Senior Associate Scientist, Cell Culture Process Development
Why Patients Need You
Pfizer’s purpose is to deliver breakthroughs that change patients’ lives. Research and Development is at the heart of fulfilling Pfizer’s purpose as we work to translate advanced science and technologies into the therapies and vaccines that matter most. Whether you are in the discovery sciences, ensuring drug safety and efficacy or supporting clinical trials, you will apply cutting edge design and process development capabilities to accelerate and bring the best in class medicines to patients around the world.
What You Will Achieve
As a Senior Associate Scientist, you will be focused on developing robust, scalable, and high productivity cell culture processes for the manufacture of biological therapeutics for early- and late-phase clinical programs.
You will join an unusual team largely dedicated to making breakthroughs in bioreactor process intensification and applying those innovations to late-stage clinical programs with high material requirements, or other technical challenges. In some cases the scientist/engineer will work with pilot, clinical, or commercial-scale GMP facilities to demonstrate scalability of the novel processes.
Your significant experience of applying knowledge of principles, concepts, and practices of the discipline will make you a critical member of the team. Your innovative scientific temperament will help Pfizer deliver new biopharmaceuticals to patients in need across the globe.
How You Will Achieve It
- Design and perform experiments with mammalian cells in benchtop bioreactors to evaluate culture conditions leading to high productivity and appropriate product quality.
- Satisfactorily complete all Good Laboratory Practices and safety training in compliance with departmental requirements and follow appropriate safety practices in the workplace.
- Assist in the tech transfer of manufacturing processes to pilot, clinical, and commercial facilities.
- Design, plan and execute experiments in shake flasks, bench-top bioreactors, and other appropriate scale-down equipment.
- Present data and strategy to scientists and management in appropriate internal and external venues (technical meetings, project team meetings, conferences) as appropriate.
- Analyze and document experimental data generated, and ensure timely documentation in electronic laboratory notebooks and internal technical reports.
- Evaluate data and provide clear reports that can be shared and transferred to and from cross-functional teams.
Qualifications
Must-Have
- Bachelor’s degree with 2-4 years’ industrial experience or Master’s degree with 0-2 years’ industrial experience in the area of Chemical/Biochemical engineering, Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Microbiology, or related field.
- Strong mammalian cell culture expertise preferred, knowledge pertaining to other heterologous expression systems desirable.
- Strong trouble-shooting skills and extreme attention to detail required.
- Excellent oral and written communications skills with experience in report writing.
- Proficiency with personal computers, including word processing, spreadsheets, PowerPoint and relevant scientific software.
Nice-to-Have
- Experience with statistical tools and design of experiments (DOE).
- An in-depth knowledge of bioreactor operations and in particular perfusion cell culture.
- Experience with bioreactor/WAVE systems.
- General knowledge of Good Laboratory Practices / Good Manufacturing Practices (also cGMP) practices.
PHYSICAL/MENTAL REQUIREMENTS
- Lifting small bioreactors (~10 lbs), sitting, standing, walking, bending, ability to perform mathematical calculations and ability to perform complex data analysis.
NON-STANDARD WORK SCHEDULE, TRAVEL OR ENVIRONMENT REQUIREMENTS
- Majority of work will be standard business hours.
- Some weekend work may occasionally be required.
- Some travel may occasionally be required. Most travel will be domestic, on rare occasions overseas.
Other Job Details:
- Last Date to Apply for Job: January 28, 2021
- Eligible for Employee Referral Bonus: YES