Senior Principal Scientist Vaccine Drug Product Development

Full-time - Senior

Onsite - West Point, PA

Chemical Manufacturing

About the position

The Senior Principal Scientist in Vaccine Drug Product Development (VDPD) will lead the development of novel vaccine drug products, ensuring their safety, efficacy, and stability from preclinical studies through Phase III clinical trials. This role involves technical mentorship, strategic guidance, and establishing capabilities to support the vaccine drug product pipeline, all while fostering a culture of continual learning and scientific advancement.

Responsibilities

• Lead drug product development teams and provide technical mentorship to less experienced scientists.
• Provide strategic and technical guidance to drug product development teams.
• Establish capabilities to support the current and future vaccine drug product pipeline.
• Work independently on complex scientific problems and influence drug product development programs.
• Communicate effectively with stakeholders and scientists across all levels of the organization.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in chemical/biochemical engineering, pharmaceutical sciences, chemistry, biochemistry, or related discipline with 12 years of relevant industrial experience; or an M.S. degree with 18 years of experience; or a B.S. degree with 20 years of experience.
• Proven written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize, plan, and execute work on complex projects with limited guidance.
• Strong desire to teach and mentor peers and less experienced staff.
• Subject matter expertise in drug product process scale-up, modeling, and regulatory filings.
• Expertise in virology, stability of biologics, biophysical characterization, adjuvant science, and/or infectious diseases.
• Experience with manufacturing unit operations for vaccine drug products (e.g., lyophilization, sterile filtration).
• Familiarity with analytical techniques associated with vaccine drug product development.
• Ability to identify critical quality attributes and translate them into practical control strategies.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience with drug-device combination product development like pre-filled syringes.
• Experience with commercialization of novel vaccine drug products and adjuvant systems.
• Understanding of compliance and regulatory issues for sterile injectable products.
• Familiarity with disease areas associated with new vaccine drug products.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and performance-based bonuses.
• Comprehensive health insurance including dental and vision.
• 401(k) retirement plan with company matching.
• Paid time off and holidays.
• Professional development opportunities and continued education support.