Characterisation Project Lead (UK)

UCB S.A.; Reading; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

UCB S.A. is seeking a Characterisation Project Lead to advance biological characterisation strategies across development programs. You will lead activities, design studies with cross-functional teams, and ensure documentation supports regulatory submissions.

The role requires a strong foundation in protein chemistry and characterization techniques, plus experience coordinating diverse stakeholders and managing project priorities in a hybrid work environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a scientific discipline.
• Biological characterisation experience with protein chemistry and characterization methods (e.g., MS, AUC).
• Experience coordinating scientific activities across stakeholder groups and document management.
• Excellent communication, organization, and collaborative skills.
• Ability to handle changing priorities and multiple parallel activities with minimal supervision.

Responsibilities

• Lead biological characterisation activities across development programs.
• Design characterization studies with cross-functional scientific partners.
• Author and review protocols, reports, and scientific documentation for regulatory submissions.
• Manage project priorities, resources, and stakeholders with quality and risk management.

Skills

Biological characterisation

Project coordination

Scientific writing

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in a scientific discipline

Tools

Mass spectrometry

AUC

Higher order structural techniques

Job description

Make your mark for patients

We are looking for a Characterisation Project Lead, collaborative and care-focused to join our Characterisation and Material Sciences team, based at our UCB offices in Braine-l'Alleud, Belgium or in Slough, UK.

About the role

You will help advance innovative therapies by enabling characterization strategies that support product understanding and quality. Working at the intersection of science and collaboration, you will combine technical expertise with project coordination to ensure critical knowledge is generated, documented, and communicated effectively. You will contribute to programs that ultimately aim to create meaningful outcomes for people living with severe diseases, balancing scientific excellence with patient-focused impact.

Who you will work with

You will join a collaborative community within Characterisation and Material Sciences, a team of experienced scientists dedicated to understanding the structure, function and degradation pathways of molecules and materials. You will work closely with colleagues in formulation, analytical sciences, stability, manufacturing sciences, regulatory affairs, quality assurance, statistics, and device development.

What you will do

• You will lead biological characterisation activities across development programs.
• You will enable critical quality attribute assessment will design characterization studies with cross-functional scientific partners.
• You will author and review protocols, reports, and scientific documentation that populate the regulatory submission.
• You will manage project priorities, resources, and stakeholder will foster quality compliance and effective risk management practices.

Interested?

• Bachelor's degree in a scientific discipline.
• Experience within a biological characterisation group with a sustained period as a project understanding of protein chemistry and characterization approaches (such as mass spectrometry, AUC and higher order structural techniques).
• Experience, coordinating scientific activities across diverse stakeholder groups, Proficiency with document management and quality management systems.
• Excellent communication, organization, and collaborative working skills.
• Ability to deal with changing priorites and multiple parallel activities with minimal supervision.

Are you ready to 'go beyond' to create value and make your mark for patients? If this sounds like you, then we would love to hear from you!

About us

UCB is a global biopharmaceutical company, focusing on neurology and immunology. We are over 9.000 people in all four corners of the globe, inspired by patients and driven by science. Why work with us? At UCB, we don't just complete tasks, we create value. We aren't afraid to push forward, collaborate, and innovate to make our mark for patients. We have a caring, supportive culture where everyone feels included, respected, and has equal opportunities to do their best work. We 'go beyond' to create value for our patients, and always with a human focus, whether that's on our patients, our employees, or our planet. Working for us, you will discover a place where you can grow, and have the freedom to carve your own career path to achieve your full potential. At UCB, we've embraced a hybrid-first approach to work, bringing teams together in local hubs to foster collaborative curiosity. Unless expressly stated in the description or precluded by the nature of the position, roles are hybrid with 40% of your time spent in the office.

UCB is an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions will be made without regard to any characteristic protected by applicable laws. Should you require any adjustments to our process to assist you in demonstrating your strengths and capabilities contact us on Please note should your enquiry not relate to adjustments; we will not be able to support you through this channel.

Employment type: Permanent