Innovation Lead (Biological Manufacturing)

About Client - We are building the future of manufacturing using synthetic biology and precision fermentation.

We are solving engineering challenges that often do not have established solutions, standard equipment, or proven playbooks. Many of these challenges sit at the intersection of biology, mechanical engineering, manufacturing, automation, and industrial scale-up.

We are looking for an exceptional engineer who gets excited by solving difficult, open-ended problems and can convert scientific requirements into scalable, cost-effective industrial solutions.

This is not a conventional manufacturing role. You will become a key member of our engineering and scale-up team, working directly with the founder, and closely with scientists, manufacturing teams, vendors, and leadership to solve some of the most critical challenges in industrial biotechnology.

If you are currently in a highly structured, repetitive, or optimization-focused role and are looking for an opportunity to build, innovate, and create solutions from first principles, this role could be highly rewarding.

Key Responsibilities

Engineering Innovation & Problem Solving

• Solve complex engineering challenges emerging from R&D, pilot operations, and manufacturing.
• Apply first-principles thinking to design innovative and practical engineering solutions.
• Translate laboratory and process requirements into scalable industrial systems.
• Lead concept development, prototyping, testing, iteration, and implementation of new engineering solutions.
• Drive projects from idea to implementation while balancing technical excellence, speed, and cost.

Equipment & System Development - Design, evaluate, prototype, optimize, and implement systems such as:

• Evaporation systems
• Filtration and separation systems
• Packaging and filling systems
• Material handling systems
• Utility systems
• Pilot plant and process equipment
• Fermentation and support systems
• Heat transfer and vacuum systems
• Custom manufacturing equipment

Engineering Design & Documentation

• Develop equipment specifications, technical documents, URS, PFDs/P&IDs, FAT/SAT protocols, and commissioning plans.
• Design and build prototypes in collaboration with internal teams and external partners.
• Ensure seamless integration between mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, and automation systems.
• Support commissioning, troubleshooting, optimization, and scale-up activities.

Vendor Development & Techno-Commercial Evaluation

• Identify, evaluate, and work with equipment manufacturers, fabricators, consultants, and technology partners.
• Lead technical discussions, design reviews, factory visits, and commercial evaluationswith vendors.
• Perform detailed techno-commercial assessments to identify the most technically robust and economically optimal solutions.
• Drive value engineering and cost optimization without compromising performance.

Research & Technology Scouting

• Conduct literature reviews, patent searches, global benchmarking, and technology scouting to solve challenging engineering problems.
• Leverage AI tools and modern engineering software to accelerate problem-solving and decision-making.
• Continuously explore emerging technologies and identify opportunities for adoption.

Qualifications & Experience

Education

• B.Tech/M.Tech in Mechanical Engineering, Production Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or related disciplines.
• Candidates from premier institutes such as IITs, NITs, IISc, or equivalent institutions will be preferred.

Experience

• 10+ years of experience in industrial engineering, manufacturing engineering, process engineering, equipment engineering, or related domains.
• Experience in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, food processing, specialty chemicals, automation, industrial equipment, or process industries will be preferred.

Preferred Technical Exposure

• Mechanical system design and equipment development
• Process and manufacturing systems
• Industrial automation and controls
• Electrical systems integration
• Filtration and separation technologies
• Utilities design and operation
• Packaging and filling systems
• CAD tools such as SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Inventor, or CATIA
• Industrial project execution and scale-up

You Will Thrive in This Role If You:

• Think from first principles rather than relying solely on established industry practices.
• Obsess over engineering details and execution quality.
• Are highly resourceful, hands-on, and cost-conscious.
• Enjoy operating in ambiguity and solving problems that have never been solved before.
• Are willing to hustle—whether that means deep literature reviews, scouting global technologies, identifying the right supplier, or building a prototype on the shop floor.
• Have a relentless bias for action and execution.
• Enjoy collaborating across R&D, manufacturing, and external partner ecosystems.
• Believe that impossible problems are simply engineering problems waiting to be solved.

If building innovative manufacturing systems that can shape the future of industrial biotechnology excites you, we'd love to hear from you.