Believer Meats is an innovative start-up revolutionizing the food industry through the development and commercialization of cultivated meat products. Leveraging cutting-edge biotechnology, we aim to provide sustainable, ethical, and high-quality meat alternatives to consumers worldwide. We are a global company, and have recently completed the construction of our state-of-the-art production facility in North Carolina, we are poised for commercial scale-up and growth. We are seeking a Process Engineer- Upstream Lab Operations to support scale up and management of our upstream operations and team.

JOB SUMMARY

The Process Engineer- Upstream Lab Operations is a critical leadership role within our cultivated meat manufacturing facility, overseeing all operations and technical processes within the production seeding train lab. This position ensures that upstream production, from cell culture initiation through to seed train scale-up runs efficiently, meets production targets, and adheres to the highest quality and safety standards. The Process Engineer- Upstream Lab Operations role combines deep technical expertise in cell culture and bioprocess engineering with strong people management skills to drive operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities:

Lab Operations:

• • Lead and manage all aspects of cell culture lab operations, including cell culture initiation, thawing, passaging, expansion, seed train scale-up for benchtop bioreactors and bioreactors monitoring, dosing, and harvests
  • Oversee the execution of cell banking, working cell bank qualification, and maintenance of cell line integrity.
  • Ensure consistent performance of the seeding train to meet production demand.

Process Engineering & Optimization:

• • Collaborate with tech transfer team to develop, implement, and optimize cell culture production lab processes to improve yields, reduce variability, and enhance efficiency.
  • Lead troubleshooting and root-cause analysis for upstream production challenges, proposing and implementing corrective actions.

Team Leadership & Development:

• • Manage and mentor a team of cell culture lab technicians and associate engineers.
  • Foster a culture of safety, continuous improvement, and collaboration.
  • Follow training programs and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for cell culture production lab activities.

Compliance & Documentation:

• • Ensure compliance with cGMP (as applicable), quality, and safety requirements.
  • Maintain accurate and detailed records of production lab processes, deviations, and improvements.
  • Support audits and inspections as required.

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• • Partner closely with upstream production (bioreactors, automation), downstream processing, quality control, maintenance, and EHS teams to ensure seamless operations and knowledge sharing.
  • Participate in tech transfer activities, scaling new processes from development to manufacturing.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Biochemical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Biotechnology, or a related field required
• Minimum of 2 years of relevant experience in upstream bioprocessing.
• Proven experience with seed train scale-up, SUBs, SUAs and cell culture operations in a regulated (GMP or similar) environment.
• Strong understanding of bioprocess engineering principles, cell culture scale-up, media optimization, and aseptic techniques.
• Demonstrated leadership skills, including managing teams and driving continuous improvement initiatives.
• Excellent problem-solving, communication, and organizational skills.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in cultivated meat, cell-based agriculture, or related biotechnology industries.
• Familiarity with single-use bioreactor design and scale-up principles.
• Knowledge of regulatory frameworks relevant to food or biopharmaceutical production.

Work Environment:

This role is based on-site at our manufacturing plant in Wilson, NC. The position requires hands-on experience in a manufacturing environment, including working in cleanrooms and supporting shift-based production schedules as needed.

EEO STATEMENT

Believer is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to age, race, color, genetic information, marital status, national origin, disability, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected by law with respect to recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, and other terms and conditions of employment. We also provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals in accordance with applicable laws. If you need to inquire about accommodation during the application process or employment, please contact HR (careers@believermeats.com).