ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Cell Culture Process Development Jobs in California

PBS Biotech Inc

Senior Scientist

Moorpark, CA · On-site

$131K - $168K/yr

Design, execute, and oversee experiments for cell culture process development, optimization, characterization, and scale-up. * Serve as a technical subject matter expert for cell culture processes ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

All JobsCell Culture Process Development JobsCell Culture Process Development Jobs in California

Cell Culture Process Development information

See California salary details

$18

$33

$48

How much do cell culture process development jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 25, 2026, the average hourly pay for cell culture process development in California is $33.24, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $27.26 and $40.82 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is cell culture process development?

Cell culture process development is the optimization and scaling of laboratory techniques used to grow cells under controlled conditions, typically for the production of biological products like vaccines, antibodies, or therapeutic proteins. This field involves designing and refining protocols for cell line selection, media formulation, bioreactor operation, and quality control. The goal is to achieve high yields, consistency, and product quality while meeting regulatory standards. Professionals in this area work closely with research scientists, engineers, and quality assurance teams to transition processes from the lab bench to large-scale manufacturing.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in cell culture process development?

To thrive in Cell Culture Process Development, you typically need a background in biology, biotechnology, or chemical engineering, with hands-on experience in aseptic techniques and cell culture methodologies. Familiarity with bioreactors, cell counting equipment, and statistical analysis software, as well as certifications such as cGMP training, are highly valuable. Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and effective teamwork help professionals excel in optimizing and troubleshooting cell culture processes. These competencies are crucial to ensure high-yield, consistent, and safe production of biologics or therapeutic compounds.

What are some common challenges faced by professionals in cell culture process development, and how can they be addressed?

Professionals in cell culture process development often encounter challenges such as maintaining consistent cell growth, scaling processes from laboratory to production scale, and ensuring contamination-free environments. Addressing these issues requires strong attention to detail, rigorous adherence to standard operating procedures, and proactive troubleshooting skills. Effective collaboration with cross-functional teams, such as quality assurance and analytical development, is also essential to optimize processes and resolve technical issues swiftly. Continuous learning and adaptation to new technologies can further help in overcoming these challenges and advancing in the field.

What is the difference between Cell Culture Process Development vs Cell Culture Manufacturing Associate?

AspectCell Culture Process DevelopmentCell Culture Manufacturing Associate
Primary FocusDesigning and optimizing cell culture processes for product developmentExecuting established cell culture procedures for production
Skills & CredentialsScientific expertise, process development experience, often a degree in biotech or related fieldTechnical skills in manufacturing, GMP compliance, relevant certifications
Work EnvironmentLaboratory and R&D settingsManufacturing floors and production facilities
Industry UsageBiotech, pharmaceutical R&DBiotech, pharmaceutical manufacturing

Cell Culture Process Development professionals focus on creating and refining cell culture methods to ensure scalable, efficient processes. In contrast, Cell Culture Manufacturing Associates execute these processes in production settings to manufacture products at scale. Both roles require related skills and work within the biotech and pharmaceutical industries, but their responsibilities differ from development to manufacturing execution.

What are popular job titles related to Cell Culture Process Development jobs in California?

For Cell Culture Process Development jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Cell Culture Process Development jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Cell Culture Process Development jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Cell Culture Process Development jobs?

Cities in California with the most Cell Culture Process Development job openings:

Cell Culture Process Development jobs near you
Infographic showing various Cell Culture Process Development job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 86% Full Time, 11% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 89% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $69,143 per year, or $33.2 per hour.

Principal Scientist, Commercial & Late-Stage Cell Culture Process Development

South San Francisco, CA • On-site

Denali Therapeutics
Scientific Research and Development Services • 201 - 500 employees
Learn more about Denali Therapeuticsexternal

$159 - $207/hr

Other

Medical, Retirement

Posted 21 days ago

Job description

## Principal Scientist, Commercial & Late-Stage Cell Culture Process DevelopmentApplylocations: South San Franciscotime type: Full timeposted on: Posted 2 Days Agojob requisition id: R-1619Neurodegenerative diseases are one of the largest medical challenges of our time. Denali Therapeutics is a biotechnology company dedicated to developing breakthrough therapies for neurodegenerative diseases through our deep commitment to degeneration biology and principles of translational medicine. Denali is founded on the collaboration of leading scientists, industry experts, and investors who share the vision that scientific discovery energetically applied to translational medicine is the key to delivering effective therapies to patients.We invite you to consider an opportunity with Denali to help achieve our goal of delivering meaningful therapeutics to patients.This position is responsible for driving upstream technical activities for commercial and late-stage process development for Denali’s commercial and near-commercial biologics portfolio.**Key Accountabilities/ Core Job Responsibilities:*** Serve as upstream cell culture technical lead for commercial manufacturing including continued process verification, investigations, deviation support, and cross-site alignment.* Support lifecycle management activities for commercial products, including process improvements, tech transfer validation activities, local and cross-site change management, regulatory filing updates (CBE, PAS, Ex-US expansion), and responses to health authority questions.* Drive technical continuity and alignment across CDMO and internal manufacturing sites by ensuring process understanding, lessons learned and ensuringtechnical decisions are consistently captured and applied.* Design, oversee, and interpret small-scale process development studies that inform large-scale manufacturing decisions, support root-cause investigations, and enable lifecycle improvements.* Build and maintain technical risk assessments (e.g., FMEA) and process history files to support robust commercial manufacturing and future late-stage programs.* Support the incoming late-stage process development pipeline and commercial programs by applying best practices, platform knowledge, and prior manufacturing experience while contributing to standardization of lifecycle management practices.**Qualifications/Skills:*** Typically requires a PhD in Biology, Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering or related scientific discipline, plus 10+ years of related work experience.* Strong experience with commercial process support and technology transfers, upstream cell culture characterization, and process validation.* Experience managing post-approval changes as a technical SME in collaboration with manufacturingsite, regulatory, supply chain and quality.* Experience reviewing batch records, supporting deviation investigations and assessing process performance during manufacturing campaigns.* Proven track record of representing bioprocess functions in cross-functional teams and working effectively with CDMOs.* Broad experience in process characterization, design of experiments and analytics.* Experience developing upstream cell culture processes to support early or late-stage clinical production.* In-depth understanding of CHO-based fed-batch processes, scale-up/scale-down principles and statistical tools.* Excellent critical thinking, scientific problem-solving and communication skills* Familiarity with BLA authoring and post-approval regulatory support is preferredSalary Range: $159,000.00 to $207,000.00 . Compensation for the role will depend on a number of factors, including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies, and experience. Denali offers a competitive total rewards package, which includes a 401k, healthcare coverage, ESPP and a broad range of other benefits. Learn more at https://www.denalitherapeutics.com/careersThis compensation and benefits information is based on Denali’s good faith estimate as of the date of publication and may be modified in the future.Denali is committed to its core company value of unity by creating a diverse and inclusive environment. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, status as a veteran, basis of disability, or any other federal, state, or local protected class. #J-18808-Ljbffr

Apply