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 an Upstream Manager to support scale up and management of our upstream operations and team.

JOB SUMMARY

The Upstream Manager will oversee all upstream operations at our cultivated meat plant, leading a team of technicians and process engineers across upstream areas, including media preparation and blending, bioreactors operations, cell culture lab, harvest process, filtration, sampling, CIP, SIP and control room. This role ensures smooth, safe, and compliant production operations, leading a cross-functional team of operators across the cell culture lab, production floor and control room. The Upstream Manager will collaborate closely with Quality, Tech Transfer, Maintenance, Facilities, Downstream, and Safety teams to ensure seamless integration of processes, consistent delivery of high-quality cells biomass, and in continuous process and performance improvement.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Team Leadership & Management
  • Supervise and develop a team of upstream technicians, fostering a culture of safety, quality, and operational excellence.
  • Oversee daily scheduling, training, and performance management across areas.
  • Promote cross-training to build a versatile team that can flexibly respond to production needs.
  • Schedule Shifts, assign tasks, and ensure adequate staffing across all upstream areas.

• Operational Oversight
  • Ensure all upstream processes are executed according to batch records, standard operating procedures (SOPs), regulatory requirements, and quality standards.
  • Oversee operations of the bioreactors and associated equipment while collaborating with Quality and Tech Transfer to resolve deviations, implement corrective actions, and maintain GMP compliance.
  • Monitor production KPIs, troubleshoot operational issues and alarms, and drive process improvements by maintaining control and visibility using control room dashboards.

• Process Knowledge & Optimization
  • Understand and optimize upstream processes including media prep, blending, bioreactor operations, automation, seed lab work, harvest, filtration, and sampling.
  • Partner with Tech Transfer to support the scale-up of new processes from R&D to full-scale production.
  • Implement best practices for data collection and analysis for process optimization and yield improvements.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration
  • Work closely with the Supply plan and Maintenance teams to schedule preventive maintenance and coordinate timely repairs to minimize downtime.
  • Liaise with Safety to enforce safety protocols, including chemical handling, biohazard containments, and equipment safety.
  • Partner with Quality to support in-process sampling, deviation investigations, and batch record review.

• Continuous Improvement & Projects
  • Identify and lead initiatives to improve process efficiency, reduce waste, and enhance product quality.
  • Participate in capital projects, equipment upgrades, and new technology implementation to advance upstream capabilities.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s or advanced degree in Biotechnology, Bioprocess Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or related field preferred
• 7+ years of experience in upstream operations within a pharmaceutical, food-grade, biologics, bioprocessing, fermentation, or cultivated meat environment, including at least 2 years of direct management experience in a GMP or regulated manufacturing plant.
• Strong technical knowledge of bioreactors, CIP, SIP, media preparation, filtration and separation techniques, cell culture laboratory operations, and upstream processing.
• Experience with SCADA, MES, or Delta-V based systems for bioprocessing.
• Familiarity with GMP and food safety regulations.
• Proven ability to collaborate across functions and drive continuous improvement.
• Excellent problem-solving, communication, and organizational skills.

Preferred Skills

• Familiarity with technology transfer and scale-up processes.
• Understanding of process analytics and data-driven decision-making.

Physical and Work Environment Requirements:

• Ability to work onsite at the U.S. facility for the duration of the assignment.
• Ability to work in a manufacturing environment with occasional exposure to noise, chemicals, and industrial equipment.
• Flexibility to adapt to changing priorities in a fast-paced project environment.

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).