Process Engineer- Upstream Lab Operations

Believer Meats is an innovative start-up revolutionizing the food industry through the development and commercialization of cultivated meat products. Leveraging cutting-edge biotechnology we aim to provide sustainable ethical and high-quality meat alternatives to consumers worldwide. We are a global company and have recently completed the construction of our state-of-the-art production facility in North Carolina we are poised for commercial scale-up and growth. We are seeking a Process Engineer- Upstream Lab Operations to support scale up and management of our upstream operations and team.

JOB SUMMARY

The Process Engineer- Upstream Lab Operations is a critical leadership role within our cultivated meat manufacturing facility overseeing all operations and technical processes within the production seeding train lab. This position ensures that upstream production from cell culture initiation through to seed train scale-up runs efficiently meets production targets and adheres to the highest quality and safety standards. The Process Engineer- Upstream Lab Operations role combines deep technical expertise in cell culture and bioprocess engineering with strong people management skills to drive operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities:

Lab Operations:

• • Lead and manage all aspects of cell culture lab operations including cell culture initiation thawing passaging expansion seed train scale-up for benchtop bioreactors and bioreactors monitoring dosing and harvests
  • Oversee the execution of cell banking working cell bank qualification and maintenance of cell line integrity.
  • Ensure consistent performance of the seeding train to meet production demand.

Process Engineering & Optimization:

• • Collaborate with tech transfer team to develop implement and optimize cell culture production lab processes to improve yields reduce variability and enhance efficiency.
  • Lead troubleshooting and root-cause analysis for upstream production challenges proposing and implementing corrective actions.

Team Leadership & Development:

• • Manage and mentor a team of cell culture lab technicians and associate engineers.
  • Foster a culture of safety continuous improvement and collaboration.
  • Follow training programs and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for cell culture production lab activities.

Compliance & Documentation:

• • Ensure compliance with cGMP (as applicable) quality and safety requirements.
  • Maintain accurate and detailed records of production lab processes deviations and improvements.
  • Support audits and inspections as required.

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• • Partner closely with upstream production (bioreactors automation) downstream processing quality control maintenance and EHS teams to ensure seamless operations and knowledge sharing.
  • Participate in tech transfer activities scaling new processes from development to manufacturing.

Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree in Biochemical Engineering Chemical Engineering Biotechnology or a related field required
• Minimum of 2 years of relevant experience in upstream bioprocessing.
• Proven experience with seed train scale-up SUBs SUAs and cell culture operations in a regulated (GMP or similar) environment.
• Strong understanding of bioprocess engineering principles cell culture scale-up media optimization and aseptic techniques.
• Demonstrated leadership skills including managing teams and driving continuous improvement initiatives.
• Excellent problem-solving communication and organizational skills.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in cultivated meat cell-based agriculture or related biotechnology industries.
• Familiarity with single-use bioreactor design and scale-up principles.
• Knowledge of regulatory frameworks relevant to food or biopharmaceutical production.

Work Environment:

This role is based on-site at our manufacturing plant in Wilson NC. The position requires hands-on experience in a manufacturing environment including working in cleanrooms and supporting shift-based production schedules as needed.

EEO STATEMENT

Believer is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to age race color genetic information marital status national origin disability religion sex sexual orientation gender identity veteran or military status or any other characteristic protected by law with respect to recruitment hiring training promotion and other terms and conditions of employment. We also provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals in accordance with applicable laws. If you need to inquire about accommodation during the application process or employment please contact HR ().

Required Experience:

Manager