Senior Technical Assistant-PD Upstream Processing

Senior Technical Assistant – Process Development / Upstream Processing (USP)

Position Type: Full-time (40h/week)

Department: Process Development / Upstream Processing (USP)

Reports To: Director of PD

About Us

Ascend Advanced Therapies Group is a global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) supporting the development and commercial manufacturing of gene therapies, viral vectors, and vaccines. Following the 2024 acquisition of ABL Inc., Ascend operates GMP manufacturing sites in Rockville, Maryland; and Alachua, Florida, with Process development and QC labs in Munich, Germany, partnering with biopharmaceutical innovators to help bring life-changing therapies to patients around the world.

Our Munich facility in Germany features state-of-the-art process development (PD), analytical development (AD) and GMP quality control (QC) labs in the region’s largest biotech hub.

To strengthen our team in Munich, we are seeking an experienced and self-motivated Senior Technical Assistant (m/f/d) to join our Upstream Processing (USP) group.

As a Senior Technical Assistant in USP, you will act as a subject matter expert, taking full ownership of laboratory execution, experimental design, and data analysis for recombinant AAV (rAAV) production processes. Working closely with technical project leaders and team leads, you will drive method development, establish new protocols, and mentor junior technical staff without needing direct day-to-day technical supervision.

• Experimental Design & Execution: Independently design, set up, evaluate, and optimize USP experiments for rAAV production across laboratory and benchtop bioreactor scales (e.g., adherent and suspension eukaryotic cell culture systems).
• Method & Process Development: Drive the establishment, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement of USP methodologies, protocols, and cellular biology techniques.
• Data Evaluation & Reporting: Independently evaluate experimental data, maintain accurate documentation, and compile comprehensive task reports for multi-experiment projects using existing or self-developed formats.
• Analytical Support: Conduct process-relevant sample characterization and analytics, including ELISA, protein quantification, spent media analysis, flow cytometry, qPCR, SDS-PAGE, and DLS.
• Documentation & Compliance: Write and review lab procedures, SOPs, and technical documents, incorporating initial GxP documentation practices where applicable.
• Mentorship &
  
  Collaboration:
  
  Train, onboard, and technically supervise junior TAs; serve as the central technical point of contact between USP and other functional groups.
• Laboratory Operations: Take responsibility for USP material supply, buffer/media preparation, equipment maintenance, and general laboratory upkeep.

• Education & Experience:
  • Completed German vocational training as a Technical Assistant (BTA, CTA, MTA, UTA, MLTA) or Laborant (Biologie-/Chemie-Laborant) with at least 4–5 years of relevant professional experience.
  • OR a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Biology, Biotechnology, Chemistry, or a related field with at least 2–3 years of hands-on industry experience.
• Technical Expertise:
  • Proven expertise in both adherent and suspension eukaryotic cell culture technologies.
  • Substantial practical experience with bioreactor-based production systems.
  • Demonstrated hands-on experience in producing recombinant viral vectors (rAAV) on a laboratory scale.
  • Strong proficiency in basic laboratory procedures (buffer/media prep) and molecular biological/protein biochemical techniques (ELISA, qPCR, SDS-PAGE, spent media analysis, flow cytometry).
• High level of proficiency in written and spoken English ; proficiency in MS Office.
• Strong organizational talent, attention to quality, and ability to work independently as a subject-matter expert.
• Basic knowledge of control engineering ( Regeltechnik ) and familiarity with GxP documentation is a plus.
• High motivation to work collaboratively in a team environment to help bring gene therapies to patients.