Remote Lead Bioprocess Development Scientist

Placements24; Stellenbosch; Hybrid; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Performance bonus

Paid time off

Professional growth

Remote-first culture

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Lead Process Development Scientist to drive scalable bioprocesses from lab to clinical manufacturing. The role is fully remote with ties to our Stellenbosch, Western Cape hub, supporting both upstream and downstream development.

You will design experiments, optimize processes, and transfer knowledge to manufacturing while mentoring junior scientists and ensuring regulatory readiness. A PhD with 8+ years in biopharma is required, plus strong data analysis skills.

Qualifications

• PhD in Chemical Engineering, Biochemical Engineering, Biotechnology, or a related field.
• Minimum of 8 years of experience in biopharmaceutical process development with scale-up.
• Extensive knowledge of cell culture (upstream) and purification (downstream) technologies for biologics.
• Experience with technology transfer to manufacturing sites and familiarity with cGMP regulations.
• Strong data analysis and statistical modeling skills.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, adapted for remote collaboration.
• Ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously and effectively in a remote environment.
• Proficiency in relevant software and modeling tools.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and optimization of scalable biologics manufacturing processes.
• Design experiments to improve yield, quality, and efficiency of bioprocesses.
• Develop and transfer process knowledge packages for cGMP manufacturing.
• Troubleshoot and resolve technical challenges during process development and scale-up.
• Collaborate with upstream, downstream, formulation, and analytical development teams.
• Prepare and review technical documents, reports, and regulatory submissions.
• Mentor junior scientists and provide technical guidance to the team.
• Stay current with industry trends, technologies, and regulatory guidelines in bioprocess development.

Skills

Data analysis

Statistical modeling

Leadership

Communication

Remote collaboration

Education

PhD in Chemical/ Biochemical Engineering/ Biotechnology

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a Lead Process Development Scientist to drive scalable bioprocesses from lab to clinical manufacturing. The role is fully remote with ties to our Stellenbosch, Western Cape hub, supporting both upstream and downstream development.

You will design experiments, optimize processes, and transfer knowledge to manufacturing while mentoring junior scientists and ensuring regulatory readiness. A PhD with 8+ years in biopharma is required, plus strong data analysis skills.