex proteins.
Ensure documentation for cell line history, clonality, traceability, and data integrity for filings/audits.
Contribute to regulatory submissions (IND/IMPD) and later-stage support.
Oversee cell banking strategy and readiness for MCB/WCB generation.
Evaluate and implement new CLD technologies and external collaborations.