AstraZeneca Posted November 9, 2026

Process Engineer, Cell Therapy Process Development

Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States of America Full time
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AstraZeneca is the source of truth for this posting and owns the application process. We surface normalized context and market comparison you won't find on the original listing.

About this opportunity

Position Summary

We are seeking a highly motivated Process Engineer to support late-stage cell therapy process development and characterization activities. In this role, you will play critical role in advancing late-stage cell therapy process development, process characterization, and BLA‑enabling studies.  This position focuses specifically on cell therapy unit operations, including T-cell enrichment, activation, transduction, washes and harvest either semi-automated or fully automated equipment.

The ideal candidate brings deep technical expertise, hands-on experience with cell therapy unit operations, and demonstrates success in supporting clinical and commercial readiness.

Key Responsibilities

Process development and characterization

Design, execute, and support autologous or allogenic cell therapy process optimization and robustness studies.

Drive implementation of closed-system operations and automation strategies to support scalability and compliance.

Plan and execute process characterization studies (DOE, multivariate studies, scale‑down models, and scale‑up assessments) in alignment with QbD and ICH guidelines.

Perform data analysis, write technical reports, and present outcome of the studies to cross‑functional teams and governance forums.

Conduct batch record review, deviation assessment, and data trending to ensure robustness of cell therapy manufacturing processes.

Apply AI‑enabled tools and digital analytics to accelerate data review, trend analysis, batch record evaluation, and process understanding.

PPQ, Tech Transfer & Manufacturing Readiness

Provide on‑the‑floor technical support during scale‑up, engineering runs, PPQ batches, and commercial manufacturing campaigns (including off‑shift support when required).

Support raw material risk assessments, comparability studies, and process risk evaluations across facilities and platforms.

Cross‑Functional Collaboration

Work closely with analytical sciences and manufacturing science and technology teams to ensure end‑to‑end process alignment.

Support lifecycle management, post‑approval changes, and continuous improvement initiatives for cell therapy processes.

Required Qualifications

M.S. in Chemical Engineering, Biochemical Engineering, Biotechnology, or related field with 2+ years of industry experience; OR B.S. with 7+ years of hands‑on industry experience.

Strong technical expertise in key cell therapy unit operations (e.g., cell isolation, activation, transduction, expansion, harvest, formulation, cryopreservation) or biologics.

Demonstrated experience with GMP operations and late‑stage / commercial readiness.

Proven ability to analyze complex datasets, develop sound recommendations, and communicate clearly across levels

Experience with late‑stage development and process characterization principles for cell therapy processes.

Demonstrated proficiency in applying AI tools and digital solutions to data analysis, documentation, and workflow automation.

Experience working in GMP environments, including batch record execution or review, deviations, and investigations.

Strong technical writing, data analysis, and problem‑solving skills.

Preferred Qualifications

Familiarity with automation platforms (e.g., CliniMACS Prodigy, Lovo, G-Rex, Wave bioreactors).

Experience implementing closed, automated, or high‑throughput systems.

Experience designing and executing DOE and multivariate data analysis for cell therapy processes.

Experience with JMP or similar statistical analysis tools.

Formal training or demonstrated application of digitalization, automation, or AI‑enabled tools in bioprocess development.

Key Competencies

Strong experimental design and execution skills.

Excellent cross‑functional communication and collaboration.

Ability to operate effectively in fast‑paced, late‑stage development environments.

Scientific curiosity, ownership mindset, and willingness to support manufacturing operations.

The annual base pay for this position ranges from $81K to $122K. Our positions offer eligibility for multiple incentives an opportunity to receive short-term incentive bonuses, equity-based awards for salaried roles and commissions for sales roles. Benefits offered include qualified retirement programs, paid time off (i.e., vacation, holiday, and leaves), as well as health, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms of the applicable plans .

#Cell Therapy

Date Posted

10-Nov-2026

Closing Date

26-Nov-2026 Our mission is to build an inclusive environment where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and employees. In furtherance of that mission, we welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of their protected characteristics. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please complete the corresponding section in the application form.

Job details

Seniority
Not listed
Function
Manufacturing & CMC
Therapeutic area
Not listed
Location
Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States of America
Employment type
Full time

How this role compares

Computed from every other active Manufacturing & CMC role in our database, not just this employer's listings.

We currently track 3374 comparable Manufacturing & CMC roles across 173 biopharma companies.

3374Comparable roles tracked
3074Currently active
173Companies hiring similar roles
61Countries represented

Salary context

793 of 3374 peers report a salary range (USD, annualized)

Peers share this role's job function. This posting doesn't list a seniority level, so peers aren't narrowed by seniority either -- the range below may span more levels than usual.

This roleSubject Not listed on this posting
Lowest disclosed · Operator – Plant Utilities · Lilly $13/hr – $28/hr (≈ $26,998–$58,302/yr)
Highest disclosed · Head of Analytical Development · ModernaTX, Inc. $272,200/yr – $490,100/yr
Peer group range $42,650 – $381,150 (median $128,400)

Where these roles are based

Top locations among the 3374 comparable roles

United States1531
Germany216
India155
France145
Ireland130
China121

+ 55 more countries

Seniority mix

1484 of 3374 peers have a known seniority level

Senior403
Manager351
Intern/Fellow/Postdoc198
Associate142
Principal126
Director106
Associate Director104
Senior Director47
Executive/VP7

Therapeutic area mix

21 of 3374 peers have a known therapeutic area; the rest are genuinely unlabeled, not hidden

Vaccines & Infectious Disease13
Rare Disease3
Oncology2
Dermatology & Aesthetics1
Respiratory1
Immunology1

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The closest matches from our peer group, ranked by how similar they are, not how well you'd qualify for them -- treat this as market context, not a guaranteed shortlist; a weak match is labeled as one below.

40%similar
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Lilly Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America Associate
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40%similar
Merck West Point, Pennsylvania, United States of America Principal
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Merck West Point, Pennsylvania, United States Intern/Fellow/Postdoc
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How we calculate "similar"

No black box, no LLM guesswork: a deterministic score built from four normalized attributes. Here's this role's own peer group at different match levels, so you can see the mechanism, not just the result.

Every comparison starts from the same 100-point budget: 25 for working in the same function, 40 for the same therapeutic area, 20 for the same or adjacent seniority, 15 for the same country. A dimension we can't confirm on both sides contributes nothing, never a guess, never a free pass.

40%
Director, Global Regulatory Affairs – Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls (CMC), Platform Innovation – Synthetic Peptides and Oligonucleotides
Lilly · Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America · Director
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
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Associate Principal Scientist/Engineer, Medical Device and Combination Products, Analytical
Merck · West Point, Pennsylvania, United States of America · Principal
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
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Senior Scientist II - Biologics Drug Product Development
AbbVie · North Chicago, IL · Senior
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
40%
Senior Scientist I - Peptide Analytical Chemistry
AbbVie · North Chicago, IL · Senior
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
Unmatched or unknown dimensions score exactly the same: 0 points, never a partial guess. A role we know almost nothing about beyond its function bottoms out at 25%; it never inflates to 100% just because there's little to compare against. Seniority uses a defined ladder (Associate → Manager → Associate Director → Senior → Principal → Director → Senior Director → Executive/VP) so "Director" and "Senior Director" count as adjacent, but "Director" and "Executive/VP" do not.