Biotech & Pharma STEM OPT Jobs in Wisconsin
Wisconsin's biotech and pharma sector, anchored by employers like Exact Sciences, MilliporeSigma, and Promega in Madison, plus manufacturing-focused facilities in Milwaukee and Green Bay, hires F-1 STEM OPT candidates in research, quality, and regulatory roles. Positions at these companies frequently fall under STEM-designated SOC codes that support OPT extension authorization.
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Get Access To All JobsProcess Engineer - Engineering
About Site
Catalent’s Madison, Wisconsin site is a state‑of‑the‑art biologics development and manufacturing facility supporting customers from research through early‑ and mid‑stage clinical production. Located at 726 Heartland Trail in Madison, the approximately 102,700‑square‑foot GMP facility specializes in mammalian cell line engineering, drug substance biomanufacturing, and biopharmaceutical development, utilizing flexible single‑use systems to enable rapid scale‑up and customization. The site is home to Catalent’s proprietary GPEx® and GPEx® Lightning technologies, which are used to generate high‑yielding mammalian cell lines for biologic therapies, and supports production scales ranging from 50 to 4,000 liters for clinical manufacturing. Following a $45 million expansion announced in 2025, the Madison site has significantly increased capacity, added new equipment, and created approximately 200 highly skilled biohealth jobs, further strengthening its role within Catalent’s global biologics network and Wisconsin’s growing life sciences ecosystem.
Position Summary
We have an opportunity for a Process Engineer - Engineering to join our team and contribute to advancing biologics development and manufacturing. This role offers the chance to work in a dynamic environment focused on innovation and continuous improvement. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to support process optimization, technical troubleshooting, and strategic projects. This is an exciting opportunity to make an impact on life-changing therapies while growing your career in a state-of-the-art facility.
Shift: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM or 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM with a 30-minute unpaid lunch
Location: Madison, WI
100% Onsite
The Role
- Evaluate existing processes and identify improvements to enhance efficiency, cost savings, time savings, consistency, and competitiveness.
- Lead technical support for risk assessments, gap analysis, deviations, change controls, and corrective and preventive actions, including root-cause analysis and corrective action identification.
- Support drafting and development of User Required Specifications and participate in Factory Acceptance Testing, Site Acceptance Testing, and Qualification/Validation testing for new and existing technologies.
- Lead site strategy projects with cross-department resources and Site Leadership Team visibility through implementation.
- Oversee technical support of Manufacturing, including change management, troubleshooting, and oversight of site strategy projects.
- Support consumable and raw material lifecycle management for single-use GMP manufacturing from design through implementation.
- Track, trend, and analyze data for compliance, product quality, continuous improvement, and day-to-day investigations and troubleshooting.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
The Candidate
Minimum Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Industrial, Electrical, Mechanical, Chemical, Computer Science, Civil Engineering, or related scientific/engineering field with 3+ years of facilities operation or automation engineering experience in a cGMP environment (preferably biopharmaceutical) OR
- Master’s degree in Industrial, Electrical, Mechanical, Chemical, Computer Science, Civil Engineering, or related scientific/engineering field with 1+ year of facilities operation or automation engineering experience in a cGMP environment (preferably biopharmaceutical).
- Requires frequent sitting, standing, walking, reading documents, computer use, reaching, communication, and writing, with occasional bending, kneeling, crouching, carrying, and lifting up to 50 pounds.
Preferred Skills & Background
- Previous experience leading cross-department facility and/or site improvement projects is a plus.
- Ability to create and deliver complex reports and presentations.
- Ability to interpret data, analyze trends, and provide insights into potential issues and solutions.
- Ability to complete investigation, deviation, and change control forms independently.
- Ability to introduce new technology and drive process improvements, collaborating with other groups to develop, qualify, and transfer methods.
- Experience in writing, editing, and reviewing Standard Operating Procedures.
Why You Should Join Catalent
- Defined career path with annual performance reviews and feedback.
- Diverse and inclusive culture.
- Opportunities for career growth within an organization dedicated to improving lives.
- Competitive paid time off plus 8 paid holidays.
- Community engagement and green initiatives.
- Medical, dental, and vision benefits effective from day one.
- Tuition reimbursement program.
Catalent offers rewarding opportunities to further your career! Join the global drug development and delivery leader and help us bring over 7,000 life-saving and life-enhancing products to patients around the world. Catalent is an exciting and growing international company where employees work directly with pharma, biopharma and consumer health companies of all sizes to advance new medicines from early development to clinical trials and to the market. Catalent produces more than 70 billion doses per year, and each one will be used by someone who is counting on us. Join us in making a difference.
personal initiative. dynamic pace. meaningful work.
Visit Catalent Careers to explore career opportunities.
Catalent is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and veterans.
