Principal Scientist, Material Characterization
GSK
September 03, 2026
Remote friendly (Collegeville, PA)
United States
Other
As a member of Pharmaceutical Science, apply materials characterization expertise to understand the relationship between crystal structure, powder properties, drug product manufacture, and stability. Contribute to the development and deployment of state-of-the-art methodologies to support drug substance process and long-acting injectable suspension/solution drug product development.
Key responsibilities:
- Apply material characterization knowledge to support drug substance and drug product development.
- Identify physical material attributes impacting manufacturability, stability, and control strategy.
- Design, execute, interpret, and communicate scientific work to meet timelines (e.g., select API version/form; design/scale crystallization and isolation; formulation identification; process transfer to commercial facilities; implement new technology/control strategy).
- Provide technical oversight of CRO work (as needed).
- Ensure high-quality experimental work and effective communication at internal meetings.
- Ensure peer review and technical oversight; identify/escalate physical drug substance and drug product risks.
- Collaborate with internal teams, CROs, CMOs, and Global Supply Chain for development and technology transfer.
- Author/contribute to regulatory submissions and approve when delegated.
- Ensure quality/compliance activities are performed appropriately internally or at a CMO.
- Develop characterization strategy and escalate scientific risks as needed.
Basic qualifications:
- B.S. (+6 years), MS (+4 years), or PhD (+0 years) in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Pharmaceutics, or related.
- 3+ years’ experience with physical/solid-state characterization techniques (e.g., XRPD, particle sizing, rheology, thermal characterization, microscopy, micro-CT) and applying them to material types.
Preferred qualifications:
- PhD in Chemical Engineering/Materials Science (or related).
- Experience with suspension formulation characterization.
- Particle sizing for 0.1–5 µm (or broad distributions).
- 3+ years independently planning experiments.
- 3+ years independently analyzing/interpreting data and communicating results.
Skills: analytical thinking, method development, data analysis, analytical chemistry/instrumentation, laboratory reports, technical problem-solving.
Key responsibilities:
- Apply material characterization knowledge to support drug substance and drug product development.
- Identify physical material attributes impacting manufacturability, stability, and control strategy.
- Design, execute, interpret, and communicate scientific work to meet timelines (e.g., select API version/form; design/scale crystallization and isolation; formulation identification; process transfer to commercial facilities; implement new technology/control strategy).
- Provide technical oversight of CRO work (as needed).
- Ensure high-quality experimental work and effective communication at internal meetings.
- Ensure peer review and technical oversight; identify/escalate physical drug substance and drug product risks.
- Collaborate with internal teams, CROs, CMOs, and Global Supply Chain for development and technology transfer.
- Author/contribute to regulatory submissions and approve when delegated.
- Ensure quality/compliance activities are performed appropriately internally or at a CMO.
- Develop characterization strategy and escalate scientific risks as needed.
Basic qualifications:
- B.S. (+6 years), MS (+4 years), or PhD (+0 years) in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Pharmaceutics, or related.
- 3+ years’ experience with physical/solid-state characterization techniques (e.g., XRPD, particle sizing, rheology, thermal characterization, microscopy, micro-CT) and applying them to material types.
Preferred qualifications:
- PhD in Chemical Engineering/Materials Science (or related).
- Experience with suspension formulation characterization.
- Particle sizing for 0.1–5 µm (or broad distributions).
- 3+ years independently planning experiments.
- 3+ years independently analyzing/interpreting data and communicating results.
Skills: analytical thinking, method development, data analysis, analytical chemistry/instrumentation, laboratory reports, technical problem-solving.