Bioprocess Engineer
Overview:
Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc. (SPA) delivers high-impact, technical solutions to complex national security issues. With over 50 years of business expertise and consistent growth, we are known for continuous innovation for our government customers, in both the US and abroad.Our exceptionally talented team is highly collaborative in spirit and practice, producing Results that Matter. Come work with the best! We offer opportunity, unique challenges, and clear-sighted commitment to the mission. SPA: Objective. Responsive. Trusted.
The Joint, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Interagency Division provides expert support services to a range of customers spanning across the Department of Defense, Federal Civilian, and international markets. JOID provides a diverse portfolio of analytical and programmatic capabilities to help our customers make informed decisions on their most challenging issues.
SPA provides critical decision support to enabling and executing a strategy of technological superiority and enabling the delivery and sustainment of secure, resilient, and preeminent capabilities to the warfighter quickly and cost effectively.Our team of experienced military, technical, and operations research analysts is skilled in evaluating military problems, identifying the driving factors, devising innovative approaches, collecting applicable data, developing necessary software tools, and performing thorough and timely assessments to inform technology and acquisition governance decisions to ensure U.S. military forces retain military superiority in the future.
SPA has a near-term need for a Bioprocess Engineer (SETA) to provide onsite support in Arlington, VA.
Responsibilities:
The Biological Technologies Office (BTO) at DARPA is seeking exceptional candidates with advanced bioprocess engineering expertise to join our dynamic Science Team. We're looking for innovative engineers who have demonstrated success scaling biological processes from bench through pilot scale, with deep understanding of both theoretical principles and their practical limitations.The ideal candidate bridges fundamental understanding with hands-on experience, while staying at the forefront of emerging bioprocess technologies and approaches to transform how we design, optimize, and scale biological production systems. As a member of the BTO Science Team specializing in Bioprocess Engineering, the primary focus will be to support our DARPA PMs in developing revolutionary concepts that leverage advanced bioprocess understanding to achieve unprecedented capabilities.
Will apply experience scaling processes through pilot scale (up/down scaling in DBTL loops for example) combined with awareness of emerging technologies to help identify truly transformative approaches. Will work closely with DARPA PMs providing specialized technical expertise and dedicating time to help them develop and refine their ideas.Augment the existing SETA teams, collaborating with them to create compelling Program Initiation Pitches (PIPs) that incorporate feedback from peers and leadership.
Qualifications:
Required:
- 2+ years of experience and a Master's degree in Chemical Engineering, Bioprocess Engineering, or related field with strong emphasis in biological systems.
- Hands-on experience scaling biological processes from laboratory to pilot scale.
- Demonstrated success scaling processes from bench (0.5-5L) through pilot (50-500L) scale: process characterization and scale-up parameter identification, media development and feed strategy optimization across scales, and experience with scale-down model development and validation.
- U.S. Citizenship (eligible for DoD Secret clearance).
Desired:
- PhD in Chemical Engineering, Bioprocess Engineering, or related field with strong emphasis in biological systems.
- Experience with process modeling and simulation software (e.g., SuperPro Designer, Aspen), metabolic modeling (e.g., Flux Balance Analysis), Statistical Design of Experiments (DoE) using JMP or R, and statistical process control using Minitab, as well as JMP or R.
- Process analytical technology (PAT) implementation.
- CFD for bioreactor characterization (ANSYS).
- Active DoD Secret clearance.
- Prior experience providing SETA support.