Principal Scientist, Pharmaceutical Development
Neurocrine · San Diego, CA
📍 US CA San Diegovia workday
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Who We Are: Neurocrine Biosciences is a leading biopharmaceutical company with a simple purpose: to relieve suffering for people with great needs. We are dedicated to discovering, developing and commercializing life-changing treatments for patients with under-addressed neurological, psychiatric, endocrine and immunological disorders. The company's diverse portfolio includes FDA-approved treatments for tardive dyskinesia, chorea associated with Huntington's disease, classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia, hyperphagia in patients with Prader-Willi syndrome, endometriosis* and uterine fibroids*, as well as a robust pipeline including multiple compounds in mid- to late-phase clinical development across our core therapeutic areas. For more than three decades, we have applied our unique insight into neuroscience and the interconnections between brain and body systems to treat complex conditions. We relentlessly pursue medicines to ease the burden of debilitating diseases and disorders, because you deserve brave science. For more information, visit neurocrine.com , and follow the company on LinkedIn , X , Facebook and YouTube . ( *in collaboration with AbbVie )
About the Role: Serve as a senior technical leader within Pharmaceutical Development, representing CMC project teams across the product lifecycle from early discovery through commercialization and lifecycle management. Provide strategic and scientific leadership in process development, material characterization, and analytical strategies to enable phase-appropriate development, manage developability risks, and support intellectual property and commercial objectives. Establish and oversee CRO/CMO/CDMO partnerships, supporting technical transfer and manufacturing readiness. Represent CMC on cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality drug products that address molecule-specific challenges and meet regulatory and commercial objectives. _
Your Contributions (include, but are not limited to): Provide scientific and technical leadership across drug product development programs from early discovery through commercial launch, ensuring alignment with program goals, timelines, and regulatory expectations
Lead weekly or bi-weekly internal and NBI–CMO/CDMO project team meetings; clearly communicate program progress, risks, resource gaps, and timelines up and down the organization
Design, develop, and scale robust, phase-appropriate formulations and manufacturing processes using Quality by Design (QbD) principles, statistical analysis, and sound scientific methodologies, with a clear path to commercialization
Lead and contribute to process development activities including experimental design (DoE), process modeling, scale-up, validation, and technology transfer to internal and external manufacturing sites
Serve as a subject matter expert (SME) to investigate and resolve complex technical issues across preformulation, formulation, analytical, and manufacturing activities; drive root cause analysis and implement effective solutions
Oversee and collaborate with external partners, including CDMOs and vendors, to ensure appropriate technical capabilities, quality, compliance, and supply of clinical and commercial materials
Act as technical lead and company representative during manufacturing campaigns and on-site activities (“person-in-plant”), providing oversight and ensuring successful execution
Collaborate cross-functionally with internal teams (e.g., Discovery, Chemical Development, Analytical, Clinical, Regulatory, Quality, and Supply Chain) to advance programs and ensure effective knowledge transfer across development stages
Lead or support CMC strategy and execution, including authorship and review of regulatory submissions (e.g., IND, IMPD, NDA, MAA) and development documentation, ensuring scientific rigor and compliance with global regulatory requirements (ICH, FDA, EMA, cGMP)
Drive continuous process verification (CPV) and continuous improvement (CPI) activities through data analysis and monitoring of critical process parameters (CPPs) and critical quality attributes (CQAs)
Provide technical guidance, mentorship, and leadership to team members
Perform other duties as assigned
Requirements: BS/BA degree in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering, or related field and 6+ years of pharmaceutical industry experience, specifically in a chemistry, analytical, or characterization laboratory setting
MS/MA degree in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering, or related field and 4+ years of similar experience noted above OR
PhD in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering, or related field and 2+ years of similar experience noted above; may include postdoc experience
Experience with parenteral drug product development, including monoclonal antibodies, peptides, and conjugates. Experience with combination product design is preferred
Advanced and comprehensive understanding of cGMP requirements across early- and late-stage drug product manufacturing, with a strong quality and compliance mindset
Deep technical expertise in parenteral drug product development, including process design, optimization, scale-up, validation, and lifecycle management
Strong cross-functional understanding of parenteral drug product development from discovery through commercialization, including CMC strategy and regulatory lifecycle considerations
Expertise managing CROs and CMOs/CDMOs supporting preclinical, clinical, and commercial programs
Advanced knowledge of analytical methods, method validation, technology transfer, and stability programs
Extensive knowledge of characterization instrumentation and techniques; evaluates and implements emerging technologies to enhance development capabilities
Demonstrated regulatory expertise authoring and reviewing drug product sections of INDs, NDAs, and other global submissions
Experience contributing to strategic planning, budget management, and portfolio-level decision-
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