Leading Scientist in Late Upstream Process Development (USP) (d/f/m)

Job description

Job Description Summary Join us in helping to make healthcare fairer and faster. / Pridružite se nam in nam pomagajte povečati pravičnost in hitrost zdravstvenega varstva. Job Description Sandoz is a global leader in Biosimilars and Generic medicines. Our purpose is to pioneer access for patients by developing and commercializing novel, affordable solutions that address unmet medical needs. As Sandoz Global Development Organization, we are responsible for the development and delivery of biosimilar and generic medicines, impacting patients’ lives worldwide. The role is part of Biosimilar Technical Development (BTD) and will be based in our new development centre in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Our aspiration is to be innovative in applying science to develop technologies and processes that will enable production of high-quality biosimilars. We are looking for a Leading Scientist in Late Upstream Process Development (USP). Your key responsibilities: Lead the development of biosimilar upstream processes within cross-functional project teams. Design, lead and evaluate upstream studies including media/feed development, process parameter optimization, process characterization, and scale-up. Lead process characterization studies to establish process control strategies and manufacturing ranges. Generate comprehensive process understanding and evaluate the impact of process parameters on product quality and process performance. Provide scientific guidance for scale-up and transfer of upstream processes from development and pilot scale to manufacturing scale. Operate and troubleshoot mammalian cell culture platforms, ranging from shake flasks, Ambr250 systems and pilot-scale bioreactors to manufacturing scale bioreactors. Provide scientific input into development strategies, risk assessments, protocols, reports, and other technical documentation. What you will bring to the role: Master degree in a pharmaceutical, chemistry or other relevant field. Minimum 6 years of relevant experience or 3 years in case of PhD. Scientific curiosity, attention to detail, and problem-solving skills. Hands-on experience in working with cell culture and bioreactor systems is an advantage. Excellent communication skills and the ability to work in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. Experience with process scale-up and pilot-scale bioreactor operations, understanding of Quality by Design (QbD), process control strategies, risk-based process development and process characterization studies is considered an advantage. What we offer: Job location: Ljubljana Contract type: permanent with a six-month probation period Expected weekly working hours: 40 *Pay range: €50,720 – €76,080 gross yearly *Salary at Sandoz is based on job level, qualifications, specific skills, and work experience. Fully proficient candidates are usually placed around the market median, less experienced candidates lower in the range, and those with strong or niche expertise higher. When determining placement within the range, we also consider internal pay equity and external market data. Our compensation package additionally includes: Annual bonus (STI): percentage of annual salary. Vacation allowance: in 2026 it was €2,450.00 net. Christmas bonus: in 2025 it was €2,100 gross. OurShare: every year, an employee of Lek d.d. will be entitled to receive shares of Sandoz AG. Voluntary Additional Pension Scheme: The company fully covers the contribution for your supplementary pension plan, amounting to 5.844% of your gross salary (the maximum annual amount is 3,224.18 EUR). Collective life and accident insurance (24/7 coverage). A hybrid work environment offering flexibility and remote work possibilities – if applicable for position. Ready for your next career move? You are kindly invited to submit your application in English and Slovene, including a CV, by October 31, 2026. Why Sandoz? Sandoz is the global leader in Biosimilar and Generic medicines, a segment of the healthcare industry that delivers 80% of the world’s medicines at 30% of the cost, touching the lives of more than 1 billion people across 100+ countries! While we are proud of our achievements, we have the ambition to do more so that everyone can benefit from the basic human right of good health. With investments in new development capabilities, production sites, new acquisitions and partnerships, we have the opportunity to shape a sustainable future for Sandoz and to help even more people gain access to low-cost, high-quality medicines. Our momentum is powered by an open, collaborative culture driven by our talented and ambitious colleagues who, in return for applying their skills, experience an agile and collegiate environment where diversity of thought is welcomed and where personal growth is supported! Join us in helping to make healthcare fairer and faster. Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion: We are committed to building an outstanding, inclusive work environment and to forming diverse teams that are representative of the patients and communities we serve. #Sandoz ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vodilni raziskovalec na področju poznega razvoja procesov v zgornjem delu bioprocesa (USP) (d/ž/m) Sandoz je vodilno podjetje na svetovnem trgu podobnih bioloških in generičnih zdravil. Sandozova globalna razvojna organizacija skrbi za razvoj in dobavo visokokakovostnih podobnih bioloških zdravil za bolnike po vsem svetu. Delovno mesto je umeščeno v najsodobnejšemu centru za razvoj podobnih bioloških zdravil v Ljubljani. Naša ambicija je z inovativno uporabo znanosti razvijati tehnologije in procese, ki omogočajo proizvodnjo visokokakovostnih podobno bioloških zdravil. V svojo ekipo vabimo Vodilnega raziskovalca na področju poznega razvoja procesov v zgornjem delu bioprocesa (Upstream Process Development, USP). Vaše ključne odgovornosti: Vodenje  razvoja podobnih bioloških procesov v USP delu bioprocesa v okviru medfunkcijskih projektnih ekip. Načrtovanje, vodenje in vrednotenje študij na področju USP, vključno z razvojem gojišč in hranilnih medijev, optimizacijo procesnih parametrov, karakterizacijo procesov ter prenosom procesov na večje merilo. Vodnje  študij procesne karakterizacije z namenom vzpostavitve strategije nadzora procesa ter določitve ustreznih procesnih parametrov. Pridobivanje celovitega  razumevanja procesa ter vrednotenje vpliva procesnih parametrov na kakovost izdelka in učinkovitost oziroma robustnost procesa. Zagotavljanje znanstvene podpore pri prenosu procesov na večje merilo ter prenosu procesov iz razvojnega in pilotnega v proizvodno merilo. Upravljanje, optimizacija in odpravljanje težav pri gojenju sesalskih celičnih kultur na različnih platformah, od stresalnih bučk, sistema Ambr250 in pilotnih bioreaktorjev do bioreaktorjev na proizvondem merilu. Zagotavljanje znanstvenih usmeritev pri razvojnih strategijah, ocenah tveganja, protokolih, poročilih in drugi tehnični dokumentaciji. Vaš prispevek k delovnemu mestu: Magisterij stroke s področja farmacije, kemije ali druge ustrezne smeri. Minimalno 6 let ustreznih delovnih izkušenj oziroma 3 leta v primeru doktorata znanosti. Znanstveno radovednost, natančnost pri delu in dobre sposobnosti reševanja problemov. Praktične izkušnje z delom na področju celičnih kultur in bioreaktorskih sistemov predstavljajo prednost. Odlične komunikacijske sposobnosti ter sposobnost dela v dinamičnem in hitro spreminjajočem se okolju. Izkušnje s prenosom procesov na večje merilo (process scale-up) in upravljanjem bioreaktorjev v pilotskem merilu ter poznavanje pristopa Quality by Design (QbD), strategij nadzora procesa, razvoja procesa na osnovi ocene tveganj in študij procesne karakterizacije predstavljajo prednost. Kaj nudimo: Lokacija dela: Ljubljana Vrsta pogodbe: nedoločen čas in s 6 mesečnim poskusnim obdobjem Predvideni tedenski delovni čas: 40 ur *Plačni razpon: 50.720 – 76