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Fermentation Engineer Jobs in Boston, MA (NOW HIRING)

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Fermentation Engineer information

See Boston, MA salary details

$44.5K

$120.2K

$163.5K

How much do fermentation engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 30, 2026, the average yearly pay for fermentation engineer in Boston, MA is $120,218.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $98,300.00 and $160,200.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a fermentation engineer do?

A fermentation engineer uses state-of-the-art technologies to formulate new products and refine the processes used in existing ones. Your responsibilities in this career include setting up and testing a process involving a microorganism, such as a yeast or a bacterium, in a fermentor to create new products. You use biotechnology techniques like recombinant DNA technology. Your duties also involve operating sophisticated equipment, such as bioreactors or robots. You can find employment in a wide range of industries, from food production to agriculture to medical science.

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

To thrive as a Fermentation Engineer, you need a solid background in bioprocess engineering, microbiology, and chemical engineering, often supported by a relevant degree. Familiarity with fermentation control systems, bioreactor operation, and analytical laboratory tools is typically required. Strong problem-solving, teamwork, and communication skills help you optimize processes and collaborate across multidisciplinary teams. These competencies are vital to ensure efficient, safe, and high-quality fermentation processes in industries like biotech, food, and pharmaceuticals.

What are the most common challenges faced by fermentation engineers in scaling up processes from lab to production?

Fermentation Engineers often encounter challenges when scaling up processes from laboratory to industrial scale, such as maintaining consistent product yields, ensuring robust microbial performance, and managing contamination risks. Differences in equipment, mixing, oxygen transfer, and temperature control can significantly impact the reproducibility and efficiency of fermentation. To address these challenges, engineers work closely with cross-functional teams, including microbiologists, process engineers, and quality assurance, to optimize protocols and implement rigorous monitoring systems throughout scale-up.

What is the difference between Fermentation Engineer vs Microbiologist?

AspectFermentation EngineerMicrobiologist
Required CredentialsBachelor's in Bioengineering, Chemical Engineering, or related field; experience in fermentation processesBachelor's or higher in Microbiology, Biology, or related field; laboratory skills
Work EnvironmentIndustrial labs, manufacturing plants, R&D facilitiesResearch labs, clinical labs, academic institutions
Industry UsageBiotech, pharmaceuticals, food & beverage, biofuel productionHealthcare, research, environmental studies, food safety

Fermentation Engineers focus on designing, optimizing, and scaling fermentation processes in industrial settings, while Microbiologists primarily conduct research and analysis of microorganisms in laboratory environments. Both roles require a strong background in microbiology, but Fermentation Engineers emphasize process engineering and production, whereas Microbiologists focus on scientific study and experimentation.

What are popular job titles related to Fermentation Engineer jobs in Boston, MA?

For Fermentation Engineer jobs in Boston, MA, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Fermentation Engineer jobs in Boston, MA look for?

The top searched job categories for Fermentation Engineer jobs in Boston, MA are:

Infographic showing various Fermentation Engineer job openings in Boston, MA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 92% Full Time, and 8% Contract. Highlights an 84% In-person, 8% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $120,218 per year, or $57.8 per hour.

Associate Director, Process Development (Fermentation)

Norwood, MA • On-site

RXinsider LTD.
Marketing • 11 - 50 employees

$180 - $230/hr

Other

Posted 9 days ago


Job description

The Role

Moderna is seeking an Associate Director, Process Development to lead upstream/fermentation process development for E. coli-based production of recombinant enzymes, plasmids, and related biological starting materials critical to Moderna’s technology platforms and pipeline programs.

This role translates strain, vector, and expression‑screening outputs into robust, scalable, and manufacturable processes, with responsibility for microbial fermentation, cell banking strategy, scale‑up/scale‑down, process characterization, technology transfer, and CMC support.

The successful candidate will bring strong technical judgment in E. coli physiology and fermentation engineering and will partner closely with strain and expression screening, downstream purification, analytical development, quality, manufacturing, and CMC teams.

Here’s What You’ll Do
  • Lead upstream/fermentation process development for E. coli-based production of recombinant enzymes, plasmids, and related biological materials.
  • Manage a team and translate strain, vector, and screening outputs into scalable fermentation processes with clear development strategies, success criteria, and manufacturing‑readiness plans.
  • Develop and optimize high‑cell‑density fed‑batch fermentation processes, including media/feed design, induction strategy, and key parameters such as temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, agitation, aeration, backpressure, and harvest criteria.
  • Apply DOE, scale‑down models, and data‑driven approaches to define operating ranges, improve robustness, reduce variability, and improve titer, yield, productivity, and quality.
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