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Biochemical Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Hilmar Cheese Company

Process Engineer II

Hilmar, CA

S. in Chemical or Biochemical Engineering, or other Engineering field plus 2 years' manufacturing experience, or M.S. in Chemical or Biochemical Engineering, or other Engineering field plus 1 year ...

Iff

Senior Bioprocess Scientist/Engineer

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

$107K - $146K/yr

D. in Chemical Engineering, Biochemical Engineering, Biotechnology, Food Science, Chemistry, Materials Science, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or a related discipline; or equivalent combination of ...

Syner-G

Staff Process Engineer

Tustin, CA

Education * BS or MS in Chemical Engineering, Biochemical Engineering, Bioprocess Engineering, Biotechnology, or a related technical discipline preferred. Technical Experience * 10-15+ years of ...

Codexis

Principal Process Engineer

Redwood City, CA

Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Biochemical Engineering, or related field with 10+ years of relevant industrial experience, or M.S. with 8+ years. Expertise in flow chemistry, biocatalysis ...

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How much do biochemical engineer jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 10, 2026, the average hourly pay for biochemical engineer in California is $29.18, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $27.07 and $31.06 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a biochemical engineer?

Combining both engineering skills and a scientific background, a biochemical engineer studies the nature of chemical functions and uses research to develop or improve products. As a biochemical engineer, your job duties involve consulting with scientists to evaluate technology and products, using studies to recommend changes to processes or operations, and leading experiments to improve production while minimizing waste. You also design experimental activities within laboratories to ensure compliance with biohazard regulations and maintain databases of experiment-related information. The materials you work with may be organic or lab-made depending on your field of expertise.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a biochemical engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Biochemical Engineer, you need a solid background in chemical engineering, biology, and mathematics, typically supported by a bachelor's or master's degree in biochemical or chemical engineering. Familiarity with bioprocessing equipment, laboratory information management systems (LIMS), and relevant safety certifications is important. Strong problem-solving, analytical thinking, and teamwork skills set outstanding biochemical engineers apart. These competencies are essential for developing innovative solutions, ensuring process efficiency, and maintaining safety and compliance in biotechnological and pharmaceutical industries.

What are some typical challenges a biochemical engineer faces when scaling up processes from the lab to industrial production?

Biochemical Engineers often encounter challenges when transitioning processes from laboratory scale to full-scale manufacturing, including maintaining product consistency, optimizing yield, and controlling contamination risks. Variables such as mixing, temperature, and pH are easier to control in small batches, but become more complex at larger volumes. Collaborating closely with multidisciplinary teams—including microbiologists, mechanical engineers, and quality assurance professionals—is essential to troubleshoot issues and ensure successful scale-up. Addressing these challenges requires strong problem-solving skills and adaptability to evolving project needs.

What is the difference between Biochemical Engineer vs Chemical Engineer?

AspectBiochemical EngineerChemical Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's in Biochemical, Chemical, or Biological EngineeringBachelor's in Chemical Engineering or related field
Work EnvironmentBiotech labs, pharmaceutical companies, research facilitiesChemical plants, manufacturing facilities, process industries
Industry UsageBiotechnology, pharmaceuticals, food processingPetrochemical, chemicals, energy production

Biochemical Engineers focus on applying engineering principles to biological systems, often working in biotech and pharmaceutical industries. Chemical Engineers have a broader scope, working on chemical processes across various industries. While both roles require similar educational backgrounds, their work environments and industry applications differ significantly.

More about Biochemical Engineer jobs
What are popular job titles related to Biochemical Engineer jobs in California? For Biochemical Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Biochemical Engineer jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Biochemical Engineer jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Biochemical Engineer jobs? Cities in California with the most Biochemical Engineer job openings:
What are popular job titles related to Biochemical Engineer jobs in CA? For Biochemical Engineer jobs in CA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
Biochemical Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Biochemical Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 81% Full Time, 13% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $60,694 per year, or $29.2 per hour.

Process Engineer II

Hilmar Cheese Company

Hilmar, CA

Full-time

Re-posted 25 days ago

Job description

At Hilmar Cheese Company we improve lives around the world through wholesome dairy products. Since our founding in 1984, Hilmar Cheese Company has been committed to innovation and sustainability. Our state-of-the art production facilities convert an abundance of locally sourced high-quality milk into a variety of nutritious cheeses, whey protein and lactose. The Cheese and Ingredients that we produce create a wide variety of retail and food service products from sliced and shredded cheeses, to protein supplements and infant formula. We are a trusted partner to premier food and beverage brands in more than fifty countries helping bring their vision into reality.

