Your Role: As a
Senior Scientist in the Transitional and Early Development team, you will be a strategic and technical leader focused on the critical transition from early research to development. In this role, you will lead early-formulation work to identify optimal formulations for physical stability of lead molecules in support of pre-clinical study material generation.
In this laboratory-based leadership role, you will drive the biophysical characterization and formulation selection process for diverse biopharmaceutical modalities, including monoclonal antibodies and other complex biologics. You will be responsible for leading a small characterization team that performs the biophysical and functional assays used to evaluate and de-risk lead candidates before they enter full development as well as designing and conducting the formulation selection studies.
Your Responsibilities - Strategic Pre-Formulation: Lead formulation programs for lead molecules, applying deep expertise in protein chemistry and thermodynamics to identify formulations for each lead with superior solubility, stability, and freeze-thaw potential.
- Team Leadership: Direct and mentor a small characterization team; establish robust analytical workflows and acceptance criteria for biophysical and functional assays.
- Risk Mitigation: Identify and mitigate formulation-related risks such as aggregation, precipitation, and viscosity at high concentrations using first-principles understanding of solution behavior.
- Technical Innovation: Evaluate and implement novel formulation technologies and high-throughput screening platforms to accelerate the lead selection process.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Serve as the technical formulation lead on concurrent project teams, interfacing with Discovery Research, Process Development, Analytical Development, and Formulation Development.
- Data Excellence: Maintain exemplary ELN documentation, author technical reports, and provide data-driven recommendations to enable the successful transition of molecules into the development pipeline.
What You Need to Succeed (Minimum Qualifications) Education: - PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or a related scientific discipline.
Experience: - 3+ years of biopharmaceutical industry experience with a specific focus on protein formulation and characterization.
- Proven experience leading formulation projects from concept through execution.
Technical Skills: - Deep expertise in protein chemistry, physical biochemistry, and colloidal science.
- Hands-on mastery of protein characterization techniques (e.g., DLS/Zetasizer, DSC, DSF, SEC, and spectroscopy).
- Demonstrated ability to thrive in fast-paced environments with evolving priorities.
- Excellent scientific communication skills and a strong foundation in data integrity practices.
What Will Give You a Competitive Edge (Preferred Qualifications) - Formulation Platforms: Experience developing advanced or high-concentration formulation platforms for monoclonal antibodies.
- Process Insight: Understanding of how early formulation choices impact future unit operations like lyophilization or technology transfer.
- Digital Tools: Experience using Design of Experiments (DoE) and statistical analysis (e.g., JMP) to optimize formulation behavior.
- Leadership Track Record: Experience mentoring junior scientists and building analytical capabilities within a research or development setting.
Don't meet every single requirement? Studies have shown underrecognized groups are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Elanco we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive work environment. If you think you might be a good fit for a role but don't necessarily meet every requirement, we encourage you to apply. You may be the right candidate for this role or other roles!
Elanco Benefits and Perks: We offer a comprehensive benefits package focusing on financial, physical, and mental well-being while encouraging our employees to pursue our purpose! Some highlights include:
- Multiple relocation packages
- Two weeklong shutdowns (mid-summer and year-end) in the US (in addition to PTO)
- 9 Employee Resource Groups
- Flexible work arrangements
