Associate Technical Director, Pharma, Germany

Sensient Technologies; Geesthacht; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Sensient Technologies invites an Associate Technical Director to lead pharmaceutical innovation in Geesthacht, Germany. You will guide a team of scientists focused on excipients, colors, coating systems, and flavor technologies, translating concepts into scalable solutions.

You’ll shape strategy, engage with customers, oversee development from formulation through scale‑up, and ensure seamless technology transfer while advancing portfolio growth in pharmaceutical applications.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of relevant experience in pharmaceuticals, excipients, formulation, coatings, colors, flavors, or application development, with demonstrated technical leadership.
• Strong knowledge of pharmaceutical and/or nutraceutical dosage forms, excipient functionality, formulation development, and experience with colors, coating systems, and/or flavor technologies.
• Customer-facing technical experience, with strong problem-solving, troubleshooting, communication, presentation, and project management skills.
• Experience with film or tablet coating, taste masking, oral solid dosage forms, excipient qualification, scale-up, technology transfer, or working with global pharmaceutical customers is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of scientists developing pharmaceutical and nutraceutical colors, coating systems, and flavor technologies, while serving as a technical subject‑matter expert.
• Shape technical strategies and identify emerging technologies, formulation trends, and customer needs to drive new products, optimization, line extensions, and customer-specific solutions.
• Partner with Commercial and customers to solve formulation challenges, provide technical recommendations, support product evaluations, and identify new business opportunities.
• Lead and support technical programs from formulation development through scale‑up, technology transfer, commercialization, and ongoing product lifecycle management.
• Provide technical guidance across product specifications, regulatory documentation, investigations, troubleshooting, and customer inquiries.

Skills

Technical leadership

Project management

Problem solving

Communication

Customer-facing

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences or related technical discipline

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

Associate Technical Director, Pharma, Germany

Lead Pharmaceutical Innovation. Make Your Mark.

Ready to take your scientific expertise and leadership to the next level? As Associate Technical Director, you’ll lead a talented team at the forefront of pharmaceutical innovation, developing excipients and excipient-based technologies—including flavors, colors, and coating systems.

You’ll have the opportunity to influence strategy, work directly with customers, tackle complex technical challenges, and bring innovative solutions from concept to commercialization. If you’re looking for a role where your expertise, ideas, and leadership can have a visible impact on both customers and the future growth of the business, this is an opportunity to make your mark.

What You’ll Do

• Lead and mentor a team of scientists developing pharmaceutical and nutraceutical colors, coating systems, and flavor technologies, while serving as a technical subject‑matter expert.
• Shape technical strategies and identify emerging technologies, formulation trends, and customer needs to drive new products, optimization, line extensions, and customer-specific solutions.
• Partner with Commercial and customers to solve formulation challenges, provide technical recommendations, support product evaluations, and identify new business opportunities.
• Lead and support technical programs from formulation development through scale‑up, technology transfer, commercialization, and ongoing product lifecycle management.
• Provide technical guidance across product specifications, regulatory documentation, investigations, troubleshooting, and customer inquiries.

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Food Science, or a related technical discipline; advanced degree preferred.
• 7+ years of relevant experience in pharmaceuticals, excipients, formulation, coatings, colors, flavors, or application development, with demonstrated technical leadership.
• Strong knowledge of pharmaceutical and/or nutraceutical dosage forms, excipient functionality, formulation development, and experience with colors, coating systems, and/or flavor technologies.
• Customer‑facing technical experience, with strong problem‑solving, troubleshooting, communication, presentation, and project management skills.
• Experience with film or tablet coating, taste masking, oral solid dosage forms, excipient qualification, scale‑up, technology transfer, or working with global pharmaceutical customers is a plus.

What You’ll Get

• The opportunity to lead innovation in pharmaceutical technologies and directly influence solutions from early development through commercialization.
• A highly visible role where you’ll partner with customers, Commercial teams, and cross‑functional experts to solve meaningful technical challenges.
• The opportunity to grow your leadership impact by mentoring scientists and shaping technical strategy and portfolio direction.
• A dynamic, collaborative environment with exposure to a broad range of technologies, customers, applications, and industry trends.
• A 100% onsite role based in Geesthacht, Germany, giving you the opportunity to work closely with the scientific and technical teams and be hands‑on with development and innovation.

About Sensient:

Sensient Technologies Corporation is a leading global manufacturer and marketer of colors, flavors, and extracts. Sensient employs advanced technologies at facilities around the world to develop specialty food and beverage systems, cosmetic and pharmaceutical systems, specialty colors, and other specialty and fine chemicals. The Company's customers include major international manufacturers representing most of the world's best‑known brands.

• About Sensient Pharmaceutical:

• Sensient Pharmaceutical is your single source for color, flavor, coating, and imprint ink excipient solutions that define and protect world‑leading brands.

• SPONSORSHIP: Due to our inability to offer visa sponsorship, we can only consider candidates who are authorized to work in Germany without the need for employment visa sponsorship.

• RELOCATION: We are unable to offer relocation assistance. The successful candidate will be expected to work at Geesthacht and must reside in area or be willing to commute.

• THIRD PARTY AGENCY: Any unsolicited submissions received from recruitment agencies will be considered property of Sensient Technologies, and we will not be liable for any fees or obligations related to those submissions.

Sensient is an Equal Opportunity Employer, headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.