Product Development Scientist, iPSC & Cell Biology

The Product Development Scientist, iPSC & Cell Biology will contribute to the development cell culture media and related technologies, primarily for stem cell and ATMP applications.

The role requires strong expertise in iPSC culture, characterization and differentiation to support the development and evaluation of cell culture media and related products.

The Product Development Scientist, iPSC & Cell Biology will contribute to establishing laboratory processes and workflows, including functional quality control, SOPs, experimental documentation and communication of results to internal stakeholders.

Development Projects

• Contribute to cell culture media development projects from proof-of-concept through development and transfer to Operations.

• Plan and perform laboratory studies, with a primary focus on iPSC culture, characterization and differentiation.

• Develop, optimize and troubleshoot iPSC culture and differentiation protocols to support product development and characterization.

• Provide scientific and technical expertise on iPSC biology while contributing to broader cell biology projects and applications.

• Independently plans, prioritizes, executes complex experimental workflows with high quality design and reproducibility.

• Ensure high-quality experimental design, data integrity, scientific rigor and appropriate documentation.

• Maintain project documentation and reporting, including project lifecycle (PLC) updates, preparation of project review presentations, and communication of progress, results and next steps.

Laboratory & Functional QC

• Perform functional QC testing of existing cell culture media products and support the implementation and continuous improvement of testing workflows.

• Establish and maintain laboratory methods, processes and SOPs.

• Contribute to the setup and day-to-day operation of the laboratory.

Data Analysis & Scientific Communication

• Analyze and interpret experimental data and translate results into clear scientific conclusions.

• Summarize and communicate results, conclusions and recommendations to internal stakeholders.

• Prepare technical reports, protocols and scientific documentation.

• Present scientific work at internal meetings, external scientific conferences and other relevant scientific forums.

Cross-Functional & External Collaboration

• Work closely with Development, Marketing, Quality and other internal teams.

• Contributes to technology transfer of new products.

• Support regulatory and IP-related deliverables.

• Contribute to collaborations with academic and external scientific partners.

• Proactively monitor scientific advances, emerging technologies and research trends in the iPSC and stem cell fields, and identify opportunities relevant to Development activities.

• Support the evaluation and implementation of new technologies and approaches within the laboratory.

The position is based in the Development Laboratory at Genopole, Évry, France, with occasional travel to Takara locations and attendance at scientific conferences.

Qualification

Mandatory

• MSc or equivalent degree in Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Stem Cell Biology or a related life science discipline.

• PhD in Cell Biology working on iPSCs.

• Strong hands-on expertise in iPSC culture, maintenance and differentiation.

• Experience with multiple iPSC lines and/or differentiation protocols.

Desirable

• Postdoctoral fellowship focused on iPSC/stem cell biology, differentiation or a closely related field.

Experience

Mandatory

• Strong hands-on experience in iPSC culture, maintenance, characterization and differentiation

• Experience in developing, optimizing and troubleshooting iPSC culture and differentiation protocols.

• Demonstrated track record of contribution to the iPSC field, through peer-reviewed publications (3 first author publications or a publication in high impact journal).

• Experience in experimental design, data analysis and interpretation.

• Demonstrated ability to independently plan and execute research projects.

Desirable

• Experience in scale-up or adaptation of iPSC culture systems.

• Experience with cell-based assays and methods used for iPSC characterization and quality assessment.

• Experience in 3D culture models and organoids

Competences, skills and abilities

Mandatory

• Strong scientific foundation in stem cell biology, with in-depth understanding of iPSC culture and differentiation.

• Strong scientific judgement and problem-solving skills, particularly in troubleshooting iPSC culture and differentiation workflows.

• Ability to work independently, manage multiple activities and adapt to changing project priorities.

• Strong planning and organizational skills, with a rigorous and structured approach to laboratory work and documentation.

• Hands-on, proactive and solution-oriented mindset.

• Ability to work effectively in a small team and contribute to projects beyond the iPSC field.

• Ability to interact effectively with cross-functional and external stakeholders.

• Open and clear communicator, with strong scientific presentation and reporting skills.

• Resilience and ability to work effectively in a dynamic environment.

• Fluent English, oral and written.

• Microsoft Office skills.

Desirable

• Understanding of quality and regulatory considerations related to stem cell and ATMP product development.

• Ability to evaluate and implement emerging technologies and approaches in the iPSC field.