Upstream Development Lab, Associate / Sr. Associate Scientist

Zoetis; Kalamazoo (MI); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive healthcare benefits

Retirement savings options

Support for employee well-being

Job summary

A leading animal health company in Kalamazoo is seeking an Associate/Sr. Associate Scientist to support lab operations and bioprocess technologies. Responsibilities include maintaining cell cultures, running bioreactor experiments, and coordinating lab resources. Ideal candidates will have a background in Biochemistry or related fields and practical lab experience. This role offers opportunities for collaboration and contribution to significant scientific advancements.

Qualifications

• Strong aseptic technique and hands-on mammalian cell culture.
• Comfort with bench/mid-scale bioreactors and chromatography.
• Reliability in executing tasks and relaying information.

Responsibilities

• Support material generations including cell cultures and bioreactor operations.
• Execute small-scale bioprocess studies to support lead scientists.
• Manage inventory and scheduling for reliable lab operations.

Skills

Aseptic technique

Mammalian cell culture

Bioreactor operation

Chromatography

Filtration modalities

Data integrity

Excel fluency

Education

Biochemistry, Molecular/Cell Biology, Biotechnology, or related field

BS with strong internship/co‑op experience or 4+ years

MS with 0 to 2+ years industry experience

Tools

ELN/LIMS

Automation tools

Job description

Upstream Development Lab, Associate / Sr. Associate Scientist

Join to apply for the Upstream Development Lab, Associate / Sr. Associate Scientist role at Zoetis

Great science starts with great lab operations. At Zoetis, we're advancing the science of animal health and growing our team. We're looking for a reliable scientist to contribute hands‑on for lab operations and developing bioprocesses and technologies. You'll make great science possible by readying labs and equipment, coordinating shared resources, and communicating clearly. You'll also apply your bench skills to support bioreactor‑based production, product purification, and focused studies that accelerate process and technology development. If you love enabling a team, building trust, and modernizing how bioprocess labs work, let's talk.

What you'll do

• Support material generations: maintain cell cultures; operate and sample bioreactors; assist with harvest, purification, and polishing.
• Execute targeted bioprocess studies: support lead scientists by running small‑scale experiments, sensor/PAT evaluations, basic assay development, and troubleshooting with guidance.
• Make labs run reliably: manage inventory and scheduling; perform safety checks and calibrations; keep documentation clear and current.
• Ready equipment: track status and PMs, troubleshoot issues, and ensure instruments and materials are fit‑for‑use; maintain visible status labels/logs and communicate updates promptly.
• Document with rigor: complete batch records and ELN entries, update SOPs, and provide concise, action‑oriented updates that build trust.
• Coordinate shared resources and schedules: reconcile equipment availability with experiment plans; flag conflicts early; keep teams aligned with clear, visible schedules.
• Build modern tools: stand up simple trackers, dashboards, and templates that improve schedule clarity, reduce stockouts, and increase visibility.
• Contribute to digital/data practices: help connect instruments, improve data capture at the source, and partner on basic data flows.
• Collaborate closely with supervising/lead scientists to align priorities, receive mentorship, and ensure high‑quality execution.

What you bring

• Strong aseptic technique and hands‑on mammalian cell culture; comfort with bench/mid‑scale bioreactors; familiarity with chromatography and filtration modalities.
• Reliability and trustworthiness: you execute consistently and relay detailed information accurately.
• Organization and coordination: you keep many moving parts aligned and close loops proactively.
• Familiarity with ELN/LIMS and lab coordination tools; Excel/Sheets fluency; interest in simple automation.
• Awareness of cGxP in R&D settings; exposure to tech transfer helpful.
• Curiosity about connected labs: networked instruments, basic data architecture concepts, and data integrity.

Qualifications

• Biochemistry, Molecular/Cell Biology, Biotechnology, Chemical/Biochemical/Biomedical Engineering or related field.
• BS and 0 years with strong internship/co‑op/academic lab experience to 4+ years industry experience.
• Or MS and 0 to 2+ years industry experience.

About Zoetis

At Zoetis, our purpose is to nurture the world and humankind by advancing care for animals. As a Fortune 500 company and the world leader in animal health, we discover, develop, manufacture and commercialize vaccines, medicines, diagnostics and other technologies for companion animals and livestock. We know our people drive our success. Our award‑winning culture, built around our Core Beliefs, focuses on our colleagues' careers, connection and support. We offer competitive healthcare and retirement savings benefits, along with an array of benefits, policies and programs to support employee well‑being in every sense, from health and financial wellness to family and lifestyle resources.