Senior Principal Scientist, Peptide Chemistry / API Development

About the role

Lead the peptide chemistry and peptide API development function or major program area, defining scientific strategy and development standards for peptide drug substances from early development through commercialization. This role combines deep expertise in peptide synthesis and process chemistry with strategic CMC leadership to establish robust, scalable, and commercially viable manufacturing approaches. The successful candidate will guide cross-functional and external teams, resolve complex technical challenges, and translate evolving scientific and regulatory expectations into clear development strategies across the peptide portfolio.

Responsibilities

• Apply highly advanced scientific principles in peptide and organic chemistry to complex, cross-asset API development challenges
• Lead teams in applying advanced peptide chemistry and process-development principles across multiple development programs.
• Define scientific strategy, governance frameworks, and technical decision standards for peptide API development
• Lead development and optimization of peptide manufacturing processes, including solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS), liquid-phase peptide synthesis (LPPS), hybrid/fragment approaches, cleavage and deprotection, purification, and drug-substance isolation
• Drive scale-up, process transfer, and manufacturing readiness from laboratory scale through clinical, registration, PPQ, and commercial manufacturing
• Guide development of robust control strategies by identifying critical quality attributes (CQAs), critical material attributes (CMAs), critical process parameters (CPPs), proven acceptable ranges, and appropriate in-process controls
• Lead technical risk assessments, process characterization, robustness studies, and investigations for complex peptide manufacturing processes
• Oversee laboratory activities and resource allocation while ensuring high scientific standards, safe operations, and efficient execution
• Lead resolution of high-impact technical challenges related to coupling, aggregation, deletion sequences, epimerization, oxidation, cleavage, purification, precipitation, lyophilization, and product stability
• Drive innovation in peptide manufacturing technologies to improve product quality, process robustness, sustainability, cycle time, and cost of goods
• Develop and manage strategic CDMO and contractor partnerships, including technical evaluation, vendor selection, technology transfer, person-in-plant support, and manufacturing oversight
• Provide technical leadership for CMC regulatory documentation and readiness, including development reports, process descriptions, control strategies, regulatory starting-material justification, and responses to health-authority questions
• Partner effectively with Analytical Development, Formulation, Quality, Regulatory, Supply Chain, Project Management, Discovery, and other cross-functional teams
• Provide leadership, coaching, and scientific mentoring to peptide chemists and technical leads; build capability and scientific excellence within the function
• Influence cross-departmental, portfolio-level, and external decisions through clear scientific rationale and strategic communication
• Strengthening internal and external scientific networks and representing the organization in technical discussions with CDMOs, consultants, and external experts
• Performs other duties as assigned

Requirements

• BS/BA in chemistry, biochemistry, biology, chemical engineering, or similar scientific discipline and 10+ years of relevant experience; OR
• MS/MA in chemistry, biochemistry, biology, chemical engineering, or similar scientific discipline and 8+ years of relevant experience; OR
• PhD in chemistry