Senior Biotechnologist (Nights - Cell Therapy)

Senior Manufacturing Associate (Senior Biotechnologist) – Cell Therapy

Location: Portsmouth, NH, USA.

Schedule: Night Shift, 7:00 PM – 7:00 AM, Rotational 2-2-3 Pattern. Nights and weekend shifts include additional shift differential pay.

We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced professional to join our team in Portsmouth, NH, as a Senior Biotechnologist. This advanced, high-impact role is responsible for acting as the shop-floor Subject Matter Expert (SME) and leadership anchor during night shift cell therapy production campaigns. The ideal candidate will possess advanced technical knowledge of aseptic operations, lead complex processing runs, and play a pivotal role in operational readiness and customer tech transfer activities under general supervision.

What will you get?

• An agile career and dynamic working culture

• An inclusive and ethical workplace

• Technical & Floor Leadership: Step into a designated leadership role on the floor, providing guidance to manufacturing staff and acting as a primary backup for the shift supervisor.

• Tech Transfer Visibility: Earn core involvement in high-profile client technical transfers, engineering runs, and manufacturing process optimization.

• Compensation programs that recognize high performance

• Medical, dental and vision insurance, as well as PTO and more

• Our full list of global benefits can be found here: https://www.lonza.com/careers/benefits.

What you’ll do:

• Production & SME Leadership: Assume the lead role during complex night-shift unit operations (e.g., cell growth, harvest, vial filling, and visual inspection) and serve as the floor Subject Matter Expert until manufacturing staff are fully proficient.

• Technical Transfer Execution: Provide vital operational input into tech transfer activities—including water runs, training runs, and engineering runs—collaborating directly with customer tech teams and internal stakeholders.

• Documentation Ownership: Author, review, and approve critical cGMP documentation such as electronic batch records (EBR), Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and Work Instructions (WIs) to ensure optimal clarity and accuracy.

• Operational Readiness: Coordinate suite readiness initiatives, leading the strategic integration of safety, gowning, cleanroom cleaning, environmental monitoring (EM), and scheduling strategies.

• Staff Mentorship & Training: Arrange and provide effective hands-on training to manufacturing colleagues regarding new equipment, complex processes, and quality tracking systems.

• Continuous Process Improvement: Partner with the project specialist team and floor supervisors to incorporate process and operational enhancements into new customer campaigns.

• Compliance & Audit Support: Maintain strict compliance with EHS and cGMP guidelines, actively participating in continuous improvement activities and supporting regulatory or customer audits as needed.

What we’re looking for:

• Experience: 5–10 years of advanced manufacturing experience in biological and/or Cell Therapy processing. Proven experience working in classified cleanroom settings with automated processing systems is required.

• Skills: Expert knowledge of biological manufacturing operations (such as fermentation, purification, or drug product filling) paired with a deep understanding of electronic batch record (EBR) mapping and manual/automated visual inspection systems.

• Leadership Traits: Demonstrated ability to manage complex initiatives simultaneously, provide real-time coaching via shop-floor GEMBAs, and effectively fill in for the Manufacturing Supervisor in their absence.

• Education: High School Diploma or equivalent is required; an Associate’s or Bachelor’s Degree in a science-related discipline is preferred.

• Core Competencies: High level of agility, proactive communication style, and the financial accountability required to track project milestones and manage material requisitions accurately.

About Lonza

At Lonza, our people are our greatest strength. With 30+ sites across five continents, our globally connected teams work together every day to manufacture the medicines of tomorrow. Our core values of Collaboration, Accountability, Excellence, Passion and Integrity reflect who we are and how we work together. Everyone’s ideas, big or small, have the potential to improve millions of lives, and that’s the kind of work we want you to be part of.

Innovation thrives when people from all backgrounds bring their unique perspectives to the table. At Lonza, we offer equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. If you’re ready to help turn our customers’ breakthrough ideas into viable therapies, we look forward to welcoming you on board.

Ready to shape the future of life sciences? Apply now.