Senior Scientist – Downstream Processing

CPI helps make great ideas and inventions a reality. We’re a team of intelligent people using advances in science and technology to solve the biggest global challenges in healthcare and sustainability.

Through our incredible people and innovation infrastructure, we collaborate with our partners in industry, academia, government, and the investment community to accelerate the development and commercialisation of innovative products.

From health technologies and pharmaceuticals to sustainable food and materials innovations, we turn the entrepreneurial spirit and radical thinking of our people and partners into incredible impact that makes our world a better place.

CPI has an opportunity for a senior scientist with expertise in downstream processing (DSP) to join a growing team based at the Wilton Centre, Redcar. The role is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the research and development and scale-up of processes across multiple market segments including biopharmaceutical, food & feed, agritech and healthcare. 

As the Senior Scientist – DSP, you will lead technical projects, working across multidiscipline teams including fermentation, microbiology, quality, operations, and engineering. The team also works on scale-down DSP models, continuous improvement, identifying new technologies and championing new ideas to increase CPI’s DSP capabilities year on year. Within this role you will have the opportunity to develop knowledge on multiple DSP technologies across a variety of projects, from laboratory scale-down development through to demonstration scale at 10,000L. The variety of projects and associated bioproducts across multiple markets, ensures a diversity of downstream processes with no two processes the same, to support our clients towards commercialisation. 

Key tasks in the role will include (but are not limited to) the below:

• To design, developing and scale-up of downstream processes for the separation/​purification of bio-based feedstocks and the use of relevant analytical techniques.

• Development, optimisation, scale-up and characterisation of primary recovery/separation-based processing methods such as centrifugation, cell disruption and filtration.

• Development, optimisation, scale-up and characterisation of isolation-based processing methods such as chromatography and tangential flow filtration techniques. 

• Development, optimisation, scale-up and characterisation of drying techniques such as freeze, spray and fluidised bed drying. 

• To contribute to the continuous design and technical expertise of downstream processing within the DSP team via internal projects to increase knowledge/​capability for greater client offering. With guidance from experienced DSP members to be responsible for the planning, execution and on-time delivery of these projects. 

• To work within the technical area of Wilton laboratories performing experimental work and generating technical data for downstream development programmes in line with CPI strategy and collaborative R&D/commercial demand.

• To work between the laboratory, pilot/​demonstration facilities at Wilton & other business units (i.e. biologics and formulations) to deliver internal and external projects. 

• To contribute to the efficient operation of the DSP laboratory at Wilton via input to laboratory and equipment maintenance programmes.
• To provide support to senior colleagues to develop technical plans for internal and external R&D/commercial projects.

It is essential that you are either Educated to a minimum level of HNC/​Foundation degree (or equivalent) in a Scientific/​Engineering discipline with relevant industry experience at senior level, or alternatively, educated to Degree in one of these disciplines with significant industry experience. 

Due to the varied nature of projects at CPI, experience of working in one or more of the following biotechnology sectors is essential: food & feed, agritech, healthcare & biopharmaceuticals. You should also: 

• Possess significant, technical expertise in downstream processing as well as a compelling evidence of complex technical problem solving.
• Hold experience of process development and carrying out data analysis.
• Hold wide experience of performing techniques for the purification therapeutic biologics (for example centrifugation, filtration, and chromatography) and protein analysis (for example HPLC methods, SDS PAGE & ELISA technologies).
• Have experience of leading technical development projects and can provide examples of actively building cross-team and business unit collaboration to achieve desired results. 
• Have theoretical and practical knowledge in Biochemistry, Biological Separation/​Purification, Biochemical Engineering and relevant analytical techniques. 
• Understand the biochemistry across a range of different biological products including proteins, lipids, carbohydrates & platform biochemicals.
• Have experience of application of techniques for the analysis of these biological products.
• Have experience of downstream processing unit operations at lab and pilot/​demonstration scale.
• Hold an understanding of application of experimental design and statistical concepts to experimental work. 

At CPI, we offer a wide range of benefits to our employees, this includes:

• Up to 36 days holiday, including bank holidays – Plus a holiday purchasing scheme
• Generous pension scheme
• Life assurance and accident insurance schemes
• Flexible working
• Learning and Development Opportunities
• Free parking

Find out more about our culture and benefits.

CPI is an organisation based in the UK. Commencement of employment is conditional to demonstrating right to work in the UK, sponsorship may be available.