Throughout our decades of success and growth we have remained committed to our mission and values and these principles unite our people and guide all that we do.

A Typical Day

The Process Engineer II is responsible for supporting the Company's strategic objectives through development of the optimum, most cost-effective process technologies used to manufacture Hilmar's products to enhance profitability, market position, and growth. This position will provide Process Engineering support on all aspects of the manufacturing process: maximizing productivity, reducing operating costs, and improving process sustainability through energy and water usage reduction. The work includes troubleshooting problems in existing processes, finding optimization opportunities that improve process capability, evaluating new technologies to determine their applicability, cost, and benefits to Hilmar, and designing new and/or improved processing lines. The Process Engineer II will focus on a specific manufacturing site and/or business area, provide support to other sites on discrete projects, as well as develop specialties based on business needs and accumulated work experience.

Job Responsibilities
  • Be a critical contributor to manufacturing site Process Improvement teams to deliver industry leading products and processes that help drive the business forward in its quest for operational excellence.
  • Spends time in production plants, identifying operational pain points and reviewing performance data to find opportunities to improve yield, quality, and throughput.
  • Lead troubleshooting of persistent, complex operational issues, providing win:win solutions that balance multiple KPIs and optimize total cost of ownership. Implement these in a manner that makes it easier for the business to execute and deliver value successfully and sustainably.
  • Works with appropriate cross-functional teams such as Operations, FSQA, Training, Maintenance, Engineering, or Operational Technology to implement changes.
  • Develop and implement process control strategies aimed at improving results and reducing process variability. Collaborate with Controls Engineers to test, debug, and deploy control programs effectively.
  • Lead Process Engineering components of new product development, experimental equipment and design, and plant trials. Utilize insights gained to guide final process design and commercialization.
  • Partnering with Project Engineering and cross-functional teams on capital projects, provide design decisions in new Process design. Develop P&IDs, perform mass balances, and develop functional descriptions. Ensure project design aligns with the project's business objectives.
  • Lead the Commissioning, Qualification, and Validation (CQV) process within asset / capital investment projects to ensure successful execution, on-time startup, and delivery of business objectives.
  • Effectively document learnings and best practices; provide technical training to business stakeholders.
  • Stay up to date on latest available technologies, industry direction, and trends to continuously improve HCC's technology portfolio. Manage Hilmar's trade secrets and competitive advantage appropriately.
  • This role supports a primary manufacturing site, but may require 20 - 40% travel depending on business need and project activity. 
What You Will Need
  • B.S. in Chemical or Biochemical Engineering, or other Engineering field plus 2 years' manufacturing experience, or M.S. in Chemical or Biochemical Engineering, or other Engineering field plus 1 year manufacturing experience.
  • Ability to complete energy and mass balances
  • Ability to collect and analyze production data using statistical techniques
  • Ability to effectively summarize and present technical information to a variety of audiences
  • Experience with writing functional descriptions of physical processes
  • Ability to develop operational models of plant processes
  • MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint at intermediate level
What Will Put You Ahead
  • B.S. in Chemical or Biochemical Engineering, or other Engineering field plus 4 years' manufacturing experience, or M.S. in Chemical or Biochemical Engineering, or other Engineering field plus 3 years' manufacturing experience
  • Knowledge of unit operations commonly found in the food industry and waste-water treatment
  • Experience with clean-in-place (CIP) system design and operational principles
  • Certification or direct experience with Problem Solving methodologies (ex: Root Cause Analysis)
  • Knowledge of CQV (Commissioning, Qualification, Validation) criteria development and implementation
  • Experience with statistical analysis or process simulation software
  • Leadership and teambuilding skills
Physical Demands & Work Environment

The work is primarily performed in an office environment and the physical demands are characteristic of a mostly sedentary role. Specific details of the essential functions of the position are available in the Job Safety Analysis, made available on request. 

Food safety is a companywide responsibility and each employee must know their role in the manufacture and distribution of safe, wholesome, and high quality products.

This description is a general statement and does not include other duties as assigned

Hilmar Cheese Company, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer/EEO. We participate in E-Verify.

English Information | Spanish Information

Salary Range: USD ($75,539.00 - $113,309.00) ANN 

The final compensation offered within this range will depend on factors including the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

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