Upstream Scientist

Legend Biotech US•Philadelphia, PA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Legend Biotech is a global biotechnology company focused on developing advanced cell therapies for life-threatening diseases, including autologous and allogenic chimeric antigen receptor T-cell, T-cell receptor (TCR-T), and natural killer (NK) cell-based immunotherapy. The company has R&D sites worldwide and a global collaboration agreement with Janssen to develop and commercialize ciltacabtagene autoleucel (cilta-cel) for multiple myeloma. Legend Biotech is seeking an experienced Scientist to join the Upstream team within Vector Biology in Philadelphia, PA. This independent contributor role will focus on in-vivo CAR-T programs, specifically owning the hands-on execution and data-driven development of lentiviral vector upstream processes. This includes defining seed train strategies and scaling up from small-scale to 40-Liter bioreactor runs. The Scientist will collaborate closely with Downstream, Analytical, and Technical development partners to ensure process alignment, support comparability, and facilitate efficient, high-quality technology transfer.

Requirements

BS degree with 5+ years; MS degree with 3+ years; or PhD degree with 1 year’s prior industry experience in Bioengineering, Virology, Cell biology, Chemical Engineering, or related field.
Demonstrated hands-on experience in lentiviral vector production and characterization.
Strong experience in mammalian suspension cell culture and upstream bioprocessing.
Highly organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple projects in parallel and work independently.
Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills to develop innovative solutions and meet project objectives.
Proficiency in maintaining accurate and detailed records of experimental procedures, data, and results in an electronic lab notebook to ensure reproducibility and accessibility.
Excellent oral and written communication skills for documenting work and presenting data to teams.
Ability to operate effectively as an independent contributor within a collaborative team environment.

Nice To Haves

Experience scaling processes to bioreactor systems (up to 50 L preferred).
Experience supporting gene therapy platforms, ideally involving in-vivo viral vector applications.
Broad understanding of upstream and downstream process interfaces.

Responsibilities

Define and optimize seed train strategies from shake flask through bioreactors, scaling to 40-L with reproducible performance and clear rational for operating parameters.
Execute and optimize lentiviral vector production workflows supporting in-vivo CAR-T application, including transient transfection optimization and/or stable cell line optimization.
Perform media optimization, feeding strategy development, and process control adjustments to improve yield, quality, scalability and robustness.
Develop and execute fit-for-purpose studies to support scalability and readiness.
Collaborate with internal teams within Vector Biology and coordinate cross-functional activities to support technology transfer to internal Technical Development team.
Contribute technical input to cross-functional discussions on experimental design, comparability strategy, and progression of exploratory work into formal process development.
Independently plan, perform, analyze, and interpret experiments with minimal supervision.
Deliver clear data summaries and evidence-based recommendations to Vector Biology and cross-functional teams.
Prepare high-quality technical reports, study summaries, and slide decks to support decisions on the upstream process development.
Adhere to BSL-2 biosafety standards and Legend policies, maintaining accurate and compliant electronic lab notebooks and documentation.
Ensure experimental reproducibility and data integrity through detailed and organized record-keeping.