Pharmaceutical Formulation & Analytical Scientist - OPEN

SQUIPP; Louvain-la-Neuve; Remote; EUR 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

SQUIPP in Belgium is seeking a Pharmaceutical Formulation & Analytical Scientist to turn poorly soluble ingredients into effective formulations. You will combine formulation development with analytical chemistry, taking ownership of experiments and guiding next steps.

The role covers micellization, spray drying, encapsulation and nanoparticles; HPLC and powder characterization; stability testing; literature review; and contributing data for dossiers and IP work, with autonomy and

Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in a related field with strong formulation background.
• 5–10 years in drug delivery or pharmaceutical formulation.
• Hands-on HPLC analyses, data interpretation and troubleshooting.
• Experience with powder characterization (DSC/TGA/XRD).
• Regulatory awareness relevant to formulation development.
• Proficient in English for scientific writing and discussion.

Responsibilities

• Develop, optimize and validate formulations using micellization, spray drying, encapsulation and nanoparticles.
• Perform analytical testing of active ingredients, raw materials and finished products using HPLC.
• Characterize powders (size, density, flow, thermal properties) with DSC, TGA, XRD and related methods.
• Design stability protocols and assess formulation quality over time.
• Review scientific literature and translate findings into experimental decisions.
• Contribute data to preclinical/clinical dossiers and IP activities; coordinate external expertise.

Skills

HPLC

Powder characterization

Analytical chemistry

Regulatory guidelines

English proficiency

Experiment planning

Education

Master's degree in Pharmacy, Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences or related field

PhD in a relevant field

Tools

DSC

TGA

XRD

Granulometry

Rheology

Job description

Pharmaceutical Formulation & Analytical Scientist - OPEN

Turn poorly soluble ingredients into effective formulations

How do you turn a poorly soluble natural ingredient into a powder that disperses in cold water and improves its bioavailability?

Our client is an R&D company developing ingredients for food supplements and human and animal health applications. It also creates formulations with specific functionalities for brands and ingredient manufacturers.

You will develop formulations, test their properties and use the results to guide the next experiment.

Your role

You will combine formulation development with analytical chemistry and powder characterization. You will take ownership of your experiments, interpret the results and recommend how to move each project forward.

Your work will cover:

• Formulation development: develop, optimize and validate formulations using approaches such as micellization, spray drying, encapsulation and nanoparticles.
• Analytical testing: analyze active ingredients, raw materials and finished products, with HPLC as a core technique.
• Powder characterization: investigate particle size, flow behavior, density, thermal properties and structure using techniques such as granulometry, sieving, rheology, DSC, TGA, XRD and DLS.
• Stability assessment: design and execute protocols to assess formulation quality and stability.
• Scientific interpretation: review chemistry and physiopathology literature, compare approaches and translate findings into experimental decisions.

You will also contribute scientific results to preclinical and clinical dossiers, including investigator brochures and regulatory documentation.

For patent activities, you will review competing products and patents, identify potentially protectable findings and provide data to the IP attorneys responsible for drafting and defending applications.

When a project requires specialist knowledge, you will identify and coordinate external expertise.

What you bring

• A Master's degree or PhD in Pharmacy, Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences or a related field.
• Experience in drug delivery and pharmaceutical or parapharmaceutical formulation, typically gained over 5-10 years.
• Practical HPLC expertise: you can perform analyses, interpret results and investigate unexpected findings.
• Strong experience in powder characterization, including techniques such as DSC, TGA, density measurement and XRD.
• An understanding of regulatory guidelines relevant to formulation development.
• English proficiency sufficient to discuss scientific results, review publications and write technical documents.

You can plan an experimental programme, document your work and explain the evidence behind your recommendations. You propose improvements, organize your priorities and communicate progress against project deadlines.

What you can expect

You will work on formulation challenges that connect laboratory experiments with ingredient applications.

The role offers autonomy in planning experiments and recommending technical approaches, alongside collaboration with colleagues across functions. Your results will inform formulation decisions, scientific documentation and patent activities.