Gene Therapy Upstream Process Scientist

Make your mark for patients. We’re here because we want to build the future and transform patients’ lives for the better.

At UCB, our people are our experiences and achievements, our passion and drive. That’s why we’re looking for talented individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences – not just the best and brightest, but those who care about making a meaningful difference in the lives of patients. We promote an environment of diversity, openness, and respect where people can make valuable contributions.

An exciting journey lies ahead. Will you join us in pushing the boundaries of what’s possible?

To strengthen our new Gene Therapy CMC Development Sciences Department, we are looking for a talented individual to fill the position of: Gene Therapy Upstream Process Scientist.

The Gene Therapy (GT) Upstream Process Scientist will be responsible for supporting Upstream Process Development activities for UCB’s recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) gene therapy products. This individual will be accountable for design and management of process development, characterization, and technology transfer of rAAV purification processes.

The Scientist will collaborate with internal and external contract laboratories to support development of upstream processes and definition of an AAV production platform for UCB’s gene therapy offerings.

The successful candidate will be part of a team of process scientists and engineers supporting the establishment and operation of a development and manufacturing facility for gene therapy products.

As part of the Gene Therapy CMC Development Sciences department, the Scientist will contribute to the development of innovative medicine with the potential to cure rare and complex genetic diseases. This is a growth opportunity that combines the excitement and opportunity of a start-up with the security and institution knowledge gained from working for a larger company.

This role will be a scientific expert in the Gene Therapy organization at UCB and will start at a temporary site (approximately 1 hour from UCB site in Braine l’Alleud) to support laboratory activities, and will travel periodically to UCB site for department meetings. This individual will function remotely during the design and build of the new gene therapy laboratories then will move onsite to support start-up and operation of the development labs when the facility is online at Braine l’Alleud. Prior to the facility start–up the candidate may also travel (10%) to directly support operations in the United States.

You Will More Precisely Contribute By

• Act as an upstream process development technical subject matter expert for rAAV gene therapy products supporting facility design, Quality-by-Design (QbD) process development, and pre-clinical and clinical manufacturing.
• Collaborate with internal cross-functional laboratories and external CDMOs.
• Draft and execute bioreactor and shake flask cell culture studies for development of processes supporting First in Human studies through commercialization for rAAV gene therapy products.
• Author & review technical documents including process descriptions, study designs, SOPs, technical position papers, & technical reports.
• Identify & evaluate new technologies to improve and refine rAAV production platforms.

Interested? For this position you’ll need the following education, experience and skills:

• PhD in Bioengineering, Biology, Biochemistry, Virology, or related fields with at least 1 year of experience, 2 years of experience (Master), or 4 years of experience (Bachelor) in process development of large molecule or cellular therapies.
• Technical knowledge and experience with stirred tank bioreactor operation and process development including scale-up/scale-down principles.
• Knowledge of cGMP manufacturing guidances and experience with technical investigations and root cause analysis.
• Experience with data and statistical analysis.
• Interpersonal skills to communicate and maintain good working relationship with internal and external customers.
• Very good command in English and French, both spoken and written.

Why you should applyAt UCB, we strive to attract passionate and outstanding talents who thrive on change and are ready to bring real value to patients. Working for us you’ll discover a place where you can grow and express your full potential. We place an emphasis on innovation, collaboration and impact. Through meaningful recognition and a motivating work atmosphere, we aim to provide an optimal experience by caring about and valuing our employees – just as we do for the patients we serve.

If you believe you are the perfect match to join us on our pioneering adventure, then we invite you to apply and tell us more about your profile and motivation.

About Us.

UCB is a global biopharmaceutical company, focusing on neurology and immunology. We are around 7,600 people in all four corners of the globe, inspired by patients and driven by science.

At UCB, everything we do start with a simple question: “How will this create value for people living with severe disease?”. We are on a journey to become the patient-preferred biopharma leader by delivering medicines and solutions that improve lives. We want to ensure the creation of patient value, now and into the future, while contributing to a society where a population of 8 billion people and more should be able to live a good life within limited resources of one planet.

Curious to know more? Please visit our website www.ucb.com .

UCB and its subsidiaries encourage diversity and inclusion in the workplace; we are an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race/color/religion/sex/national origin/veteran/disability/age/sexual orientation/gender identity.