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Upstream Process Engineer Jobs in Pennsylvania (NOW HIRING)

Wood Plc

Senior Process Engineer

Philadelphia, PA · On-site +1

$104K - $135K/yr

A key contributor on process engineering design teams (upstream, downstream, utilities, fill & finish) * Establishing a process design basis, developing process options, and optimization of selected ...

Legend Biotech US

Scientist

Philadelphia, PA

Key Responsibilities * Define and optimize the upstream process from shake flask through ... Engineering, or related field. * Hands-on experience in viral vector production, and ...

Legend Biotech US

Scientist

Philadelphia, PA · On-site

Key Responsibilities * Define and optimize the upstream process from shake flask through ... Engineering, or related field. * Hands-on experience in viral vector production, and ...

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All JobsUpstream Process Engineer JobsUpstream Process Engineer Jobs in Pennsylvania

Upstream Process Engineer information

See Pennsylvania salary details

$49.6K

$92.2K

$142.8K

How much do upstream process engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 25, 2026, the average yearly pay for upstream process engineer in Pennsylvania is $92,239.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $74,700.00 and $103,200.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does an upstream process engineer do?

An Upstream Process Engineer is responsible for developing, optimizing, and scaling up processes related to the early stages of biopharmaceutical manufacturing, including cell culture and fermentation. They work on improving yield, ensuring process efficiency, and maintaining regulatory compliance. Their role involves troubleshooting, process design, and collaboration with cross-functional teams to support production.

What are the typical daily responsibilities of an upstream process engineer?

An Upstream Process Engineer typically focuses on designing, optimizing, and monitoring processes related to raw material extraction and initial conversion in industries such as oil & gas, biotechnology, or chemicals. Daily tasks might involve analyzing process data, troubleshooting equipment or process issues, implementing efficiency improvements, and ensuring compliance with safety and environmental regulations. Collaboration is a key part of the role, as you’ll work closely with operations, maintenance, quality assurance, and R&D teams to achieve production targets. Engineers also regularly participate in safety meetings, process audits, and project planning sessions to support continuous improvement. This dynamic environment offers exposure to both hands-on technical work and cross-functional project leadership.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an upstream process engineer, and why are they important?

Upstream Process Engineers require a solid background in chemical or biochemical engineering, process design, and troubleshooting, often backed by a relevant engineering degree. Familiarity with simulation software such as Aspen Plus or HYSYS, as well as knowledge of industry standards and certifications like Six Sigma or API, is highly valued. Strong communication, problem-solving abilities, and teamwork skills help these engineers excel when coordinating across multidisciplinary teams. These competencies are crucial to ensure process efficiency, safety, and innovation in large-scale production environments.

What are popular job titles related to Upstream Process Engineer jobs in Pennsylvania?

For Upstream Process Engineer jobs in Pennsylvania, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Upstream Process Engineer jobs in Pennsylvania look for?

The top searched job categories for Upstream Process Engineer jobs in Pennsylvania are:

Upstream Process Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Upstream Process Engineer job openings in Pennsylvania as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 83% Full Time, 13% Part Time, 2% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 89% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $92,239 per year, or $44.3 per hour.

Scientist, Upstream Process Development

Johnson and Johnson

Reading, PA • On-site

Full-time

Posted 5 days ago

Job description

At Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more at jnj.com.
As guided by Our Credo, Johnson & Johnson is responsible to our employees who work with us throughout the world. We provide an inclusive work environment where each person is considered as an individual. At Johnson & Johnson, we respect the diversity and dignity of our employees and recognize their merit.
Job Function:
Discovery & Pre-Clinical/Clinical Development
Job Sub Function:
Biotherapeutics R&D
Job Category:
Scientific/Technology
All Job Posting Locations:
Spring House, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Job Description:
At Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal.
Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more at jnj.com.
As guided by Our Credo, Johnson & Johnson is responsible to our employees who work with us throughout the world. We provide an inclusive work environment where each person is considered as an individual. At Johnson & Johnson, we respect the diversity and dignity of our employees and recognize their merit.
We are searching for the best talent for a Scientist, Upstream Process Development to be in Spring House, PA.
Purpose:
The Scientist, Upstream Process Development will support development, optimization, and characterization of scalable cell culture processes for in vivo therapeutic programs. This role will contribute to early- through clinical-stage process development, with emphasis on bioreactor execution, media and process optimization, scale-down model generation, and data-driven process understanding for next-generation biologics and genetic medicines.
You will be responsible for:
  • Design and execute upstream process development studies for lentiviral in vivo therapeutic products under scientific guidance.
  • Perform cell culture experiments using shake flasks, bench-scale bioreactors, and automated high-throughput systems.
  • Support development of scalable fed-batch and perfusion processes to improve productivity, quality, and manufacturability.
  • Utilize Ambr® 250 bioreactor systems for process development, media optimization, and scale-down model studies.
  • Apply statistical experimental design, data analytics, and visualization tools to support process understanding and decision-making.
  • Build working knowledge of Process Analytical Technology, Raman spectroscopy, online monitoring, and digital bioprocessing tools.
  • Analyze and interpret process data using JMP, MiniTab, Python, Spotfire, or similar platforms.
  • Support evaluation of novel upstream technologies that improve process robustness and development efficiency.
  • Collaborate with downstream, analytical, automation, modeling, and formulation teams to align study design and deliverables.
  • Author technical reports, development summaries, protocols, and regulatory-supporting documentation.

Qualifications:
  • BS or MS in Chemical Engineering, Biochemical Engineering, Biological Sciences, Biotechnology, or related field with 2-4+ years of relevant experience
  • Experience in mammalian cell culture process development for biologics, cell and gene therapy, RNA therapeutics, or related viral vector modalities.
  • Hands-on experience with bioreactor operation, media optimization, process monitoring, and process scale-up support.
  • Experience with Ambr® 250 high-throughput bioreactor systems.
  • Strong data analysis, experimental design, and technical documentation skills.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills and ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams.

Johnson & Johnson is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by federal, state or local law. We actively seek qualified candidates who are protected veterans and individuals with disabilities as defined under VEVRAA and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act.
Johnson & Johnson is committed to providing an interview process that is inclusive of our applicants' needs. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request an accommodation, external applicants please contact us via https://www.jnj.com/contact-us/careers . internal employees contact AskGS to be directed to your accommodation resource.
Required Skills:
Preferred Skills:
Analytical Reasoning, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Control (CMC), Coaching, Collaboration, Conducting Experiments, Data Quality, Drug Discovery Development, Molecular Diagnostics, Patent Applications, Pharmacogenetics, Report Writing, Research Documents, Scientific Research, Technologically Savvy, Written Expression

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