Senior Scientist - Bioprocess Development

Zoetis • Lincoln, NE

92d

About The Position

The Senior Scientist / Principal Scientist in Bacterial Bioprocess Development plays an essential role in the Zoetis vaccine and biopharmaceutical strategies for veterinary medicine. The successful applicant will work as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) in the development of fermentation and bioreactor protocols in support of global product development and GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) manufacture of biological veterinary products. The incumbent is expected to work hands-on at the bench while also providing strong technical and strategic leadership to project teams. The scientist is expected to work with a high degree of autonomy in the discipline and work on project teams in collaboration and partnership with colleagues in downstream process development, formulation development, and bioanalytical sciences. They will serve as a key technical resource within the line, may lead functional and cross-functional teams, and will have advanced knowledge of related bioprocessing unit operations such as cell line development, seed banking, and protein purification techniques. The position is based in Lincoln (Nebraska, USA) with frequent interactions with colleagues and external partners located around the globe.

Requirements

• Possess a relevant degree in science or engineering, such as Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Biotechnology, Chemical/Biochemical Engineering, or Biomedical Engineering.
• For Senior Scientist Level: BS candidates with a minimum of 15 years relevant experience; MS candidates with a minimum of 10 years relevant experience; PhD candidates with 0 - 2 years of relevant experience.
• For Principal Scientist Level: MS candidates with a minimum of 15 years relevant experience; PhD candidates with 3+ years of relevant experience.
• Demonstrated track record as an independent researcher working in the field of bioprocess development.
• Advanced theoretical knowledge of the scientific disciplines that support bioprocess development and scale-up such as cell biology, industrial microbiology, or biochemical engineering.
• Demonstrated expertise in scaling and optimizing bacterial or eukaryotic expression systems is essential.
• Able to troubleshoot problems and devise corrective solutions to solve the problem.
• Excellent laboratory technique and a strong technical knowledge of bioreactor design and operation including bioreactor engineering first principles and computational flow dynamics modelling.
• Experience in scaling up bioreactor systems and technical transfer into manufacturing operations.
• Demonstrated track record working as an independent scientific expert on multiple concurrent programs.
• A willingness to embrace and evaluate new technologies for the purpose to improve existing capabilities and workflows within the line.
• Knowledge of the regulatory (USDA, FDA, EMA) expectations for bioprocess design and technical transfer in alignment with principles of GMP.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• 2-5 years of progressive leadership of functional and cross-functional teams is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Independently apply an advanced knowledge of biological manufacturing science in the design and execution of bioreactor experiments to identify and validate critical parameters that affect upstream and downstream bioprocess performance across multiple scales.
• Systematically identify and optimize the key parameters that affect bioreactor performance through the application of statistical models for experimental design and analysis.
• Perform and support antigen production, purification and/or concentration processes to support mono- and multivalent vaccine development.
• Partner in collaboration with colleagues in pilot and manufacturing scale operations to devise scale-up strategies for fermentation processes.
• Provide technical leadership using key knowledge of engineering first principles and computational flow dynamic (CFD) modelling in scale up programs based on risk assessment of critical parameters and their impact on product quality attributes.
• Perform set-up, operation and validation of equipment used to generate experimental data.
• Ensure the maintenance and performance of the equipment is kept in good operational status.
• Coordinate with internal and external sources to evaluate new technologies or troubleshoot issues with existing equipment.
• Serve as a technical resource to project teams by providing the essential expertise in biological manufacturing science required for successful project delivery.
• Independently drive innovation and continuous improvement by conducting laboratory experiments to evaluate new bioprocess technologies.
• Maintain electronic laboratory notebooks and records in accord with scientific protocol and applicable Standard Operating Procedures.
• Document experimental findings through periodic authorship of progress reports that will be included in dossiers for product registration and technology transfer.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Industry: Chemical Manufacturing
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees