Vice President, Research & Development

Quva • Sugar Land, TX

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About The Position

The Vice President, Research & Development leads Quva Pharma’s enterprise product development strategy for ready-to-administer and compounded medications. The role translates hospital and health-system needs, medication shortages, portfolio opportunities, and acquired product capabilities into a prioritized, technically feasible, compliant, and commercially viable development pipeline. It provides executive oversight across clinical and regulatory assessment, formulation, process development, analytical readiness, stability, validation, technology transfer, launch, and lifecycle improvement across Quva’s 503B manufacturing network.

The position is ideally located in Sugar Land, Texas. If remote, it requires approximately 50% travel.

Requirements

• PharmD, PhD, or an advanced degree in pharmacy, pharmaceutical sciences, chemistry, chemical engineering, or a closely related scientific discipline.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in pharmaceutical product development, sterile drug products, 503B outsourcing, pharmaceutical manufacturing, or a closely related regulated environment, including 7+ years leading technical or scientific teams.
• Demonstrated success leading products from concept through formulation, scale-up, validation, stability, technology transfer, and commercial launch.
• Deep working knowledge of sterile injectable or compounded drug-product development, aseptic processing, cGMP requirements, quality systems, and risk-based decision making.
• Experience establishing portfolio priorities, allocating resources, managing cross-functional programs, and communicating recommendations to executive leadership.
• Strong business and financial acumen, balancing clinical need, supply continuity, technical feasibility, compliance, speed, and commercial value.
• Exceptional leadership, influence, communication, and change-management skills in a fast-paced, multi-site environment.
• Sense of urgency, accountability, and resourcefulness in a changing environment.
• Self-starter and independent learner.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, active listening, and ability to work effectively across departments and with people at all organizational levels.
• Problem-solving ability, including understanding how issues affect one another and improving existing approaches through creative transformation.
• Proficiency with the MS Office suite.
• At least 18 years of age.
• Able to successfully complete a drug and background check.
• Currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis; Quva is unable to sponsor applicants for work visas.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the enterprise R&D and product development strategy in alignment with Quva’s growth, quality, supply continuity, and customer priorities.
• Own portfolio governance and prioritization for new products, acquired product transfers, reformulations, line extensions, shortage-response opportunities, and lifecycle improvements.
• Lead integration and phased development of selected products added through strategic portfolio acquisitions, including clinical, technical, regulatory, supply, validation, and launch-readiness activities.
• Direct the stage-gated new product development process from research and clinical fit assessment through formulation, pilot development, validation, stability, change control, and commercial launch.
• Evaluate product concepts for patient and clinical need, medication-safety impact, regulatory pathway, intellectual-property or commercial-copy considerations, manufacturability, capacity, sourcing, quality risk, and financial viability.
• Provide scientific and clinical leadership for formulation development, process characterization, scale-up, analytical method readiness, component qualification, stability strategy, and technology transfer.
• Partner with Quality, Pharmacy Services, Technical Operations, Manufacturing, Engineering, Supply Chain, Commercial Operations, Customer Service, and Finance to establish ownership, timelines, risks, and launch criteria.
• Establish portfolio and program metrics, executive reporting, resource plans, and decision forums to improve speed, predictability, accountability, and return on development investment.
• Ensure development documentation is complete, scientifically sound, inspection-ready, and compliant with applicable FDA requirements, cGMP expectations, state pharmacy requirements, internal procedures, and data-integrity standards.
• Provide executive oversight for Product Development Reports, formulations, master batch records, specifications, stability protocols and reports, validation assessments, change controls, and supporting technical documentation.
• Build, develop, and lead a high-performing multidisciplinary R&D organization; clarify roles, strengthen technical capabilities, and create succession and development plans.
• Represent R&D in executive planning and customer or partner discussions, and communicate portfolio decisions and risks clearly.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health and wellness benefits, including medical, dental, and vision.
• 401(k) retirement program with company match.
• 25 paid days off plus 8 paid holidays per year.
• Career advancement opportunities at a national, industry-leading, high-growth company.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree