Senior Principal Scientist, Drug Product Design (DPD), Materials Science

Why Patients Need You
Pfizer's purpose is to deliver breakthroughs that change patients' lives. We are a patient centric company, guided by our four values: courage, joy, equity, and excellence. 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.
What we offer
A competitive compensation and flexible benefits package, a good work-life balance, annual bonus, and a fun rewarding career with opportunities every day to work with other highly talented scientists. Opportunities to learn new technical and interpersonal skills, develop existing strengths, coach, and mentor other colleagues, while pursuing our purpose - to find breakthroughs that change patients' lives.
What You Will Achieve
You will investigate and understand the solid form and particle properties of Pfizer's drug molecules. Your responsibilities include generating solid-state chemistry and particle characterization data using state-of-the-art instrumentation and computer models and interpreting the data to allow new medicines to be brought to the market. You will serve on multidisciplinary project teams and will be responsible for defining the final drug substance form (salt/polymorph/hydrate) of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) and the preferred physical attributes (particle shape/particle size/surface energy) needed for optimum API and drug product performance.
You will report into a global manager so clear communication and reporting, independent planning and coordination of your team's work is an essential requirement. You will be entrusted with setting objectives and planning resource requirements for projects and reviewing and reporting data. You will undertake supervisory mentoring and coaching activities to guide team members of varying levels of experience.
It is your hard work and dedication that will make Pfizer ready to achieve new milestones and help patients across the globe.
How You Will Achieve It

• Participate on multidisciplinary project teams as the Materials Science Lead to advance molecules from Discovery to drug product launch by leading a matrix team of MatSci colleagues to define and implement solid form/particle design and characterization strategies according to project timelines.
• Influence formulation design and drug product process development through integration of physical and surface characterization data for API and DPI powders of pharmaceutical relevance.
• Crystallize neutral molecules, salt, and co-crystal forms of drug candidates (including hydrates, solvates and polymorphs) and evaluate these forms for acceptability as drug substances as it relates to chemical manufacturing and formulation into pharmaceutical products.
• Conduct solid-state physical and chemical characterization of small molecules of pharmaceutical relevance. This includes particle characterization (e.g., particle size, shape) and solid-state characterization (e.g., spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, thermal analysis).
• Apply state-of-the-art computational approaches to aide in designing experiments as well as predict both the solid form and particle crystalline properties and performance of drug substance and drug product intermediate samples.
• Oversee the work of external partners conducting laboratory studies and provide tactical guidance and critical analysis of raw data.
• Coach and mentor laboratory scientists in the design, execution, and analysis of materials science data.
• Solve scientific problems using contemporary materials science experimental and computational techniques.
• Draft and review sections of regulatory submissions and query responses as well as deliver reports to support patenting Pfizer's intellectual property.
• Provide materials science support for colleagues in other departments as well as collaborate with project teams in defining the drug development strategy.
• Lead the development of new scientific approaches and knowledge within the global Materials Science organization as well as with key academic collaborators.
• Provide first-class supervision, technical coaching, mentoring and leadership to colleagues within the team. Help set objectives, undertake performance management, and support career growth.
• Ensure colleagues in team receive appropriate training and their training is current.
• Provide presentations, training, and advice, share learnings, and promote increased scientific, technical, and strategic understanding around the area of material science.
• Be a positive advocate for new technology, process improvements and for the application of computational tools and digital design approaches.

• Maintain written records of all experimental work in accordance with GLP/GMP and departmental philosophies and review other colleagues experimental work to same standards.

Qualifications
Must-Have

• Ph.D. in Chemistry, Engineering, Materials Science, Pharmaceutics or related field and a minimum of 5 years relevant materials science experience in industry or relevant Master's degree with minimum of 10 years of relevant materials science experience.
• Experience in small molecule crystallization and solid-state characterization (e.g., x-ray powder diffraction, polarized light microscopy, laser diffraction techniques, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, NMR).
• Significant experience with regulatory submissions and query responses related to solid form and particle characterization.
• Strong data analysis skills and knowledge of statistical concepts.
• A strong interest and motivation to learn new technologies and concepts.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.

Nice-to-Have

• Experience with using contemporary computational approaches to predict the properties and performance of pharmaceutical materials. Specifically, applying state-of-the-art computational approaches (e.g., HABIT, Materials Studio, Mercury, CosmoTherm, SimCU) to predict the properties and performance of powder samples.
• Experience curating data to support developing predictive tools.
• Understanding of the physical and chemical properties needed for drug substance and drug product intermediate manufacture as well as impact to successful formulation into drug product.

Candidate demonstrates a breadth of diverse leadership experiences and capabilities including: the ability to influence and collaborate with peers, develop and coach others, oversee and guide the work of other colleagues to achieve meaningful outcomes and create business impact.
Flexible working
We aim to create a trusting, flexible workplace culture which encourages employees to achieve work life harmony, attracts talent and enables everyone to be their best working self. Let's start the conversation!
Employee Equal Opportunities
We believe that a diverse and inclusive workforce is crucial to building a successful business. As an employer, Pfizer is committed to celebrating this, in all its forms - allowing for us to be as diverse as the patients and communities we serve. Together, we continue to build a culture that encourages, supports and empowers our employees.
Work Location Assignment: On Premise
Work Location Assignment: On Premise
Pfizer is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable equal employment opportunity legislation in each jurisdiction in which it operates.
Research and Development