Manager, Upstream Process Development and Scale-up
Danaher Corporation
Summary
The Upstream Team Manager is responsible for leading the Fast Trak Process Development Services (PDS) Upstream team, providing technical, operational, and people leadership to deliver high-quality process development, scale-up, technology transfer, training, and customer support activities. This role serves as a key technical leader and customer-facing subject matter expert supporting biologics, viral vector, pDNA, and emerging therapeutic modalities. This position is part of the Fast Trak Process Development Services organization and will be located in Marlborough, Massachusetts.
Job description
What you'll do
Technical and Business Leadership
- Lead planning, execution, and delivery of upstream process development, scale-up, and technology transfer activities for biologics, viral vectors, plasmid DNA, mRNA, and other advanced therapy modalities.
- Provide technical oversight and scientific leadership for cell culture bioreactor operations, process characterization and scale-up activities, and serve as a technical subject matter expert (SME) during customer meetings, project reviews, technical investigations, risk assessments, and troubleshooting activities.
- Support the development of innovative service offerings, technologies, and workflows that expand Fast Trak capabilities and customer value.
- Support proposal development, scope definition, technical reviews, customer presentations, and drive robust documentation practices including SOPs, study plans, batch records, investigations, technical reports, and technology transfer documentation.
- Partner closely with downstream, analytics, applications, automation, R&D, commercial, and PMO teams to ensure successful project execution and foster scientific collaborations within Fast Trak PD, cross-functional teams, and customers to drive efficient execution of internal and external KPIs.
- Lead and support workforce planning, talent development, recruitment, onboarding, succession planning, and ensure effective resource allocation and project prioritization to meet customer and business objectives.
- Drive on-time delivery, quality, productivity, continuous improvement initiatives, and customer satisfaction metrics utilizing Danaher Business System (DBS) principles and tools.
Who you are
- Bachelor's degree or higher (MS or PhD preferred) in chemical engineering, molecular biology, biochemistry, or related discipline with 10+ years of relevant experience in biologics with 2+ years of direct experience leading technical teams and/or people management responsibilities.
- Demonstrated hands-on expertise in upstream process development, scale-up, technology transfer, and mammalian cell culture operations ranging from laboratory to pilot scale.
- Experience managing customer-facing projects and cross-functional teams with strong technical writing and presentation skills.
- People leader that fosters a culture of safety, accountability, inclusion, collaboration, continuous improvement, and scientific excellence.
Travel and Work Environment
- Ability and willingness to work in laboratory and pilot-scale environments, including BSL-2 laboratories when required.
- Ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally to support customer engagements, technology transfers, training, and conferences.
- Flexibility to support occasional off-hours activities associated with critical project milestones and run schedules.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree or higher (MS or PhD preferred) in chemical engineering, molecular biology, biochemistry, or related discipline
- 10+ years of relevant experience in biologics
- 2+ years of direct experience leading technical teams and/or people management responsibilities
- Demonstrated hands-on expertise in upstream process development, scale-up, technology transfer, and mammalian cell culture operations ranging from laboratory to pilot scale
- Experience managing customer-facing projects and cross-functional teams
- Strong technical writing and presentation skills
- People leader that fosters a culture of safety, accountability, inclusion, collaboration, continuous improvement, and scientific excellence
- Ability and willingness to work in laboratory and pilot-scale environments, including BSL-2 laboratories when required
- Ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally
- Flexibility to support occasional off-hours activities
Benefits
- Paid time off
- Medical insurance
- Dental insurance
- Vision insurance
- 401(k)
- Bonus/incentive pay
Company overview
Danaher Corporation is a leading global science and technology innovator headquartered in Washington, D.C., specializing in biotechnology, life sciences, and diagnostics. Founded in 1984 by brothers Steven and Mitchell Rales, the company has evolved from its origins as a manufacturing conglomerate into a premier healthcare technology organization with approximately 63,000 employees worldwide. Danaher operates through three core divisions: biotechnology (28% of revenues), which develops products for therapeutic development; life sciences (31% of revenues), focused on disease identification, new therapies, and drug testing/manufacturing; and diagnostics (41% of revenues), providing instruments, consumables, and software for disease diagnosis. The company's portfolio includes renowned brands such as Beckman Coulter, Cytiva, Pall Corporation, Cepheid, Leica Microsystems, and Abcam, serving pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology firms, healthcare providers, and research institutions globally. Danaher is distinguished by its Danaher Business System (DBS), a continuous improvement methodology that drives innovation and operational excellence. With 2024 revenues of $23.9 billion, the company ranks 180th on the Fortune 500 and plays a critical role in advancing scientific research, improving diagnostic capabilities, and accelerating the development of life-saving therapies.