Senior Scientist, Materials Science

Materials Science provides holistic understanding of how structure influences solid-state stability, particle and powder properties to design a process which optimises drug product processing and performance. As projects advance through development, materials scientists support project teams by performing laboratory studies, analysing data, from lead optimization up to and including the transfer and industrialization of manufacturing processes to commercial facilities.

Your role will be focused on the characterisation of drug substances and formulations to support the design, selection and progression of all new drug products developed within GSK’s Pharmaceutical portfolio. This will be based on generation of physical properties, biopharmaceutics and materials science understanding and knowledge created using a range of solid-state and bulk properties physical characterisation, structural analysis and in-vitro analytical methods.

Here at our pioneering R&D Stevenage site we have a fantastic opportunity for a position in our Materials Science Team. It is predominantly lab-based and will require some travel to our other R&D site in Ware, Hertfordshire.

In this role you will

• Understand the relationship between particle properties (e.g. size, shape) and the critical parameters that impact drug substance and product processing and performance (e.g. powder flow, dissolution)
• Utilise a range of Materials Science analytical techniques to explore this relationship, including SEM, laser diffraction, microscopy, bulk density, shear cell
• Explore novel powder technology characterisation techniques to expediate the development of drug product development
• Design, execute and may lead work packages to relate the physical properties of drug substance and drug product to structure, performance and efficacy (e.g. solid form landscape, particle size and shape, hygroscopicity, thermal stability and bulk properties)
• Work in collaboration with partners (e.g. Crystallographers, Pharmaceutical Development, Biopharmaceutics, CMC Analytical, Chemistry, Process Engineering) to obtain inputs for predicting and modelling in-vivo product performance and/or aid structural understandings from physical properties
• Participate in method validation and technology transfer activities to production, and/or to partner CMO’s
• Contribute to the strategy and decision making for projects through analysis, reporting and review of data (over oversight of data from CRO’s)
• Ensure appropriate quality activities are performed throughout development including authoring of analytical test results, data interpretation and management
• Work effectively and collaboratively on multi-disciplinary medicine development teams
• Comply with local regulatory and data integrity requirements, including cGMP and GSK policies and procedures, with high quality and attention to one’s own safety

Why you?

Qualifications & Skills:

We are looking for professionals with these required skills to achieve our goals:

• BSc/MSc and a minimum 3 years industrial experience of working in particle technology and/or solid state (or equivalent academic experience, e.g. relevant PhD)
• Experience in some of the following physical characterisation: Microscopy, SEM, TBD, shear cell, XRPD, thermal, GVS
• Proven working knowledge of physical and analytical chemistry
• Effective oral and written communication skills
• Good time management and team-working skills
• Working knowledge of pharmaceutical development process
• Working knowledge of relating physical properties to structure and performance of drug substance and drug product

Preferred Qualifications & Skills:

If you have the following characteristics, it would be a plus:

• Advanced understanding and experience of utilising particle imaging technology and flow characterisation in process development (e.g. SEM, advanced microscopy (e.g. Morphologi M4, shear cell, TBD etc.)

Why GSK?

Uniting science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together

GSK is a global biopharma company with a special purpose – to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together – so we can positively impact the health of billions of people and deliver stronger, more sustainable shareholder returns – as an organisation where people can thrive. Getting ahead means preventing disease as well as treating it, and we aim to impact the health of 2.5 billion people around the world in the next 10 years.

Our success absolutely depends on our people. While getting ahead of disease together is about our ambition for patients and shareholders, it’s also about making GSK a place where people can thrive. We want GSK to be a place where people feel inspired, encouraged and challenged to be the best they can be. A place where they can be themselves – feeling welcome, valued and included. Where they can keep growing and look after their wellbeing. So, if you share our ambition, join us at this exciting moment in our journey to get Ahead Together.

Find out more:

Annual Report 2021

Closing Date for Applications: Sunday 12th March 202 (COB)

Please take a copy of the Job Description, as this will not be available post closure of the advert. When applying for this role, please use the ‘cover letter’ of the online application or your CV to describe how you meet the competencies for this role, as outlined in the job requirements above. The information that you have provided in your cover letter and CV will be used to assess your application.

During the course of your application you will be requested to complete voluntary information which will be used in monitoring the effectiveness of our equality and diversity policies. Your information will be treated as confidential and will not be used in any part of the selection process. If you require a reasonable adjustment to the application / selection process to enable you to demonstrate your ability to perform the job requirements, please contact 0808 234 4391. This will help us to understand any modifications we may need to make to support you throughout our selection process.

• LI-GSK

GSK is a global biopharma company with a special purpose – to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together – so we can positively impact the health of billions of people and deliver stronger, more sustainable shareholder returns – as an organisation where people can thrive. Getting ahead means preventing disease as well as treating it, and we aim to impact the health of 2.5 billion people around the world in the next 10 years.

Our success absolutely depends on our people. While getting ahead of disease together is about our ambition for patients and shareholders, it’s also about making GSK a place where people can thrive. We want GSK to be a workplace where everyone can feel a sense of belonging and thrive as set out in our Equal and Inclusive Treatment of Employees policy. We’re committed to being more proactive at all levels so that our workforce reflects the communities we work and hire in, and our GSK leadership reflects our GSK workforce.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we are open to all talent. In the US, we also adhere to Affirmative Action principles. This ensures that all qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to neurodiversity, race/ethnicity, colour, national origin, religion, gender, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, disability, genetic information, military service, covered/protected veteran status or any other federal, state or local protected class*(*US only).

We believe in an agile working culture for all our roles. If flexibility is important to you, we encourage you to explore with our hiring team what the opportunities are.

Should you require any adjustments to our process to assist you in demonstrating your strengths and capabilities contact us on [email protected] or 0808 234 4391. Please note should your enquiry not relate to adjustments, we will not be able to support you through these channels

As you apply, we will ask you to share some personal information which is entirely voluntary. We want to have an opportunity to consider a diverse pool of qualified candidates and this information will assist us in meeting that objective and in understanding how well we are doing against our inclusion and diversity ambitions. We would really appreciate it if you could take a few moments to complete it. Rest assured, Hiring Managers do not have access to this information and we will treat your information confidentially.

Important notice to Employment businesses/ Agencies

GSK does not accept referrals from employment businesses and/or employment agencies in respect of the vacancies posted on this site. All employment businesses/agencies are required to contact GSK's commercial and general procurement/human resources department to obtain prior written authorization before referring any candidates to GSK. The obtaining of prior written authorization is a condition precedent to any agreement (verbal or written) between the employment business/ agency and GSK. In the absence of such written authorization being obtained any actions undertaken by the employment business/agency shall be deemed to have been performed without the consent or contractual agreement of GSK. GSK shall therefore not be liable for any fees arising from such actions or any fees arising from any referrals by employment businesses/agencies in respect of the vacancies posted on this site.

Please note that if you are a US Licensed Healthcare Professional or Healthcare Professional as defined by the laws of the state issuing your license, GSK may be required to capture and report expenses GSK incurs, on your behalf, in the event you are afforded an interview for employment. This capture of applicable transfers of value is necessary to ensure GSK’s compliance to all federal and state US Transparency requirements. For more information, please visit GSK’s Transparency Reporting For the Record site.