Director of MSAT

About us

At the forefront of farming and food, UPSIDE Foods is innovating new ways to produce real meat, without the need to breed, feed and slaughter animals. Our process begins with an animal cell, which is cultivated and harvested as meat. UPSIDE Foods is a mission-driven company focused on bringing to meat lovers an authentic product that is truly humane, sustainably produced, nutritious and delicious! We are now expanding our team of dedicated professionals across disciplines to make better meat for a better world.

About this job

The Director of MSAT will provide technical, operational, and strategic leadership and expertise to support the implementation of robust, high-yield, bioprocesses for manufacturing cell-based meat. The role is highly collaborative with teams focused on key media components process development and manufacturing, media preparation, and scaling up and validating novel hardware and processes for cultivation of our proprietary cell-based meat products.

The Director of MSAT will lead a group of scientists and engineers in development and implementation of large-scale manufacturing process technologies. MSAT teams will receive, develop, and transfer processes into manufacturing and provide ongoing technical support for operations, equipment qualification, process validation, investigations, and opportunities for further site optimization. As this is a new field, leadership in this role will require deep scientific engagement, adaptability, and a drive to innovate.

Responsibilities include…

• Develop and communicate a strategic approach for MSAT that aligns with the efforts of other teams, including Operations, Engineering, Quality, and Regulatory Affairs.
• Ensure that optimized and well-characterized processes and operations are implemented into manufacturing with a high degree of confidence in their performance at scale.
• Develop deep expertise in our meat production technology and ensure that we are bringing world class science and engineering technologies and solutions to our challenges.
• Employ and optimize small-scale models for process troubleshooting and optimization.
• Lead and develop teams (materials/media, cell cultivation, harvest/recovery) of engineers and scientists to conduct effective studies that are both bold and innovative as well as rigorous and scientifically sound.
• Support regulatory submissions and inspections to convey key aspects of the process and their impact on food safety and quality.

About you…

• BS/MS or PhD in Chemical Engineering or Biological/Biochemical sciences with 10+ years of relevant experience working in MSAT/Process Development and leading teams in the biotechnology industry (for pharma or industrial products).
• In-depth technical understanding of media preparation, cell culture, and harvest unit operations, preferably associated with both R and D and GMP facilities.
• Track record of implementing well-characterized cell culture processes into manufacturing, including technology transfer, technical support, equipment & systems qualification, and regulatory submission authoring.
• Knowledge of tissue engineering and familiarity with cultivation systems beyond stirred tank bioreactors is desirable.
• An aptitude for both digging into the technical details with your teams to employ the emerging science of this new field, as well as maintaining a view toward developing for the scale and scope that is the potential of this new industry.
• Experience leading teams and allocating resources across a portfolio of projects.
• Value mentoring and developing your team into a highly effective organization.
• Strong collaboration mindset and excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Who you’ll work with…

• This role will partner with most functions within the company, in particular Process Development, Manufacturing Operations, Engineering, Facilities, and Quality. In the future, interactions will include external partners as part of commercial facility design and process transfers.

Key Contributions in First Year…

• MSAT Organization and Talent Strategy Plan, recruitment of additional staff into MSAT function (raw materials/media, cell cultivation, harvest/recovery)
• EPIC site commissioning and qualification completion for cell cultivation and harvest
• operations
• Implementation of effective manufacturing process monitoring program

UPSIDE Benefits!

• Stock options for all incoming team members!
• 90-100% employer-paid healthcare premiums for team members
• Unlimited PTO 
• DE&I (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) Council and People Engagement Programs
• Company-sponsored learning & development opportunities

UPSIDE Foods is an equal opportunity employer and we value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. Our company-wide mission is to create a product for everyone, so we are deeply committed to having teams and leaders that reflect this mission.