Senior Group Lead/Associate Director - Bioprocessing
12 hours ago
Oxford
Join Ivy Farm Technologies as Senior Group Lead/Associate Director, Bioprocessing – Help Shape the Future of Sustainable Food! At Ivy Farm our mission is to create the world’s best guilt free and sustainable meat, it’s cultivated meat, just like real meat, only made differently - and we’re super excited by it. We're a fun and humble community of 40+ technical and scientific crew; a team where you can make a true difference to animal well-being and global sustainability, and we’re looking for a driven Bioprocessing guru to help us achieve our goals. Our focus as a leading cultivated meat company is to develop scalable, high-performance bioprocesses for sustainable meat production. So, if you're a seasoned engineer or scientist who can lead process development and scale-up activities read on.... Broadly speaking: This role is ideal for a biochemical engineer with 7+ years of industrial experience in mammalian cell culture process development, with a strong emphasis on upstream process development and scaling these processes into manufacturing. The successful candidate will drive the development of robust, scalable perfusion processes and lead cross-functional efforts to transition these processes from bench-scale development through pilot validation and into commercial readiness. Your work will directly influence the scalability and commercial readiness of Ivy Farm’s cultivated meat platform. What you'll get stuck into: • Lead the development and scale-up of mammalian cell culture processes; focusing on perfusion-based systems and optimization strategies; ensuring performance and cost targets are maintained, • Ensure appropriate design and execution of experiments in bench scale bioreactors to evaluate process robustness, cell growth kinetics, and metabolite control, • Lead the interpretation and generation of experimental data to support scale-up, leveraging experience with industrial manufacturing systems, • Drive the development of control strategies for perfusion culture, including hollowfibre systems, PID tuning, and real-time monitoring of critical parameters, • Provide technical leadership in bioreactor control strategies, including configuration, calibration of control loops, sensors, and automation systems across multiple reactor platforms, • Integrate and apply new technologies such Raman Spectroscopy for real-time monitoring of cell culture parameters and process control, • Own the process development lifecycle, from early-stage characterisation through to pilot validation and tech transfer, • Collaborate with automation and digital biology teams to implement advanced process analytics, including real-time reactor control, feed/metabolite profiling, and culture performance-based control loops, • Lead troubleshooting and root cause analysis for process deviations, contamination events, and performance variability, • Interface with the wider business to ensure all processes are aligned with overall product and operational goals, • Mentor & lead junior engineers and contribute to technical training programs across the scale-up team, • Maintain documentation & data capture requirements for tech transfer, validation and regulatory submissions Essential Experience: • Minimum 7 years in bioprocess development, with significant hands-on experience in perfusion culture and industrial bioreactor operations, • Proven track record of leading teams, • Deep understanding of CSPR-based process control, including its impact on cell productivity, metabolite accumulation, and scalability, • Hands-on experience with Applikon/Getinge, Eppendorf DasBox or equivalent bioreactor systems, including perfusion systems; experience with stainless steel pilot systems is advantageous, • Strong knowledge of bioreactor control systems, including DO/pH cascades, feed control, and sensor integration, • Experience with Raman spectroscopy for bioprocess monitoring and control., • Experience with process data analysis tools (e.g., JMP, Python, MATLAB) and Electronic Lab Notebooks, • Proven ability to lead teams and deliver cross-functional projects according to strategic milestones, • Familiarity with GMP principles and documentation standards Ideal Candidate: You are a technically rigorous engineer with a passion for solving complex bioprocess challenges. You bring deep expertise in perfusion systems, automated bioprocess control, and advanced bioreactor technologies. You are comfortable working with automation and process analytical technologies (PAT) to drive data-rich, real-time control strategies. You thrive in a collaborative, fast-paced environment where an innovation and scalability are key. Company Culture and Benefits: At Ivy Farm, we value innovation, collaboration, and a commitment to sustainability. We offer a dynamic and inclusive work environment with opportunities for professional growth and development. Our benefits include flexible working hours, health benefits, and opportunities for continuous learning. Career Growth Opportunities: We are committed to supporting the career growth of our employees. This role offers potential for advancement within the company, with opportunities to take on more responsibility. Impact and Vision: By joining Ivy Farm, you will be part of a team that is revolutionising the food industry. Your work will directly contribute to creating sustainable and ethical food sources, making a positive impact on the environment and society. Total Package: At Ivy Farm, we believe that every employee should be compensated fairly and with that any offer will be based on the skill and level of experience the successful candidate brings to the role. Plus: • 25 days annual leave + bank holidays, • Company pension contribution 5%, • Private health care from day one, • Company Shares, • Company Bonus, eligible from day one, • Oodles of amazing fresh ground coffee, tea and snacks, • Company events, • Based at our fabulous super cool offices in Oxford, we’re biased, but let’s face it – it’s cool We also realise this may well be your first venture into cultivated meat – and that’s absolutely fine – we have a great team that will be excited to help you get to grips with that. And just to confirm, here at Ivy Farm, we're an employer that believes in creating a workplace where everyone feels included and valued, no matter who they are. Are you ready to get stuck into our pilot plant at the forefront of the cultivated meat revolution? (no agencies thank you, any CV's shared will be deemed as a gift)