Engineer II/Sr. Engineer, Process Development

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

UPSIDE is seeking a highly motivated Engineer to help develop bioreactor processes for the cultivation of cultivated meat.  As a member of the Process Development team, this person will develop novel fed-batch and perfusion bioreactor processes using scale-down benchtop platforms for transfer into the Manufacturing group. Your scientific and operational expertise will lend itself to independent experimental design, troubleshooting, and analysis of experiments within a talented team. A working knowledge of vessel hardware, controller automation, and cell culture data analysis are critical for success. The Engineer will have daily operational laboratory-based responsibilities on several concurrent projects, including execution, data interpretation and presentation, and suggestion of follow-up experiments. The ideal candidate will have a history of integrating perfusion systems (e.g., alternating tangential flow (ATF) or tangential flow filtration (TFF), to achieve desirable results through Design Of Experiments (DOE). We are excited to bring on a diligent self-starter who thrives in a fast-paced team with numerous opportunities for growth.

Responsibilities include...

• Independently design, review, execute, and analyze process development experiments at the benchtop scale, leading to process transfer to pilot plant and commercial scale.
• Participate in prototype development, installation and evaluation of new bioreactor technologies.
• Responsible for day-to-day operations of multiple benchtop platforms, including troubleshooting, routine maintenance and calibration of process equipment.
• Leading and mentoring team members to accomplish project goals.
• Summarizing and synthesizing experimental plans and results to leadership and the larger team in an organized, concise, and logical manner, both verbally and visually.

About you...

• PhD in bioprocess engineering, bioengineering, biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, or related discipline, or BS with 4+ years of experience in cell culture bioprocess development and process transfer across size scales in either an academic or industry setting. Other levels will be considered for the right candidate. 
• Experienced with a range of bioreactor platforms and control systems.
• Excellent critical thinker with detail-oriented and well-organized mindset.
• Comfortable working in and leading in a team-based environment.
• Must be willing and able to work evenings and weekends, when needed.

Desirable skills

• Experience in data analysis platforms (e.g. JMP, Minitab), including statistical analysis and presenting data in table and graph forms.

Who you’ll work with…

• Process Development sits at the intersection of several functions; you’ll interface and coordinate with our cell and media, and food R&D teams, as well as our manufacturing and scale-up teams.
• You’ll also collaborate with our data, automation, analytical, and IT teams to develop new systems and solutions. 

Key Contributions in First Year…

• Deliver cell-based meat cultivation processes with increased yield while achieving safety, sensory, and cost targets.
• Increase our rate of learning and deepen our understanding of major cultivation levers.
• Provide skilled process development and bioreactor operations expertise to the team, including training and mentoring junior team members.
  

UPSIDE Benefits!

• Stock options for all full-time incoming team members!
• 90-100% employer-paid healthcare premiums for team members (medical [including HSA and FSA], dental, and vision)
• Pet insurance for your furry family 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.