Microbiome Production Technician

About The Department

The Duchossois Family Institute (DFI) at the University of Chicago is at the forefront of microbiome research,
leveraging advanced technologies in newly established, state‑of‑the‑art facilities to accelerate research and introduce novel interventions that optimize microbiome‑mediated host defenses, with the goal of enhancing human health.

DFI is pioneering therapies that harness the microbiome to revolutionize the prevention and treatment of a wide range of diseases.

This at‑will position is wholly or partially funded by contractual grant funding, renewed under provisions set by the grantor; employment will be contingent upon the continued receipt of these grant funds and satisfactory job performance.

We are seeking a Microbiome Production Technician for our cGMP facility, a first‑of‑its‑kind, state‑of‑the‑art, adaptable microbiome biomanufacturing center. The mission is to translate bench innovations into clinical investigations, embedding a biotech product development capability within an advanced academic research environment to address unmet medical needs in record time.

The role supports production and quality control testing of drug substance and drug products, and contributes to research efforts for Live Biotherapeutic Products from development through production.

• Partner with the bioprocessing team to define and characterize live biotherapeutic products (LBPs) for scalable production within a cGMP biomanufacturing facility.
• Assist in optimizing media formulation and fermentation conditions for various anaerobic bacteria.
• Help refine fermentation parameters to enhance LBP yield and viability.
• Help identify harvest conditions that maximize viability and stability of LBPs.
• Perform rigorous Quality Control (QC) testing, including CFU counts and USP compendial tests, for drug substance and drug products.
• Conduct biomanufacturing operations – including environmental monitoring, media production, fermentation, tangential filtration, lyophilization, encapsulation, and facility cleaning – in a cGMP cleanroom environment.
• Operate and maintain specialized laboratory equipment under guidance from senior production associates such as anaerobic chambers, biological safety cabinets, bioreactors/fermenters, tangential flow filtration systems, lyophilization systems, MALDI Biotyper, spectrophotometers, and pH meters.
• Perform routine cleaning, setup, care, and preventive maintenance of all laboratory equipment.
• Perform hands‑on biomanufacturing operations for fermentation, purification, lyophilization, encapsulation, and cryopreservation of LBPs under guidance from senior production associates.
• Maintain the highest standards of laboratory workplace safety, quality, and cGMP compliance.
• Complete all training requirements for applicable Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Meticulously record executed work in batch records, logs, and forms as outlined per established SOPs.
• Support QA, QC, and regulatory documentation and audit requirements.
• Follow all verbal and written instructions and procedures for processes and equipment.
• Identify and report non‑conforming events promptly.
• Consistently comply with SOPs and regulatory guidelines.
• Conduct new tests and research on new technologies for implementation in the laboratory; solve routine or standard problems relating to the collection and management of patient results and data.
• Have general awareness of safety, quality control, and quality assurance procedures; maintain quality and safety control measures for the laboratory.
• Perform other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications: A college or university degree in a related field.

Preferred Qualifications:

• B.S. degree in Biological, Chemical, or Bioprocess Engineering.
• Degree in Microbiology, Biomedical Engineering, or a closely related life sciences field.

Minimum Experience: Knowledge and skills developed through less than 2 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Preferred Experience:

• Hands‑on experience in biomanufacturing.
• Experience operating general laboratory equipment: balances, vortex, pH meters, centrifuge, and microscope.
• Experience…