Formulation Manufacturing Manager

Provivi Overview

Provivi™ is a California-based, globally operating AgTech company using pheromones to protect crops from major damaging insects. Our patented production method enables a step change in the cost of manufacturing pheromones, allowing us to pioneer the use of this proven tool in high-acreage crops such as corn, rice and soy.

Founded in 2013 by Nobel laureate Frances Arnold and Caltech scholars Pedro Coelho and Peter Meinhold, we are hiring the very best and brightest people to develop and commercialize our products.

Role Description

Reporting to the SVP of Technology, the Manager will be responsible for developing and executing Provivi’s commercial pheromone formulation strategy. He/she will transfer Provivi’s formulation technologies from R&D to commercial scale processes utilizing contract manufacturing organizations. He/she will review, select and closely manage these CMO’s ensuring on-time and in-spec delivery to customers globally. They will also participate in long-term manufacturing strategy development.

Specific Responsibilities Include

• Ensures company's production goals are delivered consistent with high standards for quality, on-time performance, costs, and safety
• Translates the company's R&D technologies to successful commercial production in contract manufacturing organizations
• Creates, executes, and documents operational and performance qualifications
• Acts as a project manager between Provivi and CMOs. Also acts as communication lead between technical and quality issues, communicates and manages resolution
• Uses advanced project management skills to prioritize scale-up and production, mitigate project risks, and communicate project status to key stakeholders and senior management
• Manages the technology portfolio analysis and internal evaluation of options for product production
• Defines expected operational performance based on the company's techno-economic models
• Defines product and process specifications in collaboration with R&D, Formulation, Field Development, Quality Assurance, and Regulatory
• Effectively manages current and future contract manufacturing operations including hands-on troubleshooting
• Coordinates equipment design and specifications with CMO as needed
• In collaboration with the Supply Chain team, develop a comprehensive strategy for robust, uninterrupted supply of inputs, as well as product logistics, implement appropriate and prudent buffers and redundancies
• Ensures world-class safety and environmental performance
• Drives a culture of operational excellence, data-driven decisions, and continuous improvement that enabales the company to advance efficiently to a position of global leadership
• Works collaboratively with R&D and Marketing to define roadmaps for scaling initial product as well as future products
• This position must be hands-on and directly engaged with all levels of staff to drive culture, methods, systems, and outcomes
  
  

Qualifications & Skills Include

• 10 years relevant industrial experience, preferably in a regulated product environment
• BS degree or higher in chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, packaging, chemistry, materials science, or a related discipline
• Experience individually or as part of a team in producing chemical formulations (preferably ag formulations) via contract manufacturing organizations
• Prefer experience with compounding extrusion and related polymer processing equipment
• Experience developing communication and implementing technical transfer packages, quality systems, cleaning validation.
• Works with Provivi and CMO QC/QA to ensure formulated agricultural pesticide product quality and safety.
• Experience with analytical method transfer from R&D to manufacturing
• Strong problem solving and communication skills, strong team player
• Flexibility to work outside of defined position roles to meet the needs of a startup environment.
• Demonstrated ability to recruit, build, and lead top engineering talent and teams
• Well-versed in world-class engineering, productivity, and quality methodologies and success in establishing these methodologies from a clean slate.
• Strong track-record of collaborating with other company functional leaders, particularly R&D and Marketing
• Significant hands-on experience in core chemical process engineering is a plus.
• Domestic and International travel up to 25% of the time
  
  

Diversity and Equal Opportunity Employment

Provivi is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion. We are pleased to consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veterans status, or any other legally-protected factors.