Vice President, Upstream Process Development MIDWEST OR (Preferably) OMAHA, NEROLE SUMMARY: We are seeking an exceptional Vice President of Upstream Fermentation to join our top-talented scientific team. This role is central to our mission, and you will be the expert driving our fermentation process from the bench to commercial scale. You will work at the intersection of strain development and downstream processing, collaborating with our internal teams and external partners to pioneer a continually optimized, scalable approach to biomanufacturing. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of quantitative physiology and a passion for turning biology into real-world products.
RESPONSIBILITIES: - Drive the strategic plan for commercializing our upstream process, building and executing the roadmap to get us to demonstration and commercial scales
- Improve and develop scale-down processes that are directly informed by our commercial-scale goals ('end in mind' thinking)
- Direct the development of robust analytical and process monitoring methods for repeatable, high-quality fermentations
- Independently but collaboratively design and manage critical fermentation experiments with our external partners to maximize our understanding of strain physiology
- Lead process characterization (CPPs), optimization, and control (QbD) to enable seamless scale-up and technology transfer
- Leverage your knowledge of bioprocess design to enhance and inform our techno-economic models
- Provide knowledge and insights to inform utility, system, or equipment upgrades or expansions.
- Evaluate and audit external partners for their fermentation capabilities at bench, pilot, and demonstration scales
- Lead the design requirements and ultimately manage on-site implementation of the upstream process at Bluestem's demonstration facility
REQUIREMENTS: - Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Fermentation Science, Microbiology Physiology, or a related field plus 5+ years in a fermentation R&D role. (Differing combinations of experience and education will be considered)
- Demonstrated hands-on experience and deep knowledge of fermentation science, biochemical engineering, and cellular physiology
- Hands-on experience with media optimization, process design, and dynamic control strategies at laboratory and pilot/demo scales
- Experience running commercial scale fermentations without all the "bells and whistles" of bench or pilot-scale bioreactors is preferred
- Strong communication skills and the ability to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced startup environment.
- A self-starter mindset with the ability to lead projects, build relationships, and own the mission
- Possess a Growth Mindset and open mind that seeks continuous learning from feedback, setbacks and failure on the journey to achieving results
Preferred Qualifications:- Commercial-scale fermentation experience (making money at scale) is a major plus!
- Experience with yeast
- Expertise with statistical software for analyzing large datasets (e.g., JMP, R, Minitab, etc.).
- Experience 'promoting' strains from small-scale screening (flasks, microtiter plates) to bioreactors
