Vice President, Upstream Process Development

Vice President, Upstream Process DevelopmentMIDWEST OR (Preferably) OMAHA, NEABOUT US:We use American corn and existing bioethanol infrastructure to produce critical chemicals right here at home—powering U.S. competitiveness and securing our nation's supply chains - while reinvesting in agricultural America. Bluestem Biosciences has engineered a breakthrough in American manufacturing. Our proprietary biomanufacturing process represents a new, cost-effective, and advantaged way to produce platform chemicals domestically. With the foundation of existing infrastructure, we convert abundant, renewable American corn into high-value chemicals at scale. JOIN US AS WE ACCELERATE TO COMMERCIALIZATIONROLE SUMMARY:We are seeking an exceptional Vice President of Upstream Fermentation to join our top-talented scientific team. This role is central to our mission, and you will be the expert driving our fermentation process from the bench to commercial scale. You will work at the intersection of strain development and downstream processing, collaborating with our internal teams and external partners to pioneer a continually optimized, scalable approach to biomanufacturing. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of quantitative physiology and a passion for turning biology into real-world products.RESPONSIBILITIES:Drive the strategic plan for commercializing our upstream process, building and executing the roadmap to get us to demonstration and commercial scalesImprove and develop scale-down processes that are directly informed by our commercial-scale goals ('end in mind' thinking)Direct the development of robust analytical and process monitoring methods for repeatable, high-quality fermentationsIndependently but collaboratively design and manage critical fermentation experiments with our external partners to maximize our understanding of strain physiologyLead process characterization (CPPs), optimization, and control (QbD) to enable seamless scale-up and technology transferLeverage your knowledge of bioprocess design to enhance and inform our techno-economic modelsProvide knowledge and insights to inform utility, system, or equipment upgrades or expansions.Evaluate and audit external partners for their fermentation capabilities at bench, pilot, and demonstration scalesLead the design requirements and ultimately manage on-site implementation of the upstream process at Bluestem's demonstration facilityREQUIREMENTS:Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Fermentation Science, Microbiology Physiology, or a related field plus 5+ years in a fermentation R&D role. (Differing combinations of experience and education will be considered)Demonstrated hands-on experience and deep knowledge of fermentation science, biochemical engineering, and cellular physiologyHands-on experience with media optimization, process design, and dynamic control strategies at laboratory and pilot/demo scalesExperience running commercial scale fermentations without all the "bells and whistles" of bench or pilot-scale bioreactors is preferredStrong communication skills and the ability to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced startup environment.A self-starter mindset with the ability to lead projects, build relationships, and own the missionPossess a Growth Mindset and open mind that seeks continuous learning from feedback, setbacks and failure on the journey to achieving resultsPreferred Qualifications:Commercial-scale fermentation experience (making money at scale) is a major plus!Experience with yeastExpertise with statistical software for analyzing large datasets (e.g., JMP, R, Minitab, etc.).Experience 'promoting' strains from small-scale screening (flasks, microtiter plates) to bioreactorsBluestem is an equal opportunity workplace. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status.