Position Summary
NKA Bio is seeking a highly capable Research Associate – Bioprocess Development to design, execute, and improve biological manufacturing processes in a fast-moving, resource-constrained startup environment. This role reports directly to the CTO and spans the full bioprocess lifecycle, from cell line and upstream development through downstream purification and process characterization.
This role is designed for a high-potential individual early in their career who wants responsibility, not hand-holding, and expects to earn rapid growth through execution.
This is not a support role. It is an ownership role.
We are a mission-driven biotech company focused on solving critical problems in critical care medicine. The pace is fast, expectations are high, and ambiguity is real. If you need clearly scoped projects, extensive supervision, or a slow ramp, this role will be uncomfortable. If you are motivated by responsibility, technical depth, and the opportunity to build processes that matter, keep reading.
Key Responsibilities
- Design, execute, and optimize bioprocess development experiments across cell line, upstream, and downstream operations.
- Safely handle and work with biohazardous materials, including bacteria, fungi, mammalian cells, and blood, in compliance with laboratory safety and regulatory requirements.
- Develop, troubleshoot, and improve microbial expression systems and purification processes with a focus on robustness, scalability, and manufacturability.
- Independently plan experiments, analyze results, and make data-driven decisions about next steps.
- Identify gaps, bottlenecks, or failure modes in existing processes and proactively propose solutions.
- Translate bench-scale work into scalable, repeatable processes suitable for future manufacturing and tech transfer.
- Maintain clear experimental documentation, protocols, and data records.
This Role Is Not For You If…
- You are primarily looking for a stable, low-variance engineering role with well-defined scope.
- You expect detailed experimental instructions or tightly managed project plans.
- You are uncomfortable being accountable for outcomes, not just effort.
- You prefer incremental optimization over owning hard, messy, unsolved problems.
- You want someone else to decide what is important for you to work on.
What Success Looks Like in the First 6–9 Months
A successful Bioprocess Development Engineer will:
- Take ownership of one or more core bioprocess development workstreams.
- Independently design and execute experiments that materially improve yield, quality, or robustness.
- Identify and resolve at least one major process bottleneck.
- Produce clear, transferable documentation that reduces future development and manufacturing risk.
- Outgrow the initial scope of the role and justify increased responsibility, authority, and compensation.
Growth Expectations
This role is intentionally designed as a high-growth entry point into bioprocess development. Exceptional performance may result in expanded technical ownership, title growth (e.g., Senior Research Associate or Engineer-level responsibilities), equity growth, and compensation increases within the first year. Advancement is earned through impact, judgment, and execution—not tenure.
Skills & Requirements
- Prior hands-on laboratory experience in bioprocess development or related fields.
- Demonstrated experience with microbial protein expression and purification.
- Strong experimental design, troubleshooting, and data analysis skills.
- Ability to operate effectively with limited structure while maintaining rigor and safety.
- Authorized to work in the United States without current or future employer sponsorship and eligible to work with export-controlled materials (e.g., ITAR or EAR compliance).
Don't think you qualify? Tell us why we should hire you in a cover letter.
Application Requirement
In your cover letter, describe a bioprocess or experimental system you significantly improved or rescued. What was broken or limited, what actions did you take, and what measurable impact did you achieve?
Benefits & Details
- Comprehensive paid training in lab safety, SOPs, and equipment handling.
- Significant opportunities for professional growth in an early-stage biotech environment.
- Flexible schedule with autonomy over working hours.
- Equity participation for high performers.
Job Type: Full-time
Work Location: In person
Lab Location
2401 W. Belvedere Ave.
Baltimore, MD 21215
About NKA Bio
NKA Bio is an early-stage biopharma company developing new medicines for critical care. Our lead program, NKA01, is being engineered into a low-volume, temperature-stable injectable designed to resuscitate and stabilize trauma patients, buying time for trauma teams to save lives.
NKA Bio, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions are based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of any protected characteristic under federal, state, or local law.