The posting
A global life sciences company in Singapore is looking for a Senior Biotechnologist to join its upstream processing team on a major new vaccine programme. You will join during equipment commissioning and start-up, then carry that knowledge into routine manufacturing as the facility transitions to operations. This is a non-shift role with standard office hours.
Key Responsibilities
- Support commissioning and qualification of upstream equipment such as fermenters, bioreactors, centrifuges, media preparation and seed train systems
- Participate in FAT, SAT, walkdowns and punch list closure, and support IQ/OQ execution as user representative
- Take part in water runs, engineering runs, demonstration batches and PPQ batches, including in-process sampling and data collection
- Draft, review and revise batch records, work instructions and SOPs for new upstream unit operations
- Build, test and review MES recipes and electronic work instructions for accuracy, operability and GMP compliance
- Execute upstream manufacturing to schedule: media preparation, seed train, fermentation, harvest and centrifugation
- Operate and monitor process equipment and automation systems, and troubleshoot process and equipment issues
- Raise and lead deviation investigations and support CAPA and change control
- Drive continuous improvement in cycle time, yield and right-first-time performance
- Act as subject matter expert for assigned unit operations, train and coach junior biotechnologists, and deputise for the shift lead as required
- Support project-to-operations handover and audit and inspection readiness
Requirements
- Degree or Diploma in Biotechnology, Bioprocess Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Life Sciences or a related discipline
- Minimum 3 years in GMP biopharmaceutical or vaccine manufacturing, with substantial hands-on upstream experience
- Experience in fermentation or cell culture, centrifugation, harvest and related upstream unit operations
- Direct involvement in equipment commissioning, qualification or facility start-up, including water runs or engineering runs
- Practical MES experience, such as authoring, reviewing or testing electronic batch records
- Experience drafting and revising batch records, SOPs and work instructions
- Strong knowledge of GMP, good documentation practice and data integrity
- Experience leading deviation investigations and supporting CAPA and change control
- Able to train junior team members and deputise for a shift lead
- Willing to support extended hours during commissioning and validation campaigns
Preferred
- Vaccine manufacturing background, especially recombinant or microbial-derived products
- Greenfield or brownfield facility start-up experience through to commercial production
- Experience with DeltaV, Siemens PCS7 or a similar DCS
- New MES deployment experience from configuration to GMP release
- Tech transfer or NPI exposure, and regulatory inspection support



