Sr Scientist, Process Development

Gilead Sciences • Foster City, CA

1d

About The Position

At Gilead our pursuit of a healthier world for all people has yielded a cure for hepatitis C, revolutionary improvements in HIV treatment and prevention as well as advancements in therapies for viral and inflammatory diseases and certain cancers. We set and achieve bold ambitions in our fight against the world’s most devastating diseases, united in our commitment to confronting the largest public health challenges of our day and improving the lives of patients for generations to come. This role is responsible for the development and optimization of chemical processes for the manufacture of drug substances supporting clinical and commercial programs. The scientist will plan, execute, and interpret laboratory experimentation to advance process understanding, product quality, and manufacturability, including route selection, step optimization, and scale‑up. Working collaboratively with senior scientists and cross‑functional partners, the role contributes to overall project strategy and provides technical leadership to project teams. The position includes day‑to‑day oversight of research activities and project team members, preparation and review of technical documentation such as development reports and Master Batch Records, and hands‑on support of laboratory and large‑scale manufacturing activities conducted under cGMP. The successful candidate will act as a subject matter expert across functions, ensure compliance with safety, quality, and environmental standards, and demonstrate strong scientific judgment, communication, and leadership capabilities while operating in a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment.

Requirements

• 8+ Years with BS OR 6+ Years with MS OR 0+ Years with PhD/PharmD
• Experience in planning and executing multi-step synthesis of organic molecules
• Experience scaling up synthetic routes and developing safe processes
• Familiarity with purification and analytical techniques, including HPLC, LCMS and NMR
• Familiarity with pilot plant and/or plant operations, and experience with generating master batch records is an asset
• Familiarity with process validation, regulatory filings and cGMP regulatory guidelines is an asset
• Strong desire to work in multi-disciplinary teams, learn new skills and solve problems
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, and strong interpersonal collaboration skills
• Must think critically and creatively and be able to work independently to determine appropriate resources for resolution of problems
• Strong organizational and planning skills
• Experience with project and people management is an asset

Nice To Haves

• PhD in Organic Chemistry (or related discipline) and 2+ years of relevant experience minimum.
• We prefer a PhD with 2-10 years ideally, level will be commensurate with experience OR MSc degree with extensive industry experience (6+ years) OR BSc degree with extensive industry experience (8+ years)

Responsibilities

• Be responsible for developing chemical processes for the manufacturing of drug substances
• Demonstrates technical knowledge, scientific creativity, and collaboration skills in the development and execution of research for the preparation of novel chemical substances
• Plans, executes and analyzes laboratory experimentation to advance the knowledge of production and quality attributes of drug substances
• Proposes alternative chemistry, including new route selection and step optimization
• Provides regular updates to supervision and proposes future research directions
• In collaboration with senior scientists, develops project strategy for manufacturing of drug substances to support clinical studies and commercialization
• Responsible for the day to day management of project team members and research assignments, including designing and interpreting of experimentation
• Prepares and reviews technical documents including research reports, process development reports, and documentation for the manufacturing of chemical substances e.g. Master Batch Records (MBRs)
• Collaborates across functional areas including analytical chemistry, quality assurance, and manufacturing to accomplish project goals.
• Acts as a subject matter expert for cross-functional teams and research personnel
• Provides technical support for manufacturing processes performed under cGMP in laboratory manufacturing and large-scale manufacturing operations
• Ensures that all experimentation is carried out in accordance with appropriate standard operating procedures (SOPs), maintaining quality, safety, and environmental standards

Benefits

• company-sponsored medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior