Remote Lead Process 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

About the Role

Our client, a globally recognized leader in biopharmaceutical innovation, is seeking a highly experienced and driven Lead Process Development Scientist to join their fully remote research and development team. This position is pivotal in advancing our pipeline candidates from laboratory scale to clinical manufacturing. You will be responsible for designing, optimizing, and scaling up bioprocesses, ensuring robust and reproducible manufacturing methods. The role requires a deep understanding of upstream and downstream processing, technology transfer, and regulatory requirements. This is an exceptional opportunity for an accomplished scientist to lead critical projects and make a significant impact from any location, contributing to our operations managed remotely but with ties to our **Stellenbosch, Western Cape** hub.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and optimization of scalable manufacturing processes for biologics.
• Design and execute experiments to improve yield, quality, and efficiency of bioprocesses.
• Develop and transfer process knowledge packages for cGMP manufacturing.
• Troubleshoot and resolve technical challenges encountered during process development and scale-up.
• Collaborate closely 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, new technologies, and regulatory guidelines in bioprocess development.

Requirements

• PhD in Chemical Engineering, Biochemical Engineering, Biotechnology, or a related field.
• Minimum of 8 years of experience in biopharmaceutical process development, with a proven track record of successful 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.

Benefits

• This fully remote role offers a highly competitive compensation package, including an attractive base salary, performance bonuses, and comprehensive benefits.
• Our client provides generous paid time off, opportunities for professional growth and conference attendance, and the chance to work on cutting-edge therapies that change lives.
• Join a forward-thinking company that embraces a remote-first culture, fostering innovation and flexibility, while contributing to our scientific endeavors rooted in **Stellenbosch, Western Cape**.