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Cell Culture Process Development Jobs in California

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 ...

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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 Jul 15, 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 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 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 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 are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in Cell Culture Process Development, and why are they important?

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 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:
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What cities in California are hiring for Cell Culture Process Development jobs? Cities in California with the most Cell Culture Process Development job openings:
Infographic showing various Cell Culture Process Development job openings in California as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 67% In-person, and 33% Hybrid job distribution, with an average salary of $69,143 per year, or $33.2 per hour.
Scientist I, Biologics Drug Substance Development, Cell Culture Development

Scientist I, Biologics Drug Substance Development, Cell Culture Development

AbbVie

San Francisco, CA • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Posted 20 days ago


AbbVie rating

8.7

Company rating: 8.7 out of 10

Based on 100 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

12th of 74 rated pharmaceutical


Job description

Company Description

About AbbVie

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.

Job Description

The Cell Culture Development Group in South San Francisco, CA is seeking a Scientist I to join a talented and collaborative team to develop cell culture processes for GMP applications.

In this position, you will perform cell culture process development, scale-up, and technology transfer activities in a well-supported and dynamic environment to help advance novel biotherapeutics into human clinical studies. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Perform inoculum expansion and cell bank generation
  • Execute cell culture experiments using Ambr250 and 2L bioreactors
  • Perform pilot scale material generation using 50L, 200L and 500L single use bioreactors
  • Execute small scale and pilot scale depth filtration and centrifugation primary recovery processes
  • Perform tech transfer of Master cell bank generation, cell culture and primary recovery processes to the GMP manufacturing facilities
  • Provide person-in-plant support at the GMP manufacturing facility
  • Perform cell culture experiments to optimize N-1 perfusion processes as well as intensified fed-batch processes
  • Represent the cell culture development group for pipeline projects in cross-functional meetings and collaborate closely with cell line, purification, analytical and formulation development leads to meet project timelines
  • Author and review technical reports, GMP campaign summary reports, and relevant sections in regulatory filings
  • Proactively identify and implement opportunities to optimize platform processes and deepen process understanding
  • Present scientific findings at internal or external conferences

Collaborate effectively with colleagues to promote a positive and efficient laboratory environment, and actively contribute ideas to enhance lab workflows and practices

Qualifications

Required

  • Scientific degree in chemical engineering, bioengineering, biotechnology, or a related field. A minimum of 2 years for M.S. or 5 years for B.S. graduates
  • Proficient in aseptic techniques
  • Experience in developing and executing mammalian suspension cell culture processes in shake flasks, Ambr250 and 2L bioreactors
  • Strong understanding of mammalian cell and molecular biology and cell culture bioprocess engineering concepts 
  • Strong attention to detail; active and quick learner; able to change courses quickly as needed, raises the bar and is never satisfied with the status quo; opens to suggestions and embraces the ideas of others; actively builds relationships with others
  • Experience in technical report authoring and reviewing
  • Proficient with Microsoft Office software (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) and statistical modelling software such as JMP

Preferred: 

  • Experience in perfusion technology, especially Alternating Tangential flow filtration (ATF) at bench
  • Experience in pilot scale operations including 50L, 200L, 500L Single-use systems, and harvest operations
Additional Information

Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law: 

  • The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future. 

  • We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.

  • This job is eligible to participate in our short-term incentive programs. 

Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company's sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law. 

AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled. 

US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html

US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more:

https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/reasonable-accommodations.html


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About AbbVie

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas: immunology, oncology, neuroscience, eye care, virology, women's health, and gastroenterology, in addition to products and services across its Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Industry

Scientific research and development services

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

North Chicago, IL, US

Year founded

2013