Senior Scientist - Chemical Engineer for API Manufacturing Process Development

Use Your Power for Purpose

At Pfizer, our purpose is to deliver breakthroughs that change patients' lives. Central to this mission is our Research and Development team, which strives to translate advanced science and cutting-edge technologies into impactful therapies and vaccines. Whether you are involved in discovery sciences, ensuring drug safety and efficacy, or supporting clinical trials, your role is crucial. You will leverage innovative design and process development capabilities to accelerate the delivery of best-in-class medicines to patients globally.

What You Will Achieve

We are seeking a highly motivated chemical engineer for the role of Senior Scientist-Chemical Engineer to join our API Process Development team within Chemical Research and Development (CRD) in Groton, CT. You will join a diverse team responsible for developing Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) processes for use at manufacturing plants across Pfizer’s network. Chemical engineering principles contribute to the successful development, optimization and scale up of API manufacturing processes. You will design and perform engineering-related laboratory experiments, integrating process modeling, statistics, and automation. Strong communication, high technical aptitude, and creativity to foster original ideas are required for success in this position.

CRD, as part of Pfizer R&D in Pharmaceutical Sciences, is responsible for the development of process technology to manufacture active pharmaceutical ingredients (API). CRD scientists engage in all facets of development from small-scale synthesis in support of medicinal chemistry programs, to the development and optimization of the commercial API manufacturing process. In collaboration with chemists and analysts, you will lead the engineering activities during process development, process scale up, and technology transfer to our clinical and commercial manufacturing sites and external facilities. Given the dynamic team environment and fast-paced project timelines, strong interpersonal and communication skills are essential. This laboratory-based position offers the opportunity for cross-training and developing new technologies.

How You Will Achieve It

• Apply chemical engineering principles to design and perform laboratory experiments to develop and optimize API manufacturing unit operations.
• Assess scalability and robustness for API processes with understanding of large-scale pharmaceutical manufacturing equipment, capabilities, and operations.
• Evaluate, develop, and apply new process technologies (batch, semi-batch, and continuous flow) to deliver safe, efficient, and sustainable API processes.
• Lead technology transfer of processes to internal clinical and commercial API manufacturing sites and external partners. May spend time at the commercial launch site supporting process validation activities.
• Apply process simulation and statistical tools to characterize the kinetic, thermodynamic, and transport phenomena impacting various unit operations, such as reaction, extraction, distillation, crystallization, filtration, and drying.
• Prepare internal research reports and technical presentations summarizing API process development activities to capture process knowledge and transfer process understanding to Pfizer’s commercial manufacturing.
• Champion the development of new technology and digital tools to expedite new and existing workflows and capabilities.
• Remain current with the process engineering and chemistry literature. May collaborate on and author external publications and present research at external conferences.
• Contribute to the preparation of the Chemistry and Manufacturing Controls (CMC) section of the New Drug Application (NDA). Participate in data verification, Pre-Approval Inspection (PAI) preparedness, and post-submission query response.

Here Is What You Need (Minimum Requirements)

• BS with at least 9 years of experience or MS with at least 7 years of experience or PhD with 0+ years of experience in Chemical Engineering
• Candidates with additional years of work experience will be considered for an appropriate level for their background

• Expertise in reaction engineering, including experience developing and validating kinetic models from experimental data
• Excellent knowledge of chemistry and chemical engineering principles and sound understanding of chemical reactor design, thermodynamics, transport phenomena, engineering statistics, and process modeling
• Outstanding laboratory skills, attention to detail, and ability to solve technical problems
• Exceptional interpersonal, multi-disciplinary team collaboration, and communication skills

Bonus Points If You Have (Preferred Requirements)

• Working knowledge of reaction modeling, property prediction, and process simulation tools including: gPROMS, Aspen, DynoChem, VisiMix, and COSMOtherm
• Experience designing, developing, and scaling continuous processes (flow chemistry)
• A good foundational understanding of organic chemistry

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