Senior Scientist (Drug Development)

Posted:
10/7/2024, 5:00:00 PM

Location(s):
Connecticut, United States ⋅ Groton, Connecticut, United States

Experience Level(s):
Senior

Field(s):
Product

Workplace Type:
On-site

Why Patients Need You

Pfizer’s purpose is to deliver breakthroughs that change patients’ lives. Research and Development is at the heart of fulfilling Pfizer’s purpose as we work to translate advanced science and technologies into the therapies and vaccines that matter most. Whether you are in the discovery sciences, ensuring drug safety and efficacy or supporting clinical trials, you will apply cutting edge design and process development capabilities to accelerate and bring the best-in-class medicines to patients around the world.

ROLE SUMMARY

Pfizer’s Drug Product Design group is seeking team members with a desire to bring new, cutting-edge medicines to patients around the world. Our team members use science and technology to design, characterize and develop drug product formulations from candidate selection to commercial launch. You will be able to leverage your existing scientific knowledge, as well as develop in new areas, to evaluate the chemical & physical stability, bio-performance and manufacturability of the drug product across a diverse range of therapeutic areas.

You will be responsible for formulation and manufacturing process design of pharmaceutical oral dosage forms (for new drug candidates and product enhancement programs). You will participate in multi-disciplinary teams during the formulation development, process scale up, and technology transfer of conventional and continuous processing technologies including immediate release, modified release, pediatric and other specialized technologies to our clinical and commercial manufacturing sites in the Pfizer Global Supply organization.

You may serve as the Drug Product or Formulation Lead on matrix project teams and must be a strong team player with excellent communication skills working in a complex cross-functional environment. This position also offers the opportunity for cross-training and growth in multiple technical areas to encourage a flexible working environment. Enjoy the entrepreneurial mindset and infrastructure to develop new technologies and processes for drug delivery and dosage form manufacture while having access to the resources of a larger company.

The role requires knowledge of pharmaceutical, materials science, physical chemistry and engineering principles as applied to the design of solid dosage forms, biopharmaceutics, pharmacokinetics and advancement of drug delivery platforms for immediate and modified release including pediatric design.

As member of the Drug Product Design group, you will interact closely with other Pharm Sci partner lines (e.g. Analytical R&D, Chemical R&D, Global CMC, Pharm Sci Operations, Drug Product Supply, Quality Assurance) and other lines involved in developing drug assets such as Clinical Pharmacology, Clinical Sciences, Pharmacology & Drug Metabolism and Pfizer Global Supply.

Finally, this position will challenge you to pursue scientific excellence and creativity, in collaboration with industry-leading experts across multiple scientific disciplines.

Role Responsibilities

  • Leverages expert technical knowledge in chemistry, pharmaceutics, engineering and/or materials science fundamentals to the design and development of immediate and modified release formulations and manufacturing process understanding.

  • Designs and executes laboratory and computational experiments to support novel solid oral drug delivery platforms such as amorphous solid dispersions, initiatives, and portfolio-driven projects. Operates and maintains laboratory equipment to produce and characterize formulated drug products.

  • Develop or partner on strategic collaborations with academic and industrial researchers for addressing gaps in fundamental or applied science related to various drug delivery systems (e.g. amorphous solid dispersions, hot-melt extrusion).

  • Guides scientific direction and project decisions through applying biopharmaceutical and biological principles to influence drug product development.

  • Applies and advances predictive sciences and computational approaches to understand mechanical and physio-chemical characteristics of pharmaceutical compounds and formulations to assess drug product performance and drive team decisions.

  • Leads or supports departmental technology and continuous improvement initiatives.

  • Seeks collaboration and develops novel methodologies with cross-disciplinary teams to solve problems and align on development strategies

  • Authors regulatory documents supporting drug product development, including relevant drug product sections of IND submissions and CTD applications and associated queries to regulatory agencies.

  • Effectively mentors other scientists in their area of expertise.

  • Strives to grow scientifically contributes to current scientific literature and influences both the external and internal environment

Minimum Qualifications

  • BA/BS with 8+ years of experience, MS with 5+ or PhD with 0 to 4 years of experience in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or allied discipline.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Extensive practical experience working within department and/or cross-disciplinary project teams and achieving results in a matrix environment.

  • Experience in actively developing and advancing scientific initiatives and external collaborations. Strong track record of peer-reviewed publications in scientific journals and/or external scientific presentations at industry conferences is a plus.

  • Excellent organizational and communication (oral and written) skills.

  • Ability to work independently, as well as collaboratively.

  • A strong interest and motivation to learn and implement new technologies and concepts

  • Experience in developing amorphous solid dispersion.


Work Location Assignment: On Premise with relocation support available
 

PHYSICAL/MENTAL REQUIREMENTS

Performing experiments in the lab using small and large scale equipment, lifting, sitting, standing, walking, bending, ability to perform mathematical calculations and ability to perform complex data analysis.

NON-STANDARD WORK SCHEDULE, TRAVEL OR ENVIRONMENT REQUIREMENTS

  • Occasional travel may be required for in-person meetings, conferences, or project support.

  • This position will interact closely with other Pharm Sci partner lines (e.g. Analytical R&D, Global CMC, Pharm Sci Operations, Drug Product Supply, Quality Assurance), in addition to other lines involved in developing drug assets such as and Pfizer Global Supply (Technical Support and Manufacturing Sites).


Relocation support available
Work Location Assignment: On Premise


The annual base salary for this position ranges from $88,300.00 to $147,100.00. In addition, this position is eligible for participation in Pfizer’s Global Performance Plan with a bonus target of 12.5% of the base salary and eligibility to participate in our share based long term incentive program. We offer comprehensive and generous benefits and programs to help our colleagues lead healthy lives and to support each of life’s moments. Benefits offered include a 401(k) plan with Pfizer Matching Contributions and an additional Pfizer Retirement Savings Contribution, paid vacation, holiday and personal days, paid caregiver/parental and medical leave, and health benefits to include medical, prescription drug, dental and vision coverage. Learn more at Pfizer Candidate Site – U.S. Benefits | (uscandidates.mypfizerbenefits.com). Pfizer compensation structures and benefit packages are aligned based on the location of hire. The United States salary range provided does not apply to Tampa, FL or any location outside of the United States.

Relocation assistance may be available based on business needs and/or eligibility.

Sunshine Act

Pfizer reports payments and other transfers of value to health care providers as required by federal and state transparency laws and implementing regulations.  These laws and regulations require Pfizer to provide government agencies with information such as a health care provider’s name, address and the type of payments or other value received, generally for public disclosure.  Subject to further legal review and statutory or regulatory clarification, which Pfizer intends to pursue, reimbursement of recruiting expenses for licensed physicians may constitute a reportable transfer of value under the federal transparency law commonly known as the Sunshine Act.  Therefore, if you are a licensed physician who incurs recruiting expenses as a result of interviewing with Pfizer that we pay or reimburse, your name, address and the amount of payments made currently will be reported to the government.  If you have questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact your Talent Acquisition representative.

EEO & Employment Eligibility

Pfizer is committed to equal opportunity in the terms and conditions of employment for all employees and job applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, gender identity or gender expression, national origin, disability or veteran status.  Pfizer also complies with all applicable national, state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment as well as work authorization and employment eligibility verification requirements of the Immigration and Nationality Act and IRCA.  Pfizer is an E-Verify employer.  This position requires permanent work authorization in the United States.

Research and Development