Lead Chemical Process R&D Scientist

Elan Personal AG; Basel; On-site; CHF 180,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Roche Basel seeks a Lead Chemical Process R&D Scientist to drive late-stage process development and scalable synthesis for drug substances. You will manage internal chemists and external CDMOs, aligning timelines to produce APIs safely and cost-effectively.

The role requires a PhD or postdoc in synthetic organic chemistry and 5+ years in pharmaceutical process R&D, with strong leadership and project management capabilities. English fluency is essential, and GMP exposure is a plus.

Qualifications

• PhD or postdoc in synthetic organic chemistry.
• 5+ years pharma chemical process R&D, late-stage development & scale-up.
• Leadership and project management within process chemistry teams.
• CDMO management: external development and tech transfers.

Responsibilities

• Lead internal & external Chemical Process R&D activities with a team or CDMO partners.
• Oversee end-to-end process chemistry workflows including route scouting and scale-up.
• Coordinate cross-functional delivery with CDMOs for APIs and intermediates.
• Ensure quality and compliance with safety and sustainability objectives.

Skills

Leadership

Project Management

Team Mentoring

Cross-functional Coordination

Education

PhD or Postdoctoral in Synthetic Organic Chemistry

Tools

Chemical drawing tools

DoE software/tools

Analytical software

Literature search engines

Scale-up simulation software

Kinetic modeling software

Project planning platforms

Job description

Lead Chemical Process R&D Scientist

Roche Switzerland bridges the gap between pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. Important research and development functions are located here. For our long‑term client, F. Hoffmann‑La Roche AG in Basel, we are looking for a

Lead Chemical Process R&D Scientist

Background:

In this function you will lead chemical process R&D activities to deliver safe, scalable, efficient and sustainable processes as well as drug substance material for projects in clinical development, with a focus on late stage development, leveraging internal and external CDMO capabilities.

Tasks & Responsibilities:

• Lead Internal & External Chemical Process R&D activities: Direct chemical process research and development work, managing an internal team of 1–5 process chemists and/or leading external activities at contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs)
• Oversee end-to-end process chemistry workflows, including synthetic route scouting, process optimization, scale-up, and support for supply activities.
• Coordinate Cross-Functional Delivery: Synchronize internal laboratory efforts with CDMO timelines to guarantee the timely, safe, and cost-effective production of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and advanced intermediates
• Ensure Quality & Compliance: Deliver the target compounds following internal quality processes and according to specifications, safety standards and sustainability objectives.

Must Haves:

• PhD or Postdoctoral background in Synthetic Organic Chemistry.
• 5+ years of hands‑on experience in pharmaceutical chemical process R&D, with demonstrated expertise in late‑stage process development and scale‑up.
• Leadership & Project Management: Proven track record of leading, mentoring, and driving project deliverables within internal process chemistry teams.
• CDMO Management: Direct experience managing external chemical development, technology transfers, and manufacturing activities at CDMOs.
• Technical & Software Proficiency: High proficiency with standard office applications alongside core chemistry tools, including chemical drawing tools, literature/patent search engines, Design of Experiments (DoE) applications, analytical software, and project planning platforms. Proficiency in the use of kinetic modeling or scale‑up simulation software is a plus.
• Professional fluency in spoken and written English is required

Nice to Have:

• Familiarity or prior experience working within Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) environments is an advantage, though not strictly required.

• Professional working proficiency or fluency in German is a plus.

What you will be offered:

• An opportunity to work in one of the world's most important pharmaceutical companies
• Modern campus with plenty of green spaces and meeting areas
• Central location in Basel
• Varied job profile
• Further training opportunities through temptraining
• Working in a dynamic and motivated team

Basel-Stadt Research GMP Synthetic Organic Chemistry R&D CDMO DoE Scientist