Director, Downstream Science Applications 1

Merck Group$159K — $281K *
Pharmaceuticals & Biotech
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's in Biochemical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Biochemistry, Biology, or related field; Master's or PhD preferred with relevant experience
  • Minimum 15 years in downstream bioprocessing; 12 years with Master's; 10 years with PhD
  • Hands-on experience with chromatography and/or filtration in biopharma
  • Proven leadership of technical teams of 15+ in R&D or applications science
  • Strong scientific communication skills and experience in publishing and presenting at conferences

Responsibilities

  • Serve as a senior SME in downstream bioprocessing to tackle complex challenges
  • Lead a team of scientists/engineers on product development to enhance applications readiness
  • Define and maintain technical priorities, aligning with R&D goals and revenue impact
  • Partner with customer-facing teams to resolve technical questions and provide expert support
  • Collaborate to translate scientific signals into actionable development priorities
  • Lead project work across R&D teams, ensuring strategic alignment on deliverables
  • Represent MilliporeSigma at industry events, building a professional network

Benefits

  • Health insurance coverage
  • Paid time off (PTO)
  • Retirement contributions
  • Eligibility for performance-based bonuses
  • Additional perquisites available
Full Job Description
Your Role: The Downstream Science & Applications team within MilliporeSigma's Downstream Applications R&D organization is seeking a Director to lead a team of senior scientists and engineers focused on advancing applications knowledge for our downstream bioprocessing portfolio. This role sits at the intersection of deep technical expertise, external scientific engagement, and cross-functional collaboration - serving as a critical bridge between our internal R&D capabilities and the broader biopharmaceutical community. Responsibilities: • Scientific & Technical Leadership - Serve as a senior subject matter expert (SME) in downstream bioprocessing, providing technical guidance on the most complex and escalated applications challenges across the filtration and chromatography portfolio - Lead a team of senior scientists and engineers serving as SMEs and Applications leads on new product development projects to drive early-stage applications development and accelerate commercial readiness and product adoption - Define and maintain the team's technical priorities, balancing applications support for new products with legacy product needs, and aligning decisions to broader R&D goals and revenue impact • Cross-Functional Collaboration - Partner with customer facing teams to resolve escalated technical questions and provide expert support - Collaborate with the broader innovation and technology pipeline organization to translate external scientific signals into actionable applications development priorities - Orchestrate project work across peer R&D teams in the role of Applications Lead, ensuring accountability, quality, and strategic alignment on product development deliverables • External Engagement & Thought Leadership - Represent MilliporeSigma at industry conferences, scientific consortia, and academic collaborations, building and maintaining a broad network of downstream bioprocessing contacts to generate insights that inform the team's technical direction and MilliporeSigma's broader downstream portfolio strategy - Author and contribute to the development of publications, application notes, white papers, and other scientific content that establishes MilliporeSigma's thought leadership in downstream bioprocessing Minimum Qualifications: • Bachelor's degree in Biochemical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Biochemistry, Biology, or a related life sciences field with 15-17+ years of relevant experience; or Master's degree with 12-14+ years; or PhD with 10-12+ years • Recognized leader in downstream bioprocessing, with hands-on experience in chromatography, filtration, or both as an end user or as a downstream applications specialis • Experience with biopharmaceutical manufacturing processes and familiarity with relevant modalities including monoclonal antibodies, recombinant proteins, or viral vectors • Proven track record of leading and developing technical teams of 15+ and delivering high-impact scientific results in an R&D or applications science environment • Strong scientific communication skills with experience presenting at conferences, authoring technical publications, or contributing to external scientific engagement Preferred Qualifications: • Experience serving in a subject matter expert or applications lead capacity on complex, multi-stakeholder R&D projects • Established network within the downstream bioprocessing community, including relationships with academic institutions, industry consortia, and key opinion leaders This position is based in Bedford, MA. Travel of up to 15% may be required to support conference participation, customer engagements, and collaboration with the Darmstadt-based team. Pay Range for this position: $159,700 - $281,200. The offer range represents the anticipated low and high end of the base pay compensation for this position. The actual compensation offered will be determined by factors such as location, level of experience, education, skills, and other job-related factors. Position may be eligible for sales or performance-based bonuses. Benefits offered by the Company include health insurance, paid time off (PTO), retirement contributions, and other perquisites. For more information click here.

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