Director of Chemistry, Small Molecule Process Development and Manufacturing
About The Position
The Director of Chemistry will lead and mentor scientific and engineering teams in Biogen’s Small Molecule Chemical Development team, guiding projects from early-phase through late-phase drug development. The role oversees the design and refinement of robust manufacturing processes for small molecules supporting pre-clinical and clinical therapeutics. It contributes to advancing scientific work and enabling new medicines through collaborative, safe, economical, and sustainable process development. The Director leads experimental planning and project teams to develop, optimize, characterize, and implement safe, efficient, and robust chemical processes. The position manages and mentors scientific colleagues, develops future scientific and engineering leaders, and establishes the process knowledge needed to transfer chemical and biochemical processes from laboratory scale to manufacturing partners. It collaborates across process engineering, analytical chemistry, oligonucleotide synthesis, solid form, and separations, and supports clinical material supply and regulatory filings. Responsibilities also include communicating research results, contributing to CMC activities such as IND authoring, working with contract research organizations as needed, initiating innovative research, and representing Biogen in external professional settings.
Requirements
- M.S. or Ph.D. and 12 or more years of relevant experience, including people management, in pharmaceutical or biotech settings.
- Strong theoretical and practical background in pharmaceutical process chemistry and engineering.
- Command of synthetic strategies, impurity controls, analytical methods, purification and isolation techniques, and process characterization.
- Familiarity with process safety and technology transfer protocols.
- Strong problem-solving skills supporting delivery of non-clinical and clinical APIs and phase-appropriate knowledge packages for CMC support.
- Demonstrated experience leading project teams involved in delivery of APIs across several modalities.
- Ability to lead teams ethically, collaboratively, effectively, and cross-functionally.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and a desire to work in a highly collaborative team environment.
Nice To Haves
- Experience engaging with external partners and representing the organization in external-facing settings.
- Familiarity with regulatory requirements and CMC activities related to drug development.
Responsibilities
- Lead collaborative development and manufacturing teams in designing and conducting experiments to optimize and characterize Biogen asset processes, improving process understanding, robustness, and productivity.
- Design, guide, and execute experimental plans to advance the Biogen portfolio.
- Lead project teams toward implementing safe, efficient, and robust chemical processes for Biogen drug candidates.
- Manage scientific colleagues and mentor, engage, and prepare future scientific and engineering leaders.
- Develop fundamental process knowledge to support the transition of chemical and biochemical processes from laboratory scale to manufacturing partners.
- Collaborate with Process Engineering, Analytical Chemistry, Oligo Synthesis, Solid Form, and Separations colleagues to develop knowledge and controls for clinical material supply and process characterization supporting regulatory filings.
- Communicate project research results through reports and team discussions, and engage in CMC activities, including authoring CMC sections of INDs.
- Interact with Contract Research Organizations as project needs evolve, potentially including travel.
- Initiate innovative research projects to improve fundamental understanding and control of Biogen processes.
- Represent Biogen externally in chemistry consortia and conferences.
Benefits
- Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance.
- Fitness and wellness programs, including fitness reimbursement.
- Short- and long-term disability insurance.
- A minimum of 15 days of paid vacation and additional end-of-year shutdown time off from December 26 through December 31.
- Up to 12 company-paid holidays and 3 paid days off for Personal Significance.
- 80 hours of sick time per calendar year.
- Paid maternity and parental leave.
- 401(k) program with company-matched contributions.
- Employee stock purchase plan.
- Tuition reimbursement of up to $10,000 per calendar year.
- Employee Resource Groups participation.
- Short-term and long-term incentives, including cash bonus and equity incentive opportunities, for eligible regular employees.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Director
