Job Description

Job Summary:

The Process Engineer makes our E. coli fermentation and protein manufacturing processes reliable and repeatable. You will own process performance from seed train through fermentation and harvest, develop the control strategies, instrumentation and operating procedures that keep every batch consistent, and lead day-to-day troubleshooting and improvement. You will work closely with engineers on transport targets and on equipment and integration.

This role joins a small, hands-on engineering group that supports protein manufacturing. The team runs and improves microbial fermentation at laboratory, pilot and production scale, with automated control of pH, temperature, pressure, dissolved oxygen and feeding, and works with the scientists who carry the product through harvest, purification and release.

Engineers in this group take on a broad mix of work: designing and improving equipment, developing mixing, aeration and control strategies, scaling processes between vessels, and writing the procedures that keep every batch consistent. You will work alongside mechanical, chemical and process engineers as well as R&D and manufacturing staff.

Join us in making a meaningful impact!

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Process development

• Develop and optimize E. coli fermentation processes for recombinant protein production, including seed train, batch and fed-batch phases, feed strategy, induction, temperature profiles and harvest criteria.
• Design and execute experiments, including design of experiments, to improve cell density, protein titer, quality and consistency.
• Define in-process measurements such as optical density, glucose and acetate, and expression levels, together with the lab team.

Controls and instrumentation

• Define and tune control strategies for dissolved oxygen (agitation, air and oxygen cascade), pH, temperature, pressure, feeding and foam control.
• Select and integrate sensors, mass flow controllers, pumps and actuators, and work on control software, data acquisition, alarms and interlocks.
• Set up data logging and run monitoring so that each batch has a complete, reviewable record.

Operations and support

• Plan, set up and run fermentations, including media preparation, sterilization, inoculation, sampling and harvest.
• Write and maintain standard operating procedures, batch records and training materials, and train operators.
• Lead troubleshooting and root-cause analysis for deviations such as oxygen depletion, contamination, pH excursions or equipment faults.
• Transfer processes between scales and keep them consistent across vessels.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical, Biochemical, Bioprocess or Biomedical Engineering, or a related field.
• Working knowledge of fermentation control loops (dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature, feed) and PID tuning.
• Experience writing SOPs and batch records and working with aseptic technique.
• Strong data analysis skills and a disciplined approach to documentation.

Preferred

• Experience with E. coli high-cell-density fed-batch processes and recombinant protein expression.
• Experience with fermentation control platforms, PLCs or LabVIEW-based data acquisition and control.
• Familiarity with process analytics, including off-gas analysis and in-line or at-line sensors.
• Experience with design of experiments and statistical tools (JMP, Minitab or Python).
• Exposure to quality systems and GMP or ISO-regulated manufacturing.

What Success Looks Like

• Within 30 days: running fermentations independently and documenting the current process baseline.
• Within 3 months: control strategy and procedure improvements implemented, with measurable gains in batch-to-batch consistency.
• Within 6 months: ownership of a robust, well-documented fermentation process with trained operators and reliable yields.

Working Conditions

This is a hands-on, lab and plant-floor role. The work involves standing for extended periods, lifting equipment and media up to about 25 kg, and working around pressurized gases (including oxygen), rotating equipment, autoclaves and biological materials handled at BSL-1. Long fermentation runs occasionally require off-hours monitoring or extended days, planned in advance with the team.

About Us:

Since its inception in 1994, Zymo Research has been proudly serving the scientific community by providing innovative, reliable, and high-quality research tools and products. Whether it's DNA, RNA, epigenetics, microbiomics, protein, or yeast-based research, our philosophy remains the same: To provide the highest quality products in the industry while ensuring they are both simple to use and reliable in their performance.

Recognized as a Top Workplace by the Orange County Register in 2021, 2022, and named a Top Workplace USA in 2023, Zymo Research continues to be a vibrant community where employees thrive, feel connected, and are inspired by their work. If you are passionate about contributing to scientific advancement and want to be part of an exceptional team in a dynamic, growing company, we'd love to hear from you!

Compensation, Benefits, and Perks:

The estimated base compensation range for this position is $75,000 - $115,000 per annum at the time of posting. Actual compensation details will be provided in writing at the time of offer, if applicable, and is based on several factors we believe fairly and accurately impact compensation, including geographic location, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, and other job permitted factors.

Zymo Research also offers competitive benefits and perks including:

• Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance Coverages
• EAP Sessions
• Vacation Time plus Company Holidays
• Paid Sick Leave
• Generous 401(K) with matching
• Employee Referral Bonus
• Complimentary fruit, snacks, and beverages
• Complimentary catered lunches on Thursdays
• Complimentary EV Charging
• Cell phone stipend

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer:

Zymo Research welcomes candidates of all backgrounds. These include sex, age, color, race, religion, marital status, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, physical & mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, military and veteran status, or any other protected status as defined by federal, state, or local law.

Location:

Onsite – Zymo Research – 2961 Dow Ave, Tustin, CA, 92780

Disclaimer: At Zymo, we take the integrity of our hiring process seriously. Please be aware of fraudulent recruitment activities that may use our name to deceive job seekers. We will never ask for payment, sensitive personal information, or financial details during the recruitment process.

All legitimate communications will come from an official Zymo or TriNet Hiring email address. If you are contacted by anyone claiming to represent us using a free email service (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail) or asking for payment, please treat this as fraudulent and report it immediately to [email protected]