If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process due to a disability, you may submit your request by sending an email, and confirming your request for an accommodation and include the job number, title and location to DisabilityAccommodations@catalent.com. This option is reserved for individuals who require accommodation due to a disability. Information received will be processed by a U.S. Catalent employee and then routed to a local recruiter who will provide assistance to ensure appropriate consideration in the application or hiring process.
Notice to Agency and Search Firm Representatives: Catalent Pharma Solutions (Catalent) is not accepting unsolicited resumes from agencies and/or search firms for this job posting. Resumes submitted to any Catalent employee by a third party agency and/or search firm without a valid written & signed search agreement, will become the sole property of Catalent. No fee will be paid if a candidate is hired for this position as a result of an unsolicited agency or search firm referral. Thank you.
Important Security Notice to U.S. Job Seekers:
Catalent NEVER asks candidates to provide any type of payment, bank details, photocopies of identification, social security number or other highly sensitive personal information during the offer process, and we NEVER do so via email or social media. If you receive any such request, DO NOT respond— it is a fraudulent request. Please forward such requests to spam@catalent.com for us to investigate with local authorities.
California Job Seekers can find our California Job Applicant Notice HERE.
Volunteer Work Disclosure: Applicants for employment in Massachusetts may include in their employment history any verified work performed on a volunteer basis.
Massachusetts Lie Detector Test Notice: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law may be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability. Consistent with Massachusetts law, Catalent does not require or administer lie detector tests as a condition of employment or continued employment.
Process Engineer - Engineering
About Site
Catalent’s Madison, Wisconsin site is a state‑of‑the‑art biologics development and manufacturing facility supporting customers from research through early‑ and mid‑stage clinical production. Located at 726 Heartland Trail in Madison, the approximately 102,700‑square‑foot GMP facility specializes in mammalian cell line engineering, drug substance biomanufacturing, and biopharmaceutical development, utilizing flexible single‑use systems to enable rapid scale‑up and customization. The site is home to Catalent’s proprietary GPEx® and GPEx® Lightning technologies, which are used to generate high‑yielding mammalian cell lines for biologic therapies, and supports production scales ranging from 50 to 4,000 liters for clinical manufacturing. Following a $45 million expansion announced in 2025, the Madison site has significantly increased capacity, added new equipment, and created approximately 200 highly skilled biohealth jobs, further strengthening its role within Catalent’s global biologics network and Wisconsin’s growing life sciences ecosystem.
Position Summary
We have an opportunity for a Process Engineer - Engineering to join our team and contribute to advancing biologics development and manufacturing. This role offers the chance to work in a dynamic environment focused on innovation and continuous improvement. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to support process optimization, technical troubleshooting, and strategic projects. This is an exciting opportunity to make an impact on life-changing therapies while growing your career in a state-of-the-art facility.
Shift: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM or 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM with a 30-minute unpaid lunch
Location: Madison, WI
100% Onsite
The Role
- Evaluate existing processes and identify improvements to enhance efficiency, cost savings, time savings, consistency, and competitiveness.
- Lead technical support for risk assessments, gap analysis, deviations, change controls, and corrective and preventive actions, including root-cause analysis and corrective action identification.
- Support drafting and development of User Required Specifications and participate in Factory Acceptance Testing, Site Acceptance Testing, and Qualification/Validation testing for new and existing technologies.
- Lead site strategy projects with cross-department resources and Site Leadership Team visibility through implementation.
- Oversee technical support of Manufacturing, including change management, troubleshooting, and oversight of site strategy projects.
- Support consumable and raw material lifecycle management for single-use GMP manufacturing from design through implementation.
- Track, trend, and analyze data for compliance, product quality, continuous improvement, and day-to-day investigations and troubleshooting.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
The Candidate
Minimum Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Industrial, Electrical, Mechanical, Chemical, Computer Science, Civil Engineering, or related scientific/engineering field with 3+ years of facilities operation or automation engineering experience in a cGMP environment (preferably biopharmaceutical) OR
- Master’s degree in Industrial, Electrical, Mechanical, Chemical, Computer Science, Civil Engineering, or related scientific/engineering field with 1+ year of facilities operation or automation engineering experience in a cGMP environment (preferably biopharmaceutical).
- Requires frequent sitting, standing, walking, reading documents, computer use, reaching, communication, and writing, with occasional bending, kneeling, crouching, carrying, and lifting up to 50 pounds.
Preferred Skills & Background
- Previous experience leading cross-department facility and/or site improvement projects is a plus.
- Ability to create and deliver complex reports and presentations.
- Ability to interpret data, analyze trends, and provide insights into potential issues and solutions.
- Ability to complete investigation, deviation, and change control forms independently.
- Ability to introduce new technology and drive process improvements, collaborating with other groups to develop, qualify, and transfer methods.
- Experience in writing, editing, and reviewing Standard Operating Procedures.
Why You Should Join Catalent
- Defined career path with annual performance reviews and feedback.
- Diverse and inclusive culture.
- Opportunities for career growth within an organization dedicated to improving lives.
- Competitive paid time off plus 8 paid holidays.
- Community engagement and green initiatives.
- Medical, dental, and vision benefits effective from day one.
- Tuition reimbursement program.
Catalent offers rewarding opportunities to further your career! Join the global drug development and delivery leader and help us bring over 7,000 life-saving and life-enhancing products to patients around the world. Catalent is an exciting and growing international company where employees work directly with pharma, biopharma and consumer health companies of all sizes to advance new medicines from early development to clinical trials and to the market. Catalent produces more than 70 billion doses per year, and each one will be used by someone who is counting on us. Join us in making a difference.
personal initiative. dynamic pace. meaningful work.
Visit Catalent Careers to explore career opportunities.
Catalent is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and veterans.
If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process due to a disability, you may submit your request by sending an email, and confirming your request for an accommodation and include the job number, title and location to DisabilityAccommodations@catalent.com. This option is reserved for individuals who require accommodation due to a disability. Information received will be processed by a U.S. Catalent employee and then routed to a local recruiter who will provide assistance to ensure appropriate consideration in the application or hiring process.
Notice to Agency and Search Firm Representatives: Catalent Pharma Solutions (Catalent) is not accepting unsolicited resumes from agencies and/or search firms for this job posting. Resumes submitted to any Catalent employee by a third party agency and/or search firm without a valid written & signed search agreement, will become the sole property of Catalent. No fee will be paid if a candidate is hired for this position as a result of an unsolicited agency or search firm referral. Thank you.
Important Security Notice to U.S. Job Seekers:
Catalent NEVER asks candidates to provide any type of payment, bank details, photocopies of identification, social security number or other highly sensitive personal information during the offer process, and we NEVER do so via email or social media. If you receive any such request, DO NOT respond— it is a fraudulent request. Please forward such requests to spam@catalent.com for us to investigate with local authorities.
California Job Seekers can find our California Job Applicant Notice HERE.
Volunteer Work Disclosure: Applicants for employment in Massachusetts may include in their employment history any verified work performed on a volunteer basis.
Massachusetts Lie Detector Test Notice: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law may be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability. Consistent with Massachusetts law, Catalent does not require or administer lie detector tests as a condition of employment or continued employment.
STEM OPT Biotech & Pharma Job Roles in Wisconsin
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Search Biotech & Pharma Jobs in WisconsinBiotech & Pharma STEM OPT Sponsorship Jobs in Wisconsin: Frequently Asked Questions
Which biotech and pharma companies in Wisconsin sponsor F-1 STEM OPT visas?
Wisconsin employers with documented F-1 STEM OPT hiring activity in biotech and pharma include Exact Sciences, Promega, MilliporeSigma, and Catalent. Larger contract development and manufacturing organizations operating in the state also participate, as do campus-adjacent biotech startups in the University of Wisconsin Research Park ecosystem in Madison. Sponsorship eligibility depends on E-Verify enrollment and the specific STEM degree classification assigned to the role.
Which cities in Wisconsin have the most biotech and pharma F-1 STEM OPT sponsorship jobs?
Madison concentrates the largest share of biotech and pharma F-1 STEM OPT roles in Wisconsin, driven by proximity to UW-Madison research programs and a dense cluster of life sciences companies. Milwaukee has a secondary concentration, particularly in pharmaceutical manufacturing and quality assurance. Fitchburg and Middleton, both adjacent to Madison, also host established biotech employers that hire international graduates.
What types of biotech and pharma roles typically qualify for F-1 STEM OPT sponsorship in Wisconsin?
Roles that commonly carry STEM-designated STEM degree classifications in Wisconsin's biotech and pharma sector include research scientist, quality control analyst, bioinformatics specialist, regulatory affairs associate, process development engineer, and clinical data analyst. Positions must be directly related to the graduate's STEM field of study and classified under an eligible STEM degree classification. Employers confirm SOC designation during the job offer process.
How do I find biotech and pharma F-1 STEM OPT sponsorship jobs in Wisconsin?
Migrate Mate filters biotech and pharma job listings in Wisconsin by visa sponsorship type, including F-1 STEM OPT, so you can search without contacting employers individually to verify eligibility. The platform surfaces roles at Wisconsin employers with verified STEM OPT sponsorship history, covering Madison, Milwaukee, and surrounding areas. Filtering by STEM degree classification category can help narrow results to roles most likely to qualify for your specific degree field.
Are there any state-specific or industry-specific considerations for F-1 STEM OPT sponsorship in biotech and pharma in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin biotech and pharma employers must be enrolled in E-Verify to hire F-1 STEM OPT graduates, a federal requirement that not all smaller companies meet. The state's life sciences sector includes a mix of research-intensive and manufacturing-focused employers; manufacturing quality and production roles may have narrower STEM STEM degree classification alignment than pure research positions. Wisconsin's strong university-to-industry pipeline means some STEM OPT positions originate through internship conversions rather than direct external hiring.