Director

Scientific & Technical Leadership

• Define the scientific and technical strategy for microbial process development and scale-up
• Provide technical direction across upstream fermentation, downstream processing, and analytical development
• Establish development strategies to ensure process robustness, reproducibility, scalability, and manufacturability
• Serve as the senior technical authority for critical process and scale-up decisions

Process Development & Scale-Up

• Lead translation of biological processes from laboratory development through pilot and commercial scale
• Establish scale-up strategies and performance targets for productivity, yield, and process robustness
• Direct process characterization, risk assessment, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement
• Oversee process data review and guide experimental and development strategies

Technical Operations & Manufacturing

• Provide strategic oversight for pilot-scale operations and manufacturing readiness
• Lead technology transfer from R&D to pilot and commercial manufacturing
• Provide technical leadership for process equipment selection and manufacturing facility development
• Establish technical standards for process execution and manufacturing operations

Organizational & Cross-Functional Leadership

• Define technical priorities, development roadmaps, and resource allocation across programs
• Build, mentor, and lead multidisciplinary scientific and technical teams
• Partner with Research, Engineering, Quality, and Operations to advance development and manufacturing objectives
• Provide technical representation in strategic discussions with senior leadership and external partners

The following qualifications represent the core requirements necessary for success in this role:

• PhD in Biochemical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Biotechnology, Microbiology, Biochemistry, or a related scientific or engineering discipline, with 12+ years of relevant industry experience; or Master's degree with 15+ years of relevant experience.
• Significant leadership experience in bioprocess development, biomanufacturing, or biotechnology, with demonstrated responsibility for technical strategy and execution.
• Deep expertise in microbial fermentation and downstream process development, including scale-up principles and process optimization.
• Demonstrated experience advancing processes from laboratory or bench scale to pilot-scale manufacturing.
• Proven experience leading and developing multidisciplinary scientific and engineering teams.
• Demonstrated ability to establish technical priorities, make complex scientific and engineering decisions, and manage multiple development programs.
• Strong track record of solving complex process development and scale-up challenges.
• Experience working effectively across scientific, engineering, quality, and manufacturing functions.
• Excellent leadership, communication, decision-making, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, evolving, and highly collaborative environment.

The following qualifications are not required but would be highly valuable for the role:

• 15+ years of experience in industrial biotechnology, biopharmaceuticals, microbial fermentation, or large-scale biomanufacturing.
• Experience taking a biological product or manufacturing process through the full lifecycle from early development to commercial production.
• Experience establishing or scaling a process development, bioprocess engineering, or technical operations organization.
• Direct experience with pilot-scale and commercial-scale fermentation systems, including equipment in the multi-thousand-liter range.
• Experience leading the design, buildout, commissioning, or technical operation of pilot or commercial biomanufacturing facilities.
• Strong working knowledge of downstream processing, including product recovery, separation, purification, and formulation operations.
• Experience with technology transfer to CDMOs, CMOs, or internal commercial manufacturing facilities.
• Experience with process economics, capacity planning, manufacturing strategy, and evaluation of cost of goods.
• Experience interacting with equipment vendors, engineering firms, external manufacturing partners, and strategic customers.
• Experience developing technical governance systems, stage-gate processes, or portfolio management frameworks for development programs.
• Experience working in a startup, scale-up, or high-growth industrial biotechnology environment.
• Experience supporting products used in industrial, mining, environmental, agricultural, or specialty chemical applications.

• Customer First: Our first and foremost priority is to give customers technology that makes their business more valuable. There is no deviation from this north star
• Play to Win: This is a professional team, not a family. Hardcore work ethic is a baseline; measurable impact is how we define success
• Extreme Ownership: We are self-starters who learn voraciously, master our domain, and take full accountability for the outcomes of our work
• Relentless Execution: A good idea is meaningless until it is solving a customer problem. Moving with speed, focus, and determination is how we win in our industry
• Radical Candor: Focused, direct, and impactful communication is our language. No time for beating around the bush
• Shared Success: Meaningful equity participation for employees means that when MaverickX wins, everyone wins
• Uncompromised Integrity: We do first-class business in a first-class way, while staying loyal to our customers, shareholders, employees, and country