Leads bioprocess development and technical operations from early-stage microbial process development through pilot scale, technology transfer, and commercial manufacturing readiness. Defines technical strategy, directs fermentation and downstream processing, oversees scale-up, process characterization, equipment selection, and manufacturing readiness. Builds multidisciplinary teams, allocates resources, resolves complex process challenges, and partners with Research, Engineering, Quality, Operations, and external manufacturing stakeholders.
The Company
MaverickX is revitalizing critical resource extraction with precision biologics. We are a team of scientists, engineers, and business operators who are bringing cutting-edge biotechnology products to the world’s most critical industries.
The Role
We are seeking a highly experienced and strategic Director, Bioprocess Technical Operations to lead MaverickX's bioprocess development and technical operations functions.
This individual will provide scientific, technical, and organizational leadership for the development, optimization, and scale-up of microbial processes. The role will oversee activities from early-stage process development through pilot-scale production, technology transfer, and commercial manufacturing readiness.
The Director will establish the technical strategy and development roadmap for microbial fermentation and bioprocessing, ensuring processes are robust, scalable, and commercially viable. This individual will lead multidisciplinary teams and work closely with cross-functional stakeholders to advance MaverickX's development and manufacturing objectives.
Key Responsibilities
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
Scientific & Technical Leadership
Process Development & Scale-Up
Technical Operations & Manufacturing
Organizational & Cross-Functional Leadership
Qualifications
- 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 represent the core requirements necessary for success in this role:
Preferred Qualifications
- 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.
The following qualifications are not required but would be highly valuable for the role:
Our Values
- 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
Benefits
- At Maverick X, our compensation packages reflect our recognition of the value our employees bring to our success and our commitment to recruiting top talent. We cater our benefits to ensure our team succeeds both in and out of the office
- Premium health insurance: With medical, dental, and optical options, we offer some of the best coverage on the market
- Continuing education: We take employee development seriously and strive to unlock our team’s full potential through continuous learning initiatives
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