The successful applicant will become a core member of the global Solid-state skill area which is responsible for ensuring suitable physical form and formulation screening, selection and control within drug substance and product. The team supports the full discovery and early development stages up to Phase II clinical trials. The successful candidate will be a self-starting, exceptional team player, committed to delivering high quality science to projects.

Accountabilities/Responsibilities

• Responsible for ensuring suitable physical form and formulation screening, physical characterisation, form and formulation selection and control within drug substance and product.
• Deliver robust physical forms and formulations which meet the needs of the patient.
• Represent solid state skill area in projects and work closely with analytical, formulation, and biopharmaceutics scientists in EPDM as well as scientists in other functions to drive science and innovation.
• Plan and conduct lab-based experimental work in accordance with project timelines.
• Keep abreast with the scientific literature and proactively apply existing and novel approaches to projects.
• Drive and lead science personally and within the department, manage external collaborations and publish novel work in peer reviewed journals.

• You will have a Chemistry or Pharmacy PhD or be a graduate with relevant experience in the area of solid-state chemistry, formulation, physical chemistry or related disciplines.
• You will be a driven experimentalist, with a passion to deliver highly relevant knowledge to those around you.
• You will have experience in the screening and characterisation of solids (e.g. X-ray diffraction, spectroscopy, thermal analysis, microscopic techniques, moisture sorption etc.), a good awareness of analytical methodology and an enthusiasm for laboratory-based work.
• Experience in formulation of amorphous materials and various approaches such as spray-drying, hot melt extrusion etc.
• Experience/knowledge or a keen interest in the field of automation, simulation or prediction would be advantageous.
• Understanding of the principles and concepts of crystallisation.
• Experience in amorphous materials and their characterisation will be advantageous as would experience in examination of crystal structures and use of relevant software tools e.g. tools such as Mercury, Materials Studio etc.
• In depth understanding of how the physicochemical and solid-state properties of a drug, effect the manufacture, formulatability and in vitro and in vivo performance.