Process Engineer - Manufacturing Sciences & Technology, Upstream

About Site

Catalent’s Madison, Wisconsin site is a state‑of‑the‑art biologics development and manufacturing facility supporting customers from research through early‑ and mid‑stage clinical production. Located at 726 Heartland Trail in Madison, the approximately 102,700‑square‑foot GMP facility specializes in mammalian cell line engineering, drug substance biomanufacturing, and biopharmaceutical development, utilizing flexible single‑use systems to enable rapid scale‑up and customization. The site is home to Catalent’s proprietary GPEx® and GPEx® Lightning technologies, which are used to generate high‑yielding mammalian cell lines for biologic therapies, and supports production scales ranging from 50 to 4,000 liters for clinical manufacturing. Following a $45 million expansion announced in 2025, the Madison site has significantly increased capacity, added new equipment, and created approximately 200 highly skilled biohealth jobs, further strengthening its role within Catalent’s global biologics network and Wisconsin’s growing life sciences ecosystem.

Position Summary

We have an opportunity for a Process Engineer - Manufacturing Sciences & Technology, Upstream Technology Transfer to join our team. This role supports technology transfer and process readiness for biologics manufacturing. You will work closely with cross-functional teams to ensure successful transfer and execution of upstream processes. The position offers the chance to contribute to innovative projects in a dynamic, GMP-regulated environment.

Shift: Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm (compensated on-call rotation)
Location: Madison, WI
100% Onsite

The Role

• Provide technical support to Manufacturing, leading facility fit, equipment alignment, and technology transfer of biologic processes from Process Development and external clients.
• Evaluate and recommend process and equipment improvements while supporting technology transfer for both internally and externally developed manufacturing processes.
• Execute technical work plans and schedules, including data generation and entry, in collaboration with supervisors or senior team members.
• Perform engineering and process calculations to support development, tech transfer, and GMP manufacturing programs.
• Draft, author, and review technical documentation, including development reports, technical transfer reports, batch production records, engineering specifications, and summary reports.
• Conduct technical reviews of laboratory and engineering documentation to ensure accuracy, completeness, and regulatory compliance.
• Support GMP manufacturing through technical oversight, batch documentation authoring, and close collaboration with Manufacturing teams.
• Lead or support risk assessments, gap analyses, deviations, change controls, and CAPAs, including root cause analysis and impact assessment.
• Evaluate existing processes and identify process or equipment improvement opportunities to enhance efficiency, consistency, and operational competitiveness.
• Compile, analyze, and communicate process and project data, including status reporting, trend analysis, and internal or client-facing presentations.
• Partner cross-functionally with Process Development, Manufacturing, Quality Assurance, Quality Control, Supply Chain, Project Management, Facilities, and other stakeholders to enable effective process transfer and sustainment.
• Support strategic alignment and knowledge sharing across sites, including coordination with Madison and other Catalent Biologics locations.
• Participate in client meetings, providing technical expertise and program support.
• Train, mentor, and coach junior staff on laboratory, manufacturing, and engineering principles; serve as a subject matter expert.
• Other duties as assigned.

The Candidate

Minimum Requirements

• Minimum of Associate’s degree in STEM with 6+ years of related experience, or Bachelor’s and/or Master’s with at least 3+ years of related experience.
• Experience in mRNA product development, mRNA manufacturing, protein therapeutics manufacturing, and late stage/commercial manufacturing.
• Experience authoring, revising, and reviewing technical documentation, including reports, standard operating procedures, and batch production records, supported by statistical data analysis and reporting.
• Proven leadership experience managing and mentoring staff, including cross-functional training, personnel development, and organizational team support.
• Hands-on experience investigating, resolving, and closing deviations, out-of-specification events, change controls, and CAPAs in a cGMP-regulated environment.
• Technical subject matter expertise in upstream (e.g., mammalian cell culture, in vitro transcription) and/or downstream biologics manufacturing processes (e.g., filtration, chromatography, tangential flow filtration, viral filtration), including facility fit, process scaling, and technology transfer across cGMP production scales.
• Operational engineering experience supporting late-phase, process performance qualification, and commercial programs, including design, onboarding, qualification, operation, and troubleshooting of single-use systems, consumables, and manufacturing equipment for biologics and molecular therapeutics.
• Physical requirements: Ability to see, hear, read, and write clear English. Frequent sitting, standing, walking, reading, and computer use. Occasional stooping, kneeling, crouching, bending, carrying, and grasping. Frequent lifting up to 10 pounds and occasional lifting up to 50 pounds. Must comply with Environmental Health and Safety responsibilities.

Preferred Skills & Background

• Subject matter expertise on large scale/commercial scale biologics and mRNA manufacturing (including mammalian cell culture and/or in vitro transcription) in GMP-regulated environment.

Why You Should Join Catalent

• Defined career path and annual performance review and feedback process
• Diverse, inclusive culture
• Potential for career growth on an expanding team within an organization dedicated to preserving and bettering lives
• Competitive paid time off plus 8 paid holidays
• Community engagement and green initiatives
• Medical, dental, and vision benefits effective day one of employment
• Tuition reimbursement

Catalent offers rewarding opportunities to further your career!  Join the global drug development and delivery leader and help us bring over 7,000 life-saving and life-enhancing products to patients around the world. Catalent is an exciting and growing international company where employees work directly with pharma, biopharma and consumer health companies of all sizes to advance new medicines from early development to clinical trials and to the market. Catalent produces more than 70 billion doses per year, and each one will be used by someone who is counting on us. Join us in making a difference. 

personal initiative. dynamic pace. meaningful work.

Visit Catalent Careers to explore career opportunities.

Catalent is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and veterans.

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