Scientist II / Senior Scientist I, tLNP Process Development
About The Position
The tLNP Process Development team within AbbVie’s Targeted Lipid Nanoparticle Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Control group develops end-to-end manufacturing processes for targeted lipid nanoparticles, from purified mRNA through purified tLNP bulk drug product. The work includes encapsulating mRNA with lipid components, conjugating LNPs with a targeting moiety, and purifying the final tLNPs using tangential flow filtration (TFF). The scientist will advance understanding of tLNP unit operations and scale processes from laboratory development to pre-clinical, clinical, and commercial manufacturing. The role also applies automation expertise to integrate off-the-shelf and custom hardware, software, and data workflows into flexible experimental platforms that improve throughput, reproducibility, and process understanding. Science-based laboratory work will optimize process parameters and assess their effects on critical quality attributes, using first-principles and statistical modeling where appropriate. The team supports production of non-GMP pre-clinical safety-study supplies and GMP clinical-study supplies, conducts technology transfer of commercial processes to a commercial facility, and reviews relevant sections of Common Technical Documents for regulatory submissions. The role collaborates with mRNA process development, drug product development, analytical development, digital and automation partners, and other Biologics CMC and Synthetic Molecule CMC teams.
Requirements
- BS, MS, or PhD in Chemistry, Material Science, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bioengineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or equivalent.
- Senior Scientist I: 10+ years of industry experience with a BS, 8+ years with an MS, or 0+ years with a PhD.
- Scientist II: 7+ years of industry experience with a BS or 5+ years with an MS.
- Experience with LNP mixing technology in an academic laboratory, or industry experience with LNP drug product process development.
- For mRNA encapsulation, experience with systems such as impinging jet, coaxial jet, or multi-inlet vortex mixer.
- Thorough theoretical and practical understanding of mRNA encapsulation.
- Experience with bioconjugation.
- Ability to independently design, execute, and interpret experiments to answer scientific questions.
- Ability to learn, understand, and master new experimental techniques.
- Ability to multitask and work within timelines.
- Scientific writing skills and strong verbal communication skills.
Nice To Haves
- Experience scaling up LNP processes to gram-scale mRNA or above.
- Experience automating existing experimental setups and working with new automation equipment and ecosystems, such as Ignition.
Responsibilities
- Independently design, execute, and interpret experiments involving mRNA encapsulation, bioconjugation, and tangential flow filtration, and scale up these unit operations to commercial manufacturing batch size.
- Perform laboratory research or method development autonomously, requiring minimal supervisor direction.
- Initiate scientifically meaningful investigations that can be incorporated into research or development programs.
- Apply a broad range of technologies relevant to tLNP process development.
- Draw conclusions and design follow-up experiments based on multidisciplinary data.
- Author publications, presentations, regulatory documents, and/or serve as a primary inventor on patents.
- Develop and implement automation solutions using custom and off-the-shelf equipment.
- Apply AI tools for structured data capture, analysis, and predictive modeling.
- Follow corporate standards for conduct, safety, material handling, and GMP compliance.
- Provide direct mentorship to others.
Benefits
- Paid time off, including vacation, holidays, and sick leave.
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance for eligible employees.
- 401(k) for eligible employees.
- Eligibility to participate in short-term incentive programs.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
