Senior Associate Scientist, Process Development

Elanco Tiergesundheit AG; Fort Dodge (IA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation packages

Two weeklong shutdowns (US)

Annual bonus offering

401K matching

Job summary

Elanco is seeking a Senior Associate Scientist in Vaccine Process Development at its Fort Dodge, IA site. The role focuses on designing and executing studies for bacterial fermentation, viral propagation, and downstream processing to enable robust manufacturing transfers.

You will work with analytical teams to ensure timely development and validation of processes that protect animal health, with on-site collaboration and hands-on experimentation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant scientific discipline.
• Minimum of 3 years of relevant laboratory experience or MS in a relevant field.
• Strong verbal and written communication with lab instrumentation experience.

Responsibilities

• Apply scientific knowledge to drive progress of technical development projects.
• Independently execute methods involving bacterial fermentation, propagation, cell culture, formulation and downstream processing.
• Generate methods under guidance of a lead scientist and interpret data for next steps.
• Contribute to a safe, compliant, and productive lab environment; train others.
• Perform general laboratory upkeep and support technology transfer.

Skills

Strong communication

Lab instrumentation

Science collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant scientific discipline (e.g., Chemical Engineering, Microbiology, Immunology, Molecular Biology, Bioprocessing)

Tools

Basic laboratory instrumentation

Bacterial fermentation & viral propagation experience

Job description

At Elanco (NYSE: ELAN) – it all starts with animals!As a global leader in animal health, we are dedicated to innovation and delivering products and services to prevent and treat disease in farm animals and pets. At Elanco, we are driven by our vision of Food and Companionship Enriching Life and our purpose – all to Go Beyond for Animals, Customers, Society and Our People.At Elanco, we pride ourselves on fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. We believe that diversity is the driving force behind innovation, creativity, and overall business success. Here, you’ll be part of a company that values and champions new ways of thinking, work with dynamic individuals, and acquire new skills and experiences that will propel your career to new heights.Making animals’ lives better makes life better – join our team today!Your Role: Senior Associate Scientist, Process DevelopmentAs a Senior Associate Scientist in Vaccine Process Development, you will be a key contributor in bringing new vaccines to market for both pets and livestock. This is a hands-on, process-focused role where you will assist in designing and executing crucial studies in bacterial fermentation, viral propagation, and downstream processing. In our fast-paced environment, your agility and passion for science will be critical as you help forge a growing partnership with our analytical teams, ensuring the robust development, validation, and transfer of manufacturing processes that protect animals and enrich lives globally.Your ResponsibilitiesApply scientific knowledge and skills to drive timely progress of Technical Development projects.Independently execute experimental methods and protocols involving bacterial fermentation, viral propagation, mammalian cell culture, formulation, and downstream processing. Generate methods for technical activities, under the guidance of a qualified scientist.Actively contribute to a safe, compliant, and productive work environment for all research associates.Train others under the guidance of a lead scientist and educate self and others on complex issues.Propose initial interpretations of data to the lead scientist for evaluation and suggest next steps within the method.Demonstrate flexibility and high learning agility to perform and adapt in a fast-paced, rapidly changing environment.Perform general laboratory upkeep and maintenance.What You Need to Succeed (minimum qualifications)Education: Bachelor’s degree in a relevant scientific discipline (e.g., Chemical Engineering, Microbiology, Immunology, Molecular Biology, Bioprocessing).Required Experience: A minimum of 3 years of relevant laboratory experience (or a Master of Science degree in a relevant field).Top Skills: Strong verbal/written communication and experience with the operation and maintenance of basic laboratory instrumentation.Legal Authorization: Qualified candidates must be legally authorized to be employed in the United States. Elanco does not anticipate providing sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g., H-1B or TN status) for this position.What will give you a competitive edge (preferred qualifications)Proven ability to quickly learn and adapt, with a passion for problem-solving and addressing new scientific opportunities.Experience with downstream processing techniques and related equipment.Direct experience handling biohazardous organisms in a laboratory setting.Familiarity with the development process for animal health products and a good understanding of relevant industry regulations (e.g., USDA, VMD).Additional Information:Travel: <5%Location: Fort Dodge, IA - On-site Work Environment – Relocation packages available!Don't meet every single requirement? Studies have shown underrecognized groups are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Elanco we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive work environment. If you think you might be a good fit for a role but don't necessarily meet every requirement, we encourage you to apply. You may be the right candidate for this role or other roles!Elanco Benefits and Perks:We offer a comprehensive benefits package focusing on financial, physical, and mental well-being while encouraging our employees to pursue our purpose! Some highlights include:Multiple relocation packagesTwo weeklong shutdowns (mid-summer and year-end) in the US (in addition to PTO)8-week parental leave9 Employee Resource GroupsAnnual bonus offeringFlexible work arrangementsUp to 6% 401K matchingElanco is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected statusElanco may use automated tools, including AI, to support parts of our recruitment process, such as reviewing applications against job‑related criteria and/or transferrable skills. These tools help ensure a consistent, structured evaluation, but they do not make hiring decisions. All decisions involve a human reviewer. For more information on how we handle personal data, please see our Elanco Workforce Privacy Notice.