Scientist, Upstream Process Development

About Meridian Meridian Bioscience is a fully integrated life science company that develops, manufactures, markets and distributes a broad range of innovative diagnostic products. We are dedicated to developing and delivering better solutions that give answers with speed, accuracy and simplicity that are redefining the possibilities of life from discovery to diagnosis. We are looking for talented and passionate individuals that help drive our vision.

Our innovative culture will allow interested candidates to discover and create, through collaboration, cutting edge solutions to tough problems.

Job Summary The Scientist, Upstream Process Development is a hands-on technical role within Technical Operations and Development to drive the improvement and growth of our immunological reagent offerings including recombinant proteins, native/viral antigens, monoclonal antibodies, polyclonal antibodies, blockers, and custom manufacturing. This position develops, optimizes, characterizes, and scales upstream processes used to produce viral antigens and recombinant proteins, with a primary focus on mammalian cell culture.

The Scientist will translate laboratory processes into robust, reproducible, and cost-effective manufacturing workflows; troubleshoot existing processes; and support technology transfer to Production and Quality Control. Success in this role requires working independently at the bench, strong experimental design, sound scientific judgment, clear technical communication, and effective collaboration with internal teams, external partners, and custommanufacturing customers. Key Duties Major

Duties and Responsibilities:

Design, execute, and optimize upstream processes for virus propagation and recombinant protein expression, primarily using mammalian cell culture, from laboratory-scale vessels through rocking and stirred-tank bioreactors.

Develop scalable seed-train and production workflows, including cell-line and host-cell selection, culture expansion, inoculation strategy, media and feed optimization, process monitoring, harvest timing, and primary recovery. Develop and optimize viral production processes by evaluating host-cell performance, multiplicity of infection, infection conditions, harvest criteria, clarification, formulation, storage, and stability. Develop robust mammalian expression processes for recombinant proteins and antibodies using adherent or suspension culture;

support insect-cell, yeast, hybridoma, or other expression platforms when required by the project. Apply risk-based experimental design and appropriate statistical tools to identify and characterize critical process parameters and their effects on yield, productivity, product quality, and process reproducibility.

Develop and characterize workflows for maintaining cell lines, cell banks, virus seed stocks, and virus banks, including propagation, storage, stability, documentation, and traceability. Establish and use fit-for-purpose in-process and characterization methods for cell growth, viability, metabolites, protein expression, viral concentration, infectious titer, identity, integrity, and stability. Partner with downstream and analytical scientists to define harvest and clarification conditions that protect product quality and enable efficient purification of cell-culture-derived materials.

Troubleshoot manufacturing and product-performance issues using structured root-cause analysis; recommend and implement scientifically justified process improvements and corrective actions. Learn and apply protein purification techniques for the purification of cell culture-derived proteins. Plan and document experiments, analyze and interpret data, maintain complete technical records, and prepare concise reports and presentations for internal and external stakeholders. Lead or support technology transfer of developed processes to Production and Quality Control, including transfer plans, readiness assessments, training, and on-floor support during initial manufacturing runs.

Author and revise development protocols, technical reports, SOPs, batch records, and other controlled documents in accordance with company procedures and applicable ISO 13485 requirements. Evaluate new upstream technologies and potential custom-manufacturing projects; contribute technical scope, feasibility, resource, timeline, and cost estimates.

Maintain a safe, organized, and inspection-ready laboratory, including equipment upkeep, material management, biosafety practices, and…