Chemical Engineer - General Biological

About General Biological:

General Biological (GB) is a pioneering industrial chemical and hardware manufacturing company developing the next generation of sustainable, low-cost biomanufacturing technologies. Our mission is to establish a new era of chemical products and physical materials derived from renewable carbohydrates rather than fossil fuels.

Central to our approach is vertical integration - positioning ourselves at the intersection of biotechnology, chemistry, and integrated hardware-software engineering to rapidly scale our innovative technology stack. The GB platform harnesses a non-model organism with remarkable metabolic flexibility and low sterility requirements, allowing us to truly industrialize biotech. By building custom bioreactor hardware and downstream operations, we fully leverage these properties to dramatically reduce capital and operating costs while accelerating implementation.

GB is assembling our founding team to join us in building a generational company that will transform scalable bioproduction practices for modern heavy industry.

Position Summary:

We are looking for a chemical engineer to identify and develop strategies for downstream processing and separations. This position requires a background in classical unit operations, including but not limited to: crystallization, ion-exchange, liquid-liquid extraction, filtration (TFF, UF, NF), electrodialysis, and more.

The ideal candidate will have experience with scaling processes to the pilot or demonstration scale. Additionally, the candidate will have experience with identifying, evaluating, and applying emerging unit operations to optimize process metrics.

As GB pursues vertical integration, you will have exciting opportunities to contribute to interdisciplinary project teams working on end-to-end hardware and process solutions. We are looking for someone who thrives on project ownership, ensuring timely execution, managing independent work streams, and aligning efforts with our broader vision.

Key Responsibilities:

• Plan and execute the design, development, and construction of separations processes
• Aid in development of novel process flow schemes around continuous bioproduction strategies integrating bioreactor design with upstream and downstream processes
• Participate in cross-functional team-based projects with biologists, chemists, and engineers to optimize end-to-end processes and ensure seamless, efficient and cost-effective integration of bioreactor systems with fermentation, DSP, and formulation strategies
• Manage a team of engineers, providing technical guidance, mentorship, and support to ensure project success
• Contribute to the development of intellectual property by writing up novel concepts as invention disclosures and participate in the patent application process

Required Qualifications:

• B.S. in chemical engineering, process engineering, or a related field with 2+ years of relevant industry experience in process development
• Strong background in separations unit operations (filtration, extraction, crystallization, ion-exchange) and their development
• Proficiency in process modeling (i.e., sizing unit operations, constructing process flow diagrams and mass balances)
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to think creatively to overcome technical challenges
• Demonstrated ability to execute complex projects and meet aggressive timelines

Additional preferred qualifications:

• Knowledge of process control systems design and automation and continuous process intensification
• Background in analytical chemistry for quality control; familiarity with NMR, HPLC, MS, FTIR, etc.
• Prior experience with the design and development of bioprocess separations strategies, especially related to scale-up and process optimization
• Practical mechanical and industrial site experience with pilot scale and larger bioprocess equipment and troubleshooting biological process plants
• Familiarity with fluid dynamics, mass transfer, and heat transfer in bioreactor systems

Salary and benefits:

GB offers comprehensive benefits including:

• Stock options
• Full medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Parking allowance
• Unlimited PTO