Position: Research Associate in Upstream Bioprocessing Senior Scientist
Salary: Grade 7 (£37,694 - £47,389)
Contract: Full-Time (35 hours per week), Fixed Term for 40 months
Holiday Entitlement: 33 days annual leave, plus 9 buildings closed days for all full time staff.
Use our total rewards calculator: to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.
About our Team
The Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC) ) is a national centre of excellence that accelerates the commercialisation of industrial biotechnology across Scotland, the UK and internationally. Working closely with industry, academia and the public sector, IBioIC supports the development and scale-up of bio-based processes and products that contribute to sustainable manufacturing and the transition to net-zero.
IBioIC's Bioprocessing Scale-Up Centre (FlexBIO), hosted at Heriot-Watt University within the Institute of Biological Chemistry, Biophysics and Bioengineering (IB3), provides industry and academic partners with access to state-of-the-art bioprocessing facilities and specialist technical expertise. FlexBIO operates as an industry-facing, fee-for-service facility, supporting clients to de-risk and scale their bioprocesses from laboratory to pilot scale.
The facility has strong capabilities in microbial fermentation at scales up to 300 litres and mammalian cell culture up to 15 litres, alongside a broad range of downstream processing technologies for cell and product recovery. These capabilities support a diverse portfolio of projects across sectors including industrial biotechnology, marine biotechnology, agritech, biomaterials, food and feed, and emerging bio-based manufacturing applications.
FlexBIO is supported by a multidisciplinary team of scientists, engineers and technical specialists with expertise spanning upstream processing, downstream processing, scale-up, process control and training delivery. The team works closely with clients to design and deliver robust, practical scale-up solutions that bridge the gap between academic research and commercial deployment.
Learn more about our work at:
Role Description
The Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC) is seeking to appoint a full-time Upstream Bioprocessing Senior Scientist to support and take a technical lead on mammalian cell culture–focused and upstream bioprocessing projects delivered within the IBioIC FlexBIO Bioprocessing Scale-Up Facility at Heriot-Watt University.
The role is primarily lab-based, with some office-based work, and involves supporting industry- and academic-led fermentation and scale-up projects in a safe, professional, timely and organised manner. The post holder will work closely with the wider scale-up team (including downstream processing colleagues), the Facility Director and IBioIC management to ensure effective delivery of client projects within a fee-for-service, industry-facing environment.
The primary technical focus of the role is mammalian cell culture and mammalian bioreactor scale-up, with secondary support to microbial fermentation projects as required within an established specialist team. The role holder will lead the day-to-day planning and execution of scale-up projects, from technology transfer and establishment of lab-scale processes (e.g. flasks and spinners) through to operation of stirred-tank bioreactors at 2–15 L (mammalian) and, microbial systems up to 300 L.
The post holder will have direct technical interaction with clients throughout project preparation, execution, evaluation and reporting. The role also involves supervision, training and mentoring of technical staff and trainees, and may include line management responsibilities. Hands-on participation in experimental work is expected, alongside contributing to project planning, problem-solving and continuous improvement activities within the facility.
The role holder will be line managed by the Upstream Bioprocessing Manager. The role sits within an experienced management and technical team, with clear support structures and development opportunities.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
Project Management & Technical Delivery
* Lead the design and delivery of industry-led fermentation and upstream bioprocessing projects, including technology transfer, process optimisation, and protocol development.
* Independently plan, manage and execute multiple lab- to pilot-scale cell/culture fermentation projects, ensuring timely delivery.
* Support and lead as required on interpretation of complex bioprocess data and report findings to clients and internal stakeholders.
* Provide strategic input on project design, scope, and future development with clients.
Team Leadership & Mentoring
* Mentor junior staff, and as opportunities arise supervise, ensuring workloads are aligned with project priorities and supporting their professional development.
* Take a lead in regular lab and operations meetings, promoting collaborative problem solving and continuous improvement.
Client Engagement, Project Design & Communication
* Attend and contribute to client meetings, often at short notice, with the ability to ask in-depth technical questions.
* Develop and propose bespoke work packages based on client process understanding and project goals.
* Communicate complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences in both the preparation, execution and reporting phases of projects.
Health & Safety and Facility Operations
* Take the lead in developing and reviewing risk assessments, Process COSHH documentation, and maintaining a safe lab environment.
* Assist as required in coordinating preventative maintenance and troubleshoot equipment issues in liaison with suppliers.
Collaboration & Cross-functional Integration
* Lead and collaborate directly with DSP (downstream processing) colleagues prior to and during projects, ensuring seamless project integration.
* Deputise for USP Manager and Facility Director to represent FlexBIO in bioprocessing capabilities in new client and facility promotion meetings.
Strategic Input & Funding Support
* Contribute to funding bids, particularly those related to equipment, staffing or project expansion.
* Align technical project work with IBioIC's strategic aims and objectives.
Training & Knowledge Exchange
* Design and deliver upstream bioprocessing training courses for industry and academia.
* Actively network at external events, representing IBioIC as a subject matter expert.
Continuous Professional Development (CPD)
* Engage in relevant CPD activities to maintain and build expertise in fermentation and bioprocessing technologies.
* Keep up to date with biotechnology sector trends, technologies, and innovations.
* Take part in internal professional development courses
Education, Qualifications and Experience:
Essential Criteria:
* PhD in the field of biotechnology or bioprocessing OR relevant MSc with at least 5 years' experience working within bioprocessing.
* Hands-on experience scaling suspension cell cultivation processes from flask to bioreactors.
* Hands-on experience operating mammalian-cell stirred tank bioreactors at lab or semi-pilot scale (e.g. 1L–50L)
* Familiarity with process control systems and programming (e.g. cascade control of DO, pH, feeds)
* Experience of internal or external training delivery
* Experience working in a contract research, fee-for-service, industrial or highly client-driven academic environment
* Excellent time management and strong project management skills
* Experience supervising within teams (e.g. supervising students or technicians)
* Excellent spoken and written communication skills. Open and transparent communication style that works well in a team environment.
Desirable Criteria:
* Demonstrable experience working with a range of microbial and/or mammalian cell types (e.g. E. coli, Pichia, Bacillus, fungi, microalgae, animal/human cells, plant, insect)
* Working technical knowledge of microbial fermentation sufficient to support and collaborate on projects within a specialist team of microbiology and microbial fermentation and/or cell culture processes
* Hands-on experience operating microbial stirred tank fermenters at lab or semi-pilot scale (e.g. 1L–200L)
* Experience with the application and analysis of mathematical/engineering principles for scale-up (e.g. kLA, shear stress, tip speed)
* Demonstrable experience responding to, mitigating and recovering from process deviations or contaminations in mammalian cell culture environments
* Experience with Lucullus and/or Eve process control software
* Experience of health and safety practices in a lab/pilot facility, including risk assessments and COSHH
* Significant lab experience with lab administration and organisation, including improvements, procurement and inventory
* Experience working in a contract research, fee-for-service, industrial or highly client-driven academic environment
* Experience applying analytical techniques supporting fermentation and cell culture (e.g. OD, HPLC, GC, metabolite profiling)
How to Apply:
Please submit via the Heriot-Watt on-line recruitment system with the following:
(1) Cover letter describing your interest and suitability for the post
(2) Full CV
Applications can be submitted until 11th March 2026.
Equality Diversity and Inclusion:
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