Bioprocess Engineer - Manufacturing

About ZymoChem

ZymoChem is pioneering breakthrough science for a fossil-free future. We are building bio-based materials that make everyday products better for people and the planet, accelerating the world’s transition to a real zero-carbon economy. We develop specialty chemicals and high-performance materials from renewable feedstocks. Our proprietary bio-manufacturing platform delivers fossil-independent alternatives to petroleum-based materials, bringing decarbonization and supply chain resiliency to everyday goods. 

The company’s first commercial product, BAYSE™, is a bio-based, biodegradable, and microplastic-free superabsorbent polymer with traceable bio-based content and verifiable sustainability claims. 

Founded by leading scientists and engineers and backed by strategic investors and industry partners, ZymoChem is scaling rapidly to meet growing demand for sustainable materials. With funding from both financial and strategic investors like lululemon, Toyota, Breakout Ventures, and major U.S. government agencies (DOE, DOD), ZymoChem is accelerating the commercialization and sales of our products.  

At ZymoChem, our culture is rooted in curiosity, innovation, and collaboration. We tackle complex scientific challenges with determination and succeed because of the strength of our diverse, multidisciplinary teams working toward a bold mission. As a Certified B Corporation and Public Benefit Corporation, we hold ourselves accountable not only to scientific and commercial excellence, but also to creating measurable impact for people and the planet.

Our Mission: To catalyze a real-zero economy with drop-in, bio-based solutions.

Our Vision: To live in a world in which the goods we depend on every day are bio-manufactured from 100% renewable materials and designed for a sustainable economy - without compromise.

Our Values: Lead with Compassion, Aspire Collectively, Evolve Continuously, Innovate with Impact, Scale Sustainably

Position Summary

The Bioprocess Engineer will serve as the primary interface between our tech transfer team and manufacturing scale engineering with our manufacturing partner to ensure best engineering practices for a successful manufacturing process.  This role will utilize their experience in the fermentation and purification process to ensure successful manufacturing operations of the engineering process and will monitor and correct any DSP or fermentation engineering challenges that occur during manufacturing.   

Responsibilities

• Support planning, readiness, and execution of manufacturing runs at CMO partners, including on-site technical support during critical processing steps.
• Serve as a key technical point of contact for CMO manufacturing teams, coordinating with ZymoChem’s R&D, engineering, quality, and project teams to resolve issues and maintain alignment on process requirements.
• Assess manufacturing readiness before each campaign, including equipment capabilities, raw materials, staffing and training needs, sampling plans, analytical requirements, and process acceptance criteria.
• Analyze manufacturing data, reconcile material balances, and track key performance metrics, including recovery yield, product quality, cycle time, throughput, and material consumption. Document findings and recommend actionable improvements.
• Lead post-run technical reviews and ensure that lessons learned are incorporated into subsequent manufacturing campaigns, operating procedures, and development priorities.
• Monitor and ensure accurate engineering production at commercial scale of microbial fermentation-based products.
• Lead process engineering efforts and manufacturing scale efficiency and optimizations.  
• Collaborate with CMO partners on DSP manufacturing endeavors and partner with the process development team for continued improvement efforts and ongoing tech transfer process.
• Collaborate with the Cross linking manufacturing and materials development team, quality management, and others to achieve product purity and performance at industrial specifications.
• Analyze, document, and interpret quality data and customer specs clearly and communicate results to other members of the team and propose next steps. 
• Partner with vendors to ensure ongoing efficiency of production. 
• Other duties may be assigned.

Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s or master's degree in (Bio)chemical Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Experience partnering with the process team to manage the manufacturing scale engineering needs of the process is required.
• 5+ years of industrial experience in DSP and fermentation manufacturing scale production.
• Hands-on experience with various unit operations (centrifugation, tangential flow filtration, evaporation, drying etc.) 
• Strong organizational and planning skills, with the ability to balance multiple deliverables and responsibilities.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.
• Ability to incorporate safety concepts into processes and equipment.
• Flexibility to travel to corporate headquarters for training as needed. 
• Ability to move up to 50 pounds.

Culture and Benefits

We are a mission-driven team building the future of sustainable materials. At ZymoChem, you’ll work on bold ideas with smart, collaborative people.  This position is at our CMO site in India, so benefits will be based on India employment standards and will include competitive compensation and benefits packages for the region.