Bioprocess Engineer

Job Title: Chemical Engineer – Bioprocess & Process Development Location: Bengaluru, India Employment Type: Full-time Role Overview We are establishing a dedicated Process Development capability within our biotechnology R&D facility to support the development and industrialisation of renewable and sustainable natural aroma ingredients for the flavour and fragrance industry. We seek a

Chemical Engineer with strong hands-on experience in bioprocess design, fermentation, biocatalysis, and downstream processing, capable of bridging experimental R&D with industrial process, equipment, and utility design at pilot and production scale. This position operates at the interface between R&D and Manufacturing and will play a key role in: Translating laboratory processes into scalable, robust, and economically viable manufacturing processes Leading scale-up, technology transfer, and process optimisation activities Contributing to the establishment of a Process Development group responsible for scale-up strategy, process design, and plant interface

Key Responsibilities Bioprocess & Fermentation Development Design, execute, and optimise fermentation and biocatalytic processes for aroma ingredient production Develop scalable bioprocess flowsheets from laboratory to pilot and manufacturing scale Define and optimise media composition, feeding strategies, pH, temperature, aeration, agitation, and operating modes (batch, fed-batch, continuous where appropriate) Perform mass and energy balances for upstream and downstream operations Define scale-up criteria related to mixing, oxygen transfer, heat removal, shear, and residence time Downstream Processing &; Product Recovery Develop and optimise recovery and purification strategies including liquid–liquid extraction, phase separation, distillation, adsorption, and chromatography Translate laboratory purification schemes into industrially viable operations

Evaluate solvent selection, solvent recovery, waste streams, and environmental impact Process Design & Equipment Interface Define preliminary equipment sizing and utility requirements for pilot and production scale Translate experimental data into process design inputs for internal and external engineering teams Support selection of reactors, fermenters, separators, heat exchangers, and auxiliary equipment Contribute to layout concepts and plant integration discussions Scale-Up, Technology Transfer & Plant Support Plan and execute scale-up and pilot trials in collaboration with R&D and manufacturing Prepare and implement technology transfer packages from R&D to production Develop SOPs, batch records, process descriptions, and scale-up reports Support troubleshooting of process deviations at pilot and plant scale Drive continuous improvement, debottlenecking, and yield optimisation initiatives Process Economics & Feasibility Provide technical inputs for costing, feasibility studies, and business cases Build and maintain CAPEX and OPEX models for new product processes Identify opportunities for cost reduction, yield improvement, and energy optimisation Cross-Functional Collaboration Work closely with microbiologists, chemists, analytical teams, and manufacturing Interface with external engineering and equipment suppliers as required Contribute to internal best practices for process development and scale-up

Required Qualifications M.Tech or PhD in Chemical Engineering 3–8 years of relevant experience in bioprocessing, fermentation, biocatalysis, or process development Hands-on experience with bioreactors/fermenters at laboratory, pilot, and preferably industrial scale Strong understanding of reaction engineering, transport phenomena, thermodynamics, and separation processes

Demonstrated experience translating laboratory processes to pilot or plant scale Experience developing CAPEX/OPEX models and techno-economic assessments

Experience Required Exposure to aroma, flavour, fragrance, fine chemicals, or specialty chemicals Experience with process simulation and modelling tools (Aspen Plus, Matlab or equivalent) Familiarity with Design of Experiments (DoE) and data-driven optimisation Experience operating in cross-functional R&D–Manufacturing environments

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