Sr. Manager, Bioprocess Core

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. The founding company of the industry, UPSIDE Foods is a mission-driven organization 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

As the head of the Bioprocess Core team, you will manage and grow a skilled organization to accelerate the development of meat cultivation processes. Your team will offer bioreactor experiment services, such as small-batch prototype manufacturing, access to and training in controlled bioreactor equipment, and the technical expertise of dedicated staff. You will be responsible for the overall operations of the core team, including managing the lab and personnel. You also will support the company by driving a culture of operational excellence, with high consistency, personnel productivity, and equipment utilization. A working knowledge of vessel hardware, controller automation, and bioprocess best practices are critical for success. The ideal candidate will have experience setting up new lab facilities and executing in a customer-focused environment. We’re looking for someone who is flexible and innovative, passionate about process optimization, and excited to collaborate with our research and development teams.

Responsibilities include… 

• Hiring, supervising, and developing core team members in a supportive team environment.
• Designing and administering training programs for new core team staff as well as researchers on customer teams, including authoring SOPs with clear specifications.
• Sourcing, maintaining, and troubleshooting bioprocess-related equipment.
• Accurate estimation of staffing and operating needs, including managing schedules and sourcing consumables.
• Championing a culture that values efficiency, service orientation, continuous improvement, and growth mindset.

About you…

• A bachelor’s degree with 10+ years of related technical experience, including 3+ years of managerial experience leading and developing a team, with demonstrated history applying lean lab practices.
• Enjoys fast-paced and complex environments, mentoring team members, and always striving to make processes and experiences better.
• Outstanding oral and written communication skills, with proven ability to communicate effectively with individuals from a variety of levels and backgrounds.
• Willing and able to adjust to shifts in product focus, juggling multiple products and production modalities.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, including ability to establish relationships with key internal and external stakeholders.

Who you’ll work with…

• The Bioprocess Core customers that you will partner with to deliver new products and cultivation processes will include the Process Development, Cell Culture Media, and the Discovery teams.
• You will frequently coordinate with the Operations, Lab Operations, and Media Manufacturing teams.

Key Contributions in First Year…

• Establish policies, procedures, and practices to optimize throughput and service level.
• Significantly increase Upside Foods’ lab performance metrics (higher equipment utilization, run rates, and success rates) and rate of learning from cultivation experiments.
• Implement a new technology to improve efficiency or reduce human error.
• Qualify a new cultivator platform in collaboration with the Process Development team.

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.