Senior Bioprocess Scientist/ Engineer

The position: 

We are looking for a dedicated scientist/ engineer with experience in mammalian cell cultures to develop our benchtop and production based bioreactor systems.  As part of a broad technical organization tasked with commercializing Prolific Machine’s unique technology, they will lead the process development of specific mammalian cell lines (including both CHO and bovine) to design, optimize, and eventually scale-up the process to production scales.  The successful candidate will collaborate with multiple stakeholders across the company to deliver our processes and technology for the benefit of the strategic portfolio.  This position will report into the Head of BPD.

Accountabilities:

• Design and development of mammalian cell culture process starting from clonal handoff to production scale bioreactors.. 
• Design and execute experiments at benchtop scale to determine optimal process design space as well as process optimization to establish robust and scalable cell culture processes for various mammalian cell types. 
• Serve as an organizational subject matter expert in mammalian cell culture processes and bioreactor scale-up.
• Ensure technologies are in place to improve process efficiency and productivity.  Work with the BPD team to expand capabilities and productivity.
• Weighing technical performance with the availability of a stable and cost-effective supply chain for cell culture media components and relevant equipment vendors, etc.

Collaborate and communicate with:

• Cell line development, bioprocess engineering and product development teams for the cross-functional coordination to make key decisions on tech transfers and technical support.
• Third-parties, suppliers and partners for ingredients, equipment, and novel approaches to process development and bioreactor technology.

Some things about you

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with clarity in communication around the tradeoffs in scope, quality, time and (human) resources.
• You come with creative, cost-effective solutions to accelerate timelines. You know when to be flexible and when to be assertive and communicate what you know is right.
• You are an effective integrator - you are a quick learner and effective facilitator and can integrate knowledge, data, and experience from others to make efficient progress. 
• You are a thoughtful coworker who cares deeply about the company's mission and culture.
• You thrive in a dynamic environment and can take on the plurality of challenges that are inherent to startups.
• You foster a team environment and you actively seek impactful feedback from your colleagues.

What you need to be successful

• Advanced degree (MS, or PhD preferred) with 5+ years of experience in technical development in a biopharmaceutical or similar industry. 
• Extensive experience in industrial mammalian cell culture development with strong technical understanding of cell culture processes, scale-up principles, and optimization techniques.
• Experience with process development from both an early stage and late stage perspective.  Experience with benchtop scales (250ml - 10L) is a must, experience with larger scales (50L - 1KL) is a plus.  
• Experience with single use or stainless steel bioreactors is a plus.  
• Strong understanding/experience in experimental design including design of experiment (DOE) and subsequent data analysis through SIMCA, JMP, or Python.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with clarity in communication around the tradeoffs in scope, quality, time and (human) resources.
• Understanding of cell biology, cell line engineering and development.

What we offer: 

Start Date & Location: Emeryville, CA starting in the next couple of months (once we fundraise).

Compensation Range: $145,000-$190,000 (bi-weekly payments) + significant stock options (subject to vesting), performance-based bonus, and free lunch and drinks every day!

Benefits: Outstanding Health, Vision & Dental Insurance (including full spouse coverage), coverage of visa and relocation costs, at least one all-expense-paid team holiday per year, fully flexible work hours and unlimited vacation days.