Principal Scientist, Group Leader, Upstream Process Development

Role Summary

A Principal Scientist position serving as an Upstream Process Development Group Leader is available within Bioprocess R&D in Andover, MA. The successful candidate will lead scientists and engineers developing robust, scalable upstream processes and technologies for a diverse biologics portfolio.

The role provides scientific, technical, and people leadership across cell culture and seed-train development, media and feed strategy, bioreactor development, process characterization, scale-up, and technology transfer. The Group Leader will integrate high-throughput experimentation, automation, advanced analytics, mechanistic and data-driven modeling, and emerging AI approaches to accelerate learning, improve process understanding, and enable efficient development and transfer.

Role Responsibilities

• •Leads an upstream process development group with accountability for people leadership, technical strategy, portfolio delivery, innovation, and technology transfer. Influences project teams and partner functions and advances capabilities within the group and discipline.
• •Lead and develop a team of scientists and engineers delivering upstream processes and technologies across multiple biologic development programs.
• •Establish priorities, allocate resources, and provide scientific direction to meet project and portfolio objectives; coach and develop colleagues while fostering an inclusive, collaborative, and high-performing environment.
• •Lead the design, optimization, scale-up, characterization, and transfer of upstream processes using strong biological and engineering fundamentals, high-throughput experimentation, automation, advanced sensing, modeling, and data-rich experimental approaches.
• •Partner across Bioprocess R&D, project teams, analytical functions, pilot facilities, manufacturing, regulatory, quality, digital disciplines, and external organizations to deliver scalable, well-understood, appropriately controlled, and commercially suitable processes.
• •Advance data-rich and model-informed development by integrating data across scales and stages and applying statistical methods, mechanistic models, machine learning, and other computational approaches to experimental design, optimization, characterization, scale-up, and control strategy.
• •Identify opportunities to automate experimentation, data capture, analysis, and routine workflows so scientists can focus on interpretation, hypothesis generation, and high-value problem solving.
• •Promote structured, contextualized, reusable process data and partner with automation, data science, modeling, and digital specialists to enable advanced analytics and future AI applications.
• •Lead upstream technology transfers to internal and external pilot and manufacturing facilities and support manufacturing readiness, validation, and commercialization.
• •Help establish an upstream innovation strategies integrating experimental technologies, automation, advanced measurement, digital capabilities, modeling, and AI-enabled approaches; translate emerging technologies into measurable improvements in speed, understanding, robustness, or readiness.
• •Contribute scientific rationale and technical content to regulatory submissions and responses, technical reports, development plans, transfer documentation, and presentations.
• •Maintain effective laboratory operations and high standards for scientific rigor, data integrity, documentation, safety, inclusion, collaboration, and compliance.

Qualifications

• •Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Biochemical Engineering, Biotechnology, Microbiology, Cell Biology, Biochemistry, or a related field with 4+ years of relevant experience, or a Master’s degree with 9+ years, or a Bachelor’s degree with 12+ years of relevant experience.
• •Demonstrated expertise in upstream bioprocess development for biologic products, preferably mammalian cell culture, including scalable process development, bioreactor operation, media and feed optimization, and relationships among process conditions, productivity, and product quality.
• •Strong knowledge of cell physiology, mass transfer, mixing, gas delivery, metabolite control, scale-up and scale-down, process characterization, technology transfer, and pilot, clinical, or commercial manufacturing support.
• •Demonstrated use of data, quantitative methods, statistical experimental design, multivariate analysis, and mechanistic or data-driven modeling to guide process-development decisions.
• •Experience with or strong understanding of laboratory automation, high-throughput experimentation, advanced monitoring, machine learning, and digitally enabled development workflows.
• •Ability to partner with laboratory scientists, automation engineers, data scientists, modelers, and digital specialists and to lead changes in how experimental work is designed, executed, analyzed, and learned from.
• •Experience with regulatory submissions and working knowledge of applicable GLP, GMP, CMC, quality-by-design, quality-risk-management, and biotechnology regulatory expectations.
• •Demonstrated people and project leadership, scientific judgment, prioritization, change leadership, cross-functional influence, and effective communication with technical and senior-management audiences.

Organizational Relationships and Resources

Works across upstream and downstream process development, analytical and cell-line development, formulation, project and portfolio leadership, pilot operations, manufacturing, regulatory, quality, automation, digital, data science, modeling, and external partners. Financial accountability is assigned based on program, laboratory, and technology responsibilities. The role supervises scientists and engineers and may provide matrix leadership to larger project and technology teams.

• Work Location Assignment: On Premise
• Last day to apply : November 16th 2026

The annual base salary for this position ranges from $106,000.00 to $176,600.00. In addition, this position is eligible for participation in Pfizer’s Global Performance Plan with a bonus target of 15.0% of the base salary and eligibility to participate in our share based long term incentive program. We offer comprehensive and generous benefits and programs to help our colleagues lead healthy lives and to support each of life’s moments. Benefits offered include a 401(k) plan with Pfizer Matching Contributions and an additional Pfizer Retirement Savings Contribution, paid vacation, holiday and personal days, paid caregiver/parental and medical leave, and health benefits to include medical, prescription drug, dental and vision coverage. Learn more at Pfizer Candidate Site – U.S. Benefits | (uscandidates.mypfizerbenefits.com). Pfizer compensation structures and benefit packages are aligned based on the location of hire. The United States salary range provided does not apply to Tampa, FL or any location outside of the United States.

Relocation assistance may be available based on business needs and/or eligibility.

Candidates must be authorized to be employed in the U.S. by any employer.

U.S. work visa sponsorship (such as TN, O-1, H-1B, etc.) is not available for this role now or in the future.

Sunshine Act

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