Production Scientist

Location: Torrance, CA | Employment Type: Full-Time

 At PolyPeptide Laboratories, Production Scientists sit at the critical intersection of science, manufacturing, and quality. This role is ideal for a scientist who thrives on translating small-scale R&D into robust, GMP-compliant large-scale manufacturing—and who wants real ownership over products, processes, and outcomes.

As a Production Scientist, you will lead manufacturing readiness, oversee GMP execution for assigned projects, and act as a technical authority during production. Your work directly impacts product quality, yield, timelines, and customer confidence.

What You’ll Do

You will own the end-to-end technical execution of GMP manufacturing projects, from scale-up through commercial production.

Core Responsibilities

• Scale up R&D and pilot processes into GMP large-scale manufacturing

• Serve as the production technical lead for assigned projects, with authority to approve GMP and validation documents without managerial sign-off

• Author, review, and approve MBPRs, change controls, deviations, CAPAs, risk assessments, PPQ protocols, and validation documentation

• Drive yield optimization, process improvements, and bottleneck analysis across unit operations

• Provide real-time, on-floor technical decision-making during batch execution, including go/no-go decisions based on IPC results

• Lead investigations (OOS, OOT, QIRM, RCI) using structured root-cause analysis tools and present findings to internal and external stakeholders

• Support technology transfer activities, including comparability reports, CPP identification, and PPQ strategy

• Collaborate cross-functionally with Production, QA, QC, PD, Regulatory, Supply Chain, Sales, and Project Management

• Prepare and present weekly project update decks to leadership and customers

• Mentor operators and team members on MBPR execution, unit operations, and GMP best practices

How You’ll Make an Impact

• Act as a scientific decision-maker during GMP production

• Influence manufacturing strategy, cost, yield, and robustness

• Serve as a trusted technical partner to customers and regulators

• Help build scalable, repeatable, high-quality peptide manufacturing processes

What We’re Looking For

Education

• Advanced degree in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Engineering, or a related field

• GMP or pharmaceutical manufacturing training strongly preferred

• Lean Six Sigma or GMP certifications are a plus

Experience

• 5+ years in GMP pharmaceutical manufacturing, MS&T, or production science

• Peptide manufacturing experience strongly preferred

• Proven ability to independently troubleshoot processes and equipment

• Demonstrated success managing multiple projects in a regulated environment

Technical Skills

• Solid understanding of SPPS GMP manufacturing

• Proficiency with HPLC systems and cGMP processes

• Data analysis experience (Minitab preferred)

• Strong technical writing and documentation skills

Core Competencies

• Strategic scientific judgment and decision-making

• Quality and regulatory leadership

• Complex problem solving

• Cross-functional collaboration and influence

Why PolyPeptide Laboratories

At PolyPeptide Laboratories, you’ll work on highly technical, meaningful science that directly supports life-changing medicines. We offer real ownership, strong cross-functional collaboration, and the opportunity to influence how products are manufactured—not just execute them. Here, your expertise shapes processes, drives quality, and delivers therapies that make a real difference.

Salary: $115k-$130k

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.