Crystallisation Scientist

Cambrex Corp.; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Cambrex Corp. in Edinburgh is seeking a Crystallisation Scientist to drive API crystallisation process development from gram to kilogram scale, collaborating with clients and internal teams to transfer processes to manufacturing.

You will apply solid-state analytics, operate CLRs with heater/chiller units, and ensure quality and safety compliance while delivering high-purity products on schedule.

Qualifications

• BSc (Hons) or MSc in chemistry, chemical engineering or related field.
• Practical wet chemistry laboratory experience is essential.
• Experience with solid-state analytical techniques (XRPD, DSC, TG/DSC) desirable.
• Ability to clearly discuss complex data and work safely in a lab.
• Experience in R&D and team/project work is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Plan and execute crystallisation process development projects from gram to kilogram scale.
• Characterise samples, optimise purities, yields, and particle size distributions.
• Work with CLRs, heater/chiller units and overhead stirrers to control crystallisation.
• Apply PAT tools (e.g., Blaze, FBRM, Raman) to monitor systems.
• Support technology transfer to manufacturing and comply with SHE standards.

Skills

Communication skills

Team collaboration

Analytical thinking

Learning new skills

Project organization

Education

BSc (Hons) / MSc in Chemistry or related field

Job description

Company Information

Cambrex is a global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) that provides drug substance development and manufacturing across the entire drug lifecycle, as well as comprehensive analytical dn IND enabling services.

With over 40 years of experience and a growing team of 2,000 experts servicing global clients, Cambrex offers a range of specialized drug substance technologies and capabilities. Cambrex is headquartered in East Rutherford, NJ, and has twelve operational sites across North America and Europe.

Job Overview

As a crystallization scientist based in Edinburgh, you will, together with our clients across the pharmaceutical industry, participate in crystallization process development projects involving active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). These projects will be progressed from initial gram-scale trials, to multi-gram and kilogram scale, where the process will be technology transferred to full scale manufacturing. You will form an important part of our technical team and will work at the cutting-edge in a fast-paced and rewarding environment. You will demonstrate the highest technical standards, while maintaining compliance to quality and safety systems.

Responsibilities

• The Crystallisation Scientist is responsible for the organisation and performance of all crystallisation process development projects including characterisation of samples generated and provided by clients. The crystallisation scientist is expected to deal with a demanding and unrelenting workload whilst maintaining a high standard of work. As such, they must be well organised and capable of prioritising and responding to a number of deliverables from a range of clients.
• The Crystallisation Scientist is expected to be competent in the underlying science of process and scale-up crystallisation, having experience of crystallisation pathways such as cooling crystallisation, anti-solvent crystallisation etc. at gram and ideally kg scale.
• The Crystallisation Scientist is expected to be experienced in using controlled lab reactors (CLRs) in conjunction with heater/chiller units and overhead stirrers to manipulate crystallisation systems to optimise: purities, yields, particle size distributions or any other client specific objectives.
• A working knowledge of current PAT technology is required, such as Blaze metric, FBRM, Raman and others. This is essential to understand and characterise the crystallisation system and MSZW (metastable zone width) