At Element Biosciences, we are passionate about our mission to empower the scientific community with more freedom and flexibility to accelerate our collective impact on humanity. We have built a highly efficient product-driven organization where employees can learn, grow, and thrive in a challenging but encouraging environment. We are committed to scientific integrity, collegiality, honesty, objectivity, and openness.

We are seeking a driven Senior Engineer, Flow Cell Process Development to help shape our manufacturing processes in tandem with product development. This role is ideal for a flexible, hands-on engineer who is excited to help build an exceptional company and launch groundbreaking products. We look for candidates eager to build an amazing company and launch an amazing product!  The Process Development team is integrated with our technology and product development teams, with a focus on pulling the technology out of the lab and enabling it in Operations. Our products incorporate cutting edge technology from synthetic, organic, nucleotide, enzyme, and surface chemistry disciplines, which makes this role highly integrative. This role will report to our Associate Director, Process Development and will be a San Diego based, on-site role.

If you possess the following and want to make a meaningful impact, we invite you to explore this role.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

• Provide daily hands-on technical support to MFG to meet shared KPI goals—including safety, production outs, equipment utilization, product yield and quality
• Provide occasional evening and weekend support to meet production targets. (most often remote assistance)
• Lead cross-functional investigations and data-driven problem solving, using scientific rigor and structured methodologies to identify root causes and implement corrective actions
• Design and execute experiments (DOE, process characterization, and stability studies) to improve process capability, product performance, and manufacturing yield
• Lead the development, optimization, and transfer of flow cell manufacturing processes, including surface functionalization, deposition, metrology, and assembly
• Working cross-functionally and within NPI teams, translate complex surface chemistry and fluidic design concepts into stable, reproducible production methods
• Collaborate with supplier partners to develop and qualify critical components, ensuring alignment with technical specifications and process control standards
• Define in-process quality control strategies, inspection plans, and acceptance criteria for flow cell components and assemblies
• Develop and maintain technical documentation including user and system requirements, process development reports, and manufacturing instructions
• Participate in design reviews, risk assessments, and validation activities to ensure full compliance with quality and regulatory requirements

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, bioengineering, engineering physics, etc with 3+ years in similar fields
• Experience in an Operations/MFG setting, preferably with experience developing and introducing new products, in a fast paced mid to high volume DNA consumables, Semiconductor, or Surface Chemistry
• Creative and independent thinker; excellent communication skills; good team worker; ability to multitask and work independently; and ability to find creative solutions to problems are required
• Experience with implementing and sustaining complex manufacturing equipment and processes, such as automation, is required
• Experience in pilot/production environments, including tech transfer activities, sustaining support, or continuous improvement is required
• Ability to resolve complex problems, tasks, and decisions with a team is required. Demonstrated application of structured problem solving such as 8D, A3, DMAIC
• Experimental design and statistical data analysis and visualization (such as JMP or R) are required; additional capabilities with image analysis and python/R scripting are a plus
• Experience with production surface chemistry deposition processes (CVD, ALD, oxygen plasma, etc.) is a plus.
• Experience working directly with vendors and/or contract manufacturers is a plus.
• Proficiency with chemical process operations and related analytical techniques and metrology including spectrophotometry, ellipsometry, AFM, LCMS, etc is a plus

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to lift up to 20 pounds

Location:

• San Diego – on-site

Travel: 

• Up to 5%

Job Type:

• Full-time, Exempt

Base Compensation Pay Range:

• $103,000 - $125,000

 

In addition to base compensation noted above, you will be eligible for stock options, discretionary annual bonus, no cost health insurance plans, 401k with company match, and flexible paid time off. 

Please note: Base compensation will depend on multiple factors, including geographic location, qualifications, and experience. 

We foster an environment such that all people are afforded the freedom to pursue their passions without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, gender (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, veteran status or any other characteristics protected by law.