Director of Process Development

About us

At the forefront of farming and food, UPSIDE Foods is innovating new ways to produce real meat, without the need to breed, feed and slaughter animals. Our process begins with an animal cell, which is cultivated and harvested as meat. The founding company of the industry, UPSIDE Foods is a mission-driven organization focused on bringing to meat lovers an authentic product that is truly humane, sustainably produced, nutritious and delicious! We are now expanding our team of dedicated professionals across disciplines to make better meat for a better world.

About this job

The Director of Process Development will provide technical, operational and strategic leadership and expertise to support the development of robust, high-yield bioprocesses for manufacturing cell based meat.  The role is highly collaborative with teams focused on cell line development, media development, and scaling novel hardware and processes for cultivation of our proprietary cell-based meat product.   

The Director of Process Development will lead a group of scientists and engineers in selection of top performing cell lines, media and feed optimization, and identification and characterization of critical process parameters that affect yield, taste and texture of our products.  Process Development teams will transfer processes into manufacturing and provide ongoing technical support for investigations and opportunities for further optimization.  As this is a new field, leadership in this role will require deep scientific engagement, adaptability and a drive to innovate. 

Duties include

• Develop and communicate a strategic approach for process development that aligns with the efforts of other coordinating teams.
• Ensure that optimized and well-characterized processes are delivered to manufacturing with a high degree of confidence in their performance at scale.
• Develop deep expertise in our meat production technology and ensure that we are bringing world class science and engineering solutions to our challenges.
• Drive innovation and state-of-the-art process technologies to ensure we can reach the potential that we see for our industry. 
• Oversee a portfolio of development projects to ensure they are adequately resourced and meeting timelines and deliverables.
• Oversee the characterization of small scale models for cell-based meat production so that they are continually refined to be predictive of performance at larger scales.
• Develop a team of engineers and scientists to conduct effective studies that are both bold and innovative as well as rigorous and sound, scientifically.
• Collaborate with colleagues throughout the organization to continue to refine workflows and procedures to support a pipeline of products.
• Support regulatory submissions and inspections to convey key aspects of the process and their impact on food safety and quality.
  

About you

• BS/MS or PhD in Chemical Engineering or Biological/Biochemical sciences with 10+ years of relevant experience working in Process Development and leading teams in the biotechnology industry (for pharma or industrial products)
• In-depth technical understanding of cell culture and harvest unit operations and of key factors in process intensification and optimization of product quality attributes using statistically well-designed studies
• Track record of delivering well-characterized cell culture processes into manufacturing, including process development, technology transfer, and regulatory submission authoring
• Knowledge of tissue engineering and familiarity with cultivation systems beyond stirred tank bioreactors is desirable
• Experience leading teams and allocating resources across a portfolio of projects
• An aptitude for both digging into the technical details with your teams to learn the emerging science of this new field, as well as maintaining a view toward developing for the scale and scope that is the potential of this new industry
• You value mentoring and developing your team into a highly effective organization
• Strong collaboration mindset and excellent written and verbal communication skills

UPSIDE Benefits!

• Stock options for all full-time incoming team members!
• 100% employer-paid healthcare premiums for team members (medical, dental, vision)
• Unlimited PTO / 3 Weeks PTO Accrued Annually
• DE&I (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) Council and People Engagement Programs
• Company-sponsored learning & development opportunities

UPSIDE Foods is an equal opportunity employer and we value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. Our company-wide mission is to create a product for everyone, so we are deeply committed to having teams and leaders that reflect this mission.