Senior Scientist/Investigator, Oligonucleotide Chemistry, DSD Chemistry UK

We are seeking a motivated Chemist to join Oligonucleotide Chemistry, DSD Chemistry at GSK’s flagship R&D site at Stevenage in Hertfordshire.

As a Senior Scientist/Investigator in Oligonucleotide Chemistry, DSD Chemistry, you will use your process chemistry knowledge and expertise to optimise routes for manufacture of oligonucleotide active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and contribute to the development and deployment of state-of-the-art processes and technologies to enable the delivery of our medicines. Potentially, you will lead significant parts of chemistry development programs, directing the work of other scientists globally in a matrix team.

DSD Chemistry UK supports our small molecule and oligonucleotide portfolio in Pharma R&D and develops the manufacturing routes and processes that turn those molecules into medicines. Through our network of 86 manufacturing sites, each year GSK produces nearly 4 billion packs of medicine, and we are committed to widening global access to our products so that more people may benefit.

As projects advance through development, pilot plant support may be required across scales, culminating in the transfer of projects to commercial manufacturing facilities around the globe. The role is highly technical and dynamic as you will be working in several multi-disciplinary project teams. You will thrive in this environment if you are able to effectively manage multiple priorities, communicate your recommendations clearly, and enjoy working in teams.

In this role you will

• Design and implement chemical routes and processes to oligonucleotide APIs suitable for scale up, with a focus on process understanding and the acquisition of the right data to support global regulatory filings and collaborate closely with other scientists to contribute to the accelerated development of new medicines
• Optimise chemical manufacturing processes taking consideration of safety, quality, speed, cost, sustainability, reproducibility, and efficiency, working to GMP standards as appropriate
• Have oversight of API manufacture on kg to multi-ton scale to support clinical, regulatory, and commercial launch activities.
• Participate in technology transfer activities to transfer new manufacturing processes to our commercial manufacturing partners, Global Supply Chain (GSC), other parts of R&D, and Contract Manufacturing Organisations (CMOs) as appropriate
• Author or contribute to regulatory submissions, patents, scientific papers, and other internal and external documentation relevant to the role
• Comply with applicable safety, data integrity, quality, cGMP, and regulatory requirements in all aspects of work

Why you?

Qualifications & Skills:

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

• PhD or equivalent academic or industrial laboratory-based experience in Synthetic Organic Chemistry / Oligonucleotide Chemistry
• Proven track record of large-scale chemistry execution and creative problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify and resolve potential issues effectively in a multi-functional team.

Preferred Qualifications & Skills:

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

• Extensive knowledge of oligonucleotide chemistry including potential routes of impurity formation
• Practical experience of laboratory scale oligonucleotide synthesis, purification and isolation using Cytiva equipment and Unicorn software
• Familiarity with techniques for development and understanding of scalable chemical processes e.g., kinetics, statistical design of experiments.
• Experience working with exploratory data analysis techniques in a programming environment, ideally involving analysis of oligonucleotide synthesis/purification data.
• Familiarity with control strategy requirements, e.g., analytical specifications, impurity purging and fate mapping, genotoxic impurity risk assessment
• Ability to effectively communicate in a multi-disciplinary working environment, ensuring every department is informed throughout the scientific division.

Closing Date for Applications: Wednesday 31^st May 2023 (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 and 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.