General Summary and Purpose:The Scientist I, Biopreservation is a core team member of the Research & Development Team. This role supports the development, optimization and evaluation of biopreservation workflows for cell and gene therapy (CGT) and regenerative medicine (RM).
The AJM Center for Biopreservation Excellence brings together expertise in cryobiology, cell therapy manufacturing, and translational process development to facilitate the advancement of the next generation of cellular medicines. Scientists in this group work closely with industry clients, partners, and internal teams to solve some of the most important challenges in cell preservation, stability, and manufacturing scalability.
Duties and Responsibilities:Experimental Design & Execution- Design and conduct experiments to evaluate Biopreservation strategies including cryopreservation, freezing, thawing and cold-chain storage workflows for mammalian cells and cellular therapeutics
- Develop and optimize biopreservation formulations and protocols for immune cells, stem cells, and other therapeutic cell types and tissues
- Perform characterization assays including viability, apoptosis, proliferation and phenotypic characterization
Process Development- Support development of end-to-end cell processing workflows involving cryopreserved starting materials and final drug products
- Evaluate the impact of process parameters (freezing rates, cryoprotectants, formulation buffers, thaw conditions, etc.) on product quality
- Assist with scale-up and technology transfer considerations relevant to CGT manufacturing
Analytical & Characterization Work- Perform and interpret assays including:
- Flow cytometry
- Cell viability and apoptosis assays
- Metabolic and functional assays
- Post-thaw recovery kinetics
- Analyze experimental data and generate reports to guide protocol optimization
Collaboration & Communication- Collaborate with cross-functional teams including scientific applications, product development and external clients and collaborators
- Contribute to technical reports, presentations, publications and white papers
- Participate in interactions with partners and customers evaluating biopreservation methods, including attending seminars and conferences
Scientific Innovation- Stay current with advances in biopreservation technologies and cell therapy process development and manufacturing advances
- Contribute ideas toward next-generation preservation strategies and stabilization technologies
Other Duties Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Reporting Relationship: This position reports to the Senior Director of Cell Processing & Biopreservation
Job Requirements:- Deep understanding of the principles of cryopreservation, freeze-thaw processes and cold-chain
- Hands-on experience in and demonstrated ability to troubleshoot both adherent and in-suspension mammalian cell cultures
- Fluency and experience in designing and troubleshooting cell-based assays and analytical techniques including fluorescent imaging techniques, flow cytometry and ICS, ELISA
- Strong skills in experiment design and DOE, data analysis and statistics, and scientific writing
- Training or research experience in Biopreservation methods, including cryobiology, vitrification methods, lyophilization and cellular stabilization
- Experience in handling, culture, expansion and manipulation of primary cells including T-calls and iPSCs
- Biotechnology background working with primary cells including culturing, expansion and genetic manipulation of immune cells and stem cells, among others, via viral, mRNA or other manipulation techniques
- Familiar with and demonstrated ability to apply GLP for lab work documentation
- Demonstrated ability to publish scientific work and skills for presentations at conferences
- Familiarity with process development concepts relevant to CGT manufacturing
- Demonstrated initiative to advance the field by generating innovative ideas and proposing solutions to key challenges in biopreservation and CGT/RM
- Maintain scientific leadership by actively monitoring and studying emerging research and major developments in the field
- Scientific curiosity and strong problem-solving skills
- Ability to design rigorous experiments and interpret complex data
- Strong communication and collaboration skills
- Attention to detail and careful documentation
- Passion for translating fundamental science into real-world therapeutic impact
Job Specifications:- BSc or MSc in Biology, Biomedical, Bioengineering or Chemical Engineering with 5-8 years of experience or a PhD with a minimum of 1-4 years of experience required
- Molecular Biology background and demonstrated competency in mol bio assays is a strong plus
- Occasional travel required
The US base salary range for this position at full-time is $109,593 to $158,910 per year. Typically, new hires are brought in at or near the midpoint of the range to allow for future growth and advancement within the role. This range represents the full compensation range for this position, with consideration given to experience, skills, and qualifications. Our salary ranges are determined by position, level, location, and market competitive benchmarks. Individual pay within a level is determined by work location (including geographic pay zone region), job related skills, experience, education, and training.
The BioLife Solutions total rewards program includes, but is not limited to medical, dental, vision, 401K with generous match, life and disability insurance as well as time off programs of Vacation and Sick time. Additionally, we believe in our team members sharing the success of our business and therefore we may provide cash bonus or stock equity grants based on company performance as a part of our total rewards package.
