Downstream Process Development Engineer, Bioproduction; Plainville, MA

Position: Downstream Process Development Engineer, Bioproduction (Plainville, MA)
This job is with Thermo Fisher Scientific, an inclusive employer and a member of my Gwork – the largest global platform for the LGBTQ+ business community. Please do not contact the recruiter directly.

Work Schedule
Standard (Mon-Fri)  Environmental Conditions
Some degree of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) required (safety glasses, gowning, gloves, lab coat, ear plugs etc.)

Job Description

Thermo Fisher Scientific is seeking a  Downstream Process Development Engineer  to support development, scale-up, and customer enablement of downstream purification processes using our industry-leading single-use and hybrid purification platforms. This role is highly hands-on, customer-facing, and focused on large-scale chromatography execution, troubleshooting, and technology transfer.

Location:

This is an onsite position in Plainville, Massachusetts. Residency within commuting distance is required. No relocation assistance will be provided.
What You’ll Do
Develop and execute downstream purification processes across capture, intermediate, and polishing steps.
Perform  hands-on large-scale protein purification , including operation of chromatography columns  30 cm to 60 cm  .
Pack, qualify, and troubleshoot large-scale chromatography columns, ensuring consistent performance across cycles.
Diagnose and resolve  pressure, flow distribution, and resin-related issues , including column fouling, pressure excursions, and yield losses.
Make  real-time process adjustments during chromatography runs  based on system trends and performance data.
Operate and optimize  chromatography skids (single-use and/or stainless steel) , including systems controlled via  Delta

V .
Review  process trends, alarms, and historian data  to drive process understanding and improvement.
Generate high-quality technical data demonstrating robustness, scalability, and reproducibility.
Support  PD → pilot → manufacturing scale transitions  and participate in customer or internal tech transfer discussions.
Lead hands-on customer training, demonstrations, and technical workshops.
Collaborate cross-functionally with R&D, automation, manufacturing, and commercial teams.

Required Qualifications
B.S. in Chemical Engineering, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, or related field with  5+ years  of relevant experience;
M.S. with  3+ years  of relevant experience;
Ph.D. with relevant industry experience.
Hands-on experience with protein purification using chromatography , including capture, intermediate, and polishing steps.
Direct experience operating large-scale chromatography columns (≥30 cm ) .
Experience packing and qualifying chromatography columns in development or pilot-scale environments.
Strong ability to  diagnose chromatography performance issues , including pressure, flow, and resin behavior.
Solid  mechanical and fluid-flow intuition  for packed-bed chromatography.
Experience operating downstream single-use purification systems.
Demonstrated  end-to-end ownership of unit operations , with accountability for execution and outcomes.
Strong planning, execution, and technical documentation skills.

Preferred Qualifications
Experience operating chromatography columns  45–60 cm   at pilot or manufacturing scale.
Hands-on experience with  resin lifetime studies, reuse strategies, and column performance trending across multiple cycles .
Understanding of  resin selection tradeoffs  (binding capacity, pressure limitations, fouling risk).
Knowledge of  cleaning, sanitization, and storage practices  for chromatography resins and columns.
Experience operating  chromatography skids using Delta

V , including navigation of batch phases and recipe logic.
Ability to collaborate with automation engineers on  phase logic optimization and troubleshooting .
Familiarity with  electronic batch records (E ) or MES interfaces .
Understanding of  scale-dependent risks , including flow distribution, pressure scaling, and residence time effects.
Experience translating small-scale learnings into  robust operating ranges  for pilot or manufacturing scale.
Experience supporting  customer-facing troubleshooting, training, or technology transfer  activities.
Demonstrated proactive identification of  process risks…