Associate Director / Director, Bioprocess Sciences

Pivotal•San Diego, CA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced scientific leader to join our team as an Associate Director or Director of Bioprocess Sciences. This role will provide technical and people leadership for bacterial protein production programs supporting research and development. The successful candidate will be responsible for process development, scale-up strategy, external manufacturing oversight, and management of a dynamic and growing team of scientists. Title and compensation will be commensurate with experience.

Requirements

Ph.D. in Chemistry, Biology, Biochemistry, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a related field.
7–12+ years of progressive experience in bacterial protein expression, purification, and bioprocess development.
Demonstrated experience leading projects and mentoring or managing scientists.
Hands-on expertise with affinity-based protein purification (e.g., FPLC), bacterial expression systems, and routine molecular biology assays.
Strong working knowledge of SDS-PAGE, Western blotting, ELISA, and other biochemical and biophysical assays.
Experience interpreting QC assays (fluorometric, chromogenic, etc.) and assessing data quality and process performance.
Routine use of electronic laboratory notebooks (e.g., Benchling) with a strong commitment to data integrity.
Excellent analytical, communication, and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
Ability to work independently in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
Eligible to work in the United States for any employer without sponsorship.
Able to work onsite in the lab located in San Diego.
A direct candidate and not from a third party, i.e., staffing agency.

Nice To Haves

Direct experience managing or collaborating with CDMOs for process development or manufacturing.
Experience with bioreactor operations, scale-up, and tech transfer.
Protein characterization experience using HPLC/UPLC and/or LC-MS.
Familiarity with regulatory expectations related to bioprocessing and manufacturing.
Background in protein engineering or recombinant protein production.

Responsibilities

Provide technical leadership for bacterial strain engineering, fermentation, protein expression, purification, and protein characterization activities.
Develop, optimize, and scale bacterial culture and purification processes for internal and external manufacturing.
Manage and oversee activities at contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs), including tech transfer, process troubleshooting, timelines, and deliverables.
Build, mentor, and manage a dynamic and growing team of bioprocess scientists, setting priorities and ensuring high-quality execution.
Serve as a cross-functional partner to research, analytical, quality, and leadership teams to achieve project milestones.
Establish and maintain robust documentation, protocols, and data packages to support internal decision-making and external partners.
Prepare and present technical reports, development strategies, and risk assessments to internal stakeholders.
Stay current with advancements in bioprocessing technologies, manufacturing trends, and regulatory expectations.