Senior Engineer, ADC Manufacturing

Position Summary

The Senior Engineer, ADC Manufacturing is an individual contributor that serves as a technical SME for antibody drug conjugate (ADC) manufacturing processes across clinical and commercial programs. This role provides subject matter expertise in conjugation chemistry, purification, scaleup, and technology transfer. The Senior Engineer drives process robustness, investigates deviations, implements process improvements, and ensures that manufacturing operations comply with cGMP standards. The ideal candidate combines hands-on technical skills with strategic influence across cross-functional teams, will identify best practices and provide technical trainings.

Duties & Responsibilities

Technical Leadership

• Serves as the primary technical authority for ADC conjugation, formulation, and purification processes across multiple development stages.
• Leads technical transfers of ADC processes for First in Human, scale up, late-stage, Validation activities and design of Critical Process Parameter readiness.
• Supports a high-performing technical team through effective communication and mentoring of junior engineers.
• Develops and maintains process descriptions, process flow diagrams, and process models.
• Act as a liaison between Manufacturing and HSE team for the handling of High toxicity compounds and oversees safety of manufacturing activities.
• Own and improve key unit operations (e.g., TFF, chromatography, conjugation reactions, solvent handling and Buffer Preparations).
• Collaborate with partners and customers, such as Automation, MSAT, HSE and Facilities to achieve site manufacturing deliverables for manufacturing production.
• Communicates and work with internal teams and clients to resolve on the floor issues, document revisions for successful process execution.
• Supports real time-on-the-floor support to manufacturing teams during batch execution as necessary.
• Lead investigations, root cause analysis, and CAPA development for OOS, OOT, and deviations.
• Assess process performance trends using statistical tools and identify process improvement opportunities for manufacturing robustness.
• Serve as SME during audits, including regulatory inspections.
• Evaluate and implement new technologies, raw materials, equipment, and methods to enhance process performance and safety.
• Partner with Quality Assurance, Quality Control, Supply Chain, Process Development, and Facilities to support seamless operations.

Documentation & Technical Writing

• Author and review technology transfer documents, equipment fit gap assessments, and batch records.
• Author and review master batch records (MBRs), SOPs, technical protocols and reports
• Support Regulatory agency responses for continued regulatory compliance and filing content (IND/IMPDs, BLAs).
• Provide technical justification for changes using risk-based methodologies (FMEA, QbD principles).

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Biology or related field required.
• Advanced degree (MS/PhD) preferred.
• 7+ years of experience in biopharmaceutical MSAT, Process Engineering, or Manufacturing Sciences is required; 2–4 years of experience specifically in ADCs or complex bioconjugation processes is strongly preferred.
• Hands on experience with cGMP clinical or commercial manufacturing.
• Proven success in working in teams within a matrixed environment.
• Demonstrated success in with tech transfers, and process scale up.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

Technical Abilities

Technical understanding of:

• Conjugation chemistries (e.g., maleimide thiol, enzymatic, site specific)
• Purification technologies (TFF, chromatography)
• Experience handling highly potency drug linkers, highly potent active pharmaceutical ingredients (HPAPIs) and knowledge of Occupational Health Category (OHC) classifications.
• cGMP and regulatory expectations
• Competency with Data analysis tools (e.g., JMP), DOE and multivariate analysis for process performance evaluations.
• Familiarity of regulatory issues pertaining to the manufacture of ADCs, large scale biopharmaceutical unit operations and process validations.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, P&IDs, and equipment manuals.
• Ability to perform risk assessments and apply QbD principles to technical decisions.
• Ability to lead cross functional technical investigations to closure.

Interpersonal/Leadership Abilities

• Strong verbal communication, technical writing skills and problem-solving abilities.
• Meeting facilitation, technical discussions and alignment across teams and clients.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, cross-functional team environment.
• Work with and mentor junior engineers and manufacturing personnel.

Physical Demands

• Lift up to 50 lbs unassisted and perform physical activities such as crouching, kneeling, crawling, climbing stairs and ladders, and walking on level surfaces.
• Perform visual inspections of installations and equipment.
• On the floor monitoring (if necessary) while using appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) or Powdered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR), If necessary.
• Ability to work in classified clean-room environments (e.g., ISO8), requiring gowning procedures.
• Ability to work around hazardous chemicals, solvents, and high potency compounds while following appropriate control strategies.
• Ability to move equipment or materials using carts or similar devices (if applicable).

Work Environment

• Work is performed in office and supporting on the floor monitoring (if necessary) while in the controlled manufacturing areas.
• May involve exposure to chemical odors, solvents, and high potency materials under controlled conditions.
• Work may involve proximity to moving mechanical equipment and standard manufacturing utilities.

Supervisory Responsibilities 

This is a senior individual contributor role with technical leadership responsibilities but no direct people management.

Travel

<5% travel required for this role. 

Target Bonus

16%

Work Location:

East Syracuse, NY