Manufacturing Associate - Cell Therapy

AIVITA BIOMEDICAL INC

Manufacturing Associate - Cell Therapy

Irvine, CA
Full Time
Paid
  • Responsibilities

    About the Role

    The Manufacturing Department is hiring a mid-level Manufacturing Associate to support clinical cell therapy programs in a fast-paced biotech environment. This is a hands-on, execution-focused role for someone with at least 2 years of relevant experience who wants to deepen cGMP manufacturing capability and grow with the company over time.

    You will help manufacture patient-specific and related cell-based products, working with primary and established human cell cultures in a cGMP setting, and contribute to selected process improvements and development activities as programs evolve. The role offers broad exposure to clinical manufacturing, quality, and cross-functional collaboration in a small-company setting where the work directly supports patients and key business milestones.

    What You’ll Do

    Clinical Manufacturing

    • Execute cGMP manufacturing activities for cell therapy products according to approved SOPs and production schedules.
    • Perform aseptic cell culture and associated processing steps on primary human cell cultures and patient biomaterial in a regulated laboratory environment.
    • Handle patient-derived materials from receipt through cell isolation, expansion, final product manufacturing, QC submissions, and preparation for shipment or release.
    • Prepare media, reagents, QC submission samples, and support cryo-inventory and material management.

    Documentation and Quality

    • Complete batch records and other controlled documentation accurately, legibly, and in real time following good documentation practices.
    • Monitor processes for deviations or atypical observations and promptly escalate issues through appropriate channels.
    • Support sample submissions to QC and help maintain audit-ready documentation and work areas.

    Troubleshooting and Process Support

    • Participate in routine troubleshooting during manufacturing runs by documenting findings, contributing to root-cause discussions, and helping test practical fixes.
    • Assist with process improvements and development protocols that enhance robustness, efficiency, or scalability of manufacturing operations.

    Teamwork and Flexibility

    • Collaborate closely with Manufacturing, R&D, QA, QC, and other functions to meet clinical and operational timelines.
    • Work primarily standard weekday hours, with flexibility for occasional early mornings, evenings, or weekends driven by patient specimen receipts and manufacturing demand.

    Who You Are

    Required Qualifications

    • Bachelor’s degree in biology, biochemistry, biotechnology, biomedical science, or a closely related life-science field, or equivalent practical experience.
    • Minimum of 2 years of relevant hands-on experience in cell culture, biologics manufacturing, cell therapy manufacturing, or a comparable biotech laboratory environment.
    • Proven aseptic technique with mammalian cell culture; experience with primary human cells is strongly preferred.
    • Experience working within cGMP or similarly regulated environments, including completing batch records or other controlled documentation.
    • Strong attention to detail, organization, and follow-through.
    • Demonstrated ability to learn new protocols quickly and execute them consistently after training.
    • Clear, professional written and verbal communication skills.
    • Willingness to work an on-site role with occasional schedule flexibility based on patient and program needs.

    Preferred Qualifications

    • Experience handling human clinical specimens such as tumor tissue, blood-derived products or materials.
    • Background in clinical-stage cell therapy, regenerative medicine, or other human cell-based product manufacturing.
    • Exposure to process troubleshooting in manufacturing or cell culture environments.
    • Experience assisting with SOP or batch record updates, or informal training of peers on laboratory procedures.
    • Exposure to flow cytometry or similar cell-based analytical methods is a plus, but not a main focus of this role.

    What Success Looks Like

    • Ramps quickly to independent execution of assigned manufacturing tasks with consistently high-quality results.
    • Produces complete, accurate documentation with minimal corrections and supports an inspection-ready environment.
    • Recognizes and communicates issues early, contributing to effective troubleshooting and process improvements.
    • Supports the team in meeting clinical production timelines, including occasional off-hour work when required by patient schedules.

    Who This Role Is Ideal For

    This role is ideal for candidates who enjoy hands-on lab work, value quality and documentation, and want to build a career in cell therapy manufacturing in a growing company. It is not a senior or people-management position; candidates seeking an immediate lead or supervisory title may find it misaligned with expectations.