Principal Scientist - BioProcess Development

Principal Scientist
- Bio Process Development Language View Profile

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Job Title:

Principal Scientist
- Bio Process Development

Job Location (Short):
San Diego, CA, USA, 92121
Posting

Start Date:

4/29/26

Do you want to take responsibility and make a difference with your work? With your expertise, we can achieve great goals together. We are WACKER
- Reliable. Determined. Ambitious. As one of the world's most research-intensive chemical companies, we've been making countless products that are an integral part of your everyday life possible for over 100 years. From vegan food to resource-efficient buildings to solar cells, we develop sustainable solutions that change the future. To strengthen our team in San Diego
, we are looking for you as a(n)
Principal Scientist
- Bio Process Development
.

The Principal Scientist, Bio Process Development is a senior technical leadership role responsible for the design, development, optimization, and scale-up of bioprocesses for plasmid DNA, protein biologics, and emerging modalities. This position serves as a scientific authority and technical project lead, bridging hands-on process development with strategic program execution. The Principal Scientist independently leads complex development programs, drives platform and technology innovation, and ensures successful technology transfer to Manufacturing and MSAT.

• Lead complex upstream/downstream bioprocess development programs. Act as technical escalation point for complex process, scale up, and manufacturability challenges across development programs.
• Serve as technical project lead and define development strategies aligned with client requirements and timelines, regulatory phase, and manufacturing constraints. Ensure development activities comply with EHS, quality, and data integrity requirements.
• Design scalable processes using QbD principles. Evaluate and implement new technologies, materials, and unit operations to improve yield, robustness, and cost of goods. Drive process characterization, process definition, and comparability studies in support of process changes or scale transitions.
• Author and review development protocols, development SOPs, development reports, technical documentation, and tech transfer documentation. Support technical presentations/publications.
• Coordinate tech transfer with Manufacturing, QC, and MSAT. Review and provide critical input to batch records, development protocols, and technical instructions supporting GMP execution. Partner with MSAT and Manufacturing to support process validation readiness and late stage development activities, as needed. Support root cause investigations and CAPA development for process related deviations impacting development or manufacturing.
• Support RFPs and customer technical discussions. Support client onboarding and technical due diligence, including assessment of incoming processes and data packages.
• Provide technical mentorship. Contribute to technical governance forums, development reviews, or internal scientific committees.
• Provide scientific input to cost modeling, process economics, and capacity planning discussions. Represent Process Development in cross functional decision making related to program strategy, timelines, and risk.
• Contribute to platform and continuous improvement initiatives. Champion standardization, platform processes, and best practices while maintaining flexibility for client‑specific needs

Position Requirements:

• Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry, Biological Sciences, Bioengineering, Chemistry, or related scientific discipline;
  Master’s Degree or PhD in Biology, Chemistry, Engineering or related scientific field is preferred.
• Minimum 10 years of relevant experience with 5 years in Contract Development and Manufacturing services of Biopharmaceuticals.
• Experience in Plasmid and Protein development and/or manufacturing is required. Additional experience in RNA, LNP preferred.
• Ability to travel up to 10%.
• Experience in and good technical knowledge of biotherapeutic process development and manufacturing is required. Proven track record of…