Sr. Director Process and Analytical Development (BioProcess Sciences)

Thermo Fisher Scientific • St. Louis, MO

113d

About The Position

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. leads in serving science, with over $40 billion in revenue. Our mission enables customer health, cleanliness, and safety. We assist in life sciences, diagnostics, therapies, and lab efficiency. Our team provides innovative technologies and services through leading brands like Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, and more. Location: St. Louis, Missouri Division: Services provided by the Biologics Business Unit in Pharma Services include mammalian cell lines. Manage analytical, upstream, and downstream process development teams for Thermo Fisher's CDMO.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering, Molecular Biology, or a related scientific field; Master’s degree with extensive relevant experience will be considered.
• Bachelor's degree required.
• 15+ years of progressive leadership experience in biologics process development, with a strong track record in CDMO or biopharmaceutical environments.
• Demonstrated success in leading large, multidisciplinary scientific teams across analytical, upstream, and downstream functions.
• Deep technical expertise in biologics development, including cell culture, purification, analytical method development, and tech transfer.
• Proven ability to scale scientific organizations while maintaining quality, compliance, and innovation.
• Strong business and financial competence, including experience in overseeing P&L, planning resources, and budgeting operations.
• Experience leading client-facing programs as an executive sponsor or senior collaborator, focusing on customer happiness and delivery excellence.
• Skilled in organizational design, talent development, and succession planning to build resilient, future-ready teams.
• Skilled at inspiring change and continuous improvement in complex, matrixed environments.
• Excellent communication and executive presence, with the ability to influence across all levels of the organization and with external partners.
• Familiarity with regulatory expectations (e.g., FDA, EMA) and quality systems in a GMP environment.
• Passion for scientific innovation and a dedication to advancing life-saving therapies through collaborative leadership.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in MSAT or operations preferred.

Responsibilities

• Ensure on-time delivery, technical excellence and quality for customer projects: act as executive sponsor, aligning internal teams, managing milestones, proactively mitigating risks, and maintaining transparent client communication—from kickoff through closeout and post-project support.
• Provide strategic and operational leadership for the BPS organization, including hiring, staffing plans, organizational design, succession planning, and career development.
• Lead and mentor senior leaders and their teams, conducting performance reviews, goal setting, and mentoring to promote accountability, growth, and high morale.
• Coordinate team structure and resourcing to balance cross-functional needs across analytical, upstream, and downstream functions.
• Establish clear goals, measurements, and performance indicators; track progress, recognize achievements, and address any areas needing improvement promptly.
• Promote a high-performance culture by encouraging collaboration, innovation, continuous improvement, and technical excellence across all levels.
• Ensure consistent communication: run leadership meetings, town halls, and forums that keep everyone aligned, informed, and engaged.
• Act as a change agent—advocating for new tools, processes, and standard methodologies with visible support and training.
• Collaborate with HR and functional leadership to recruit top talent, manage organizational health, and scale the team responsibly.
• Provide mentorship and development opportunities to build bench strength and improve resilience.

What This Job Offers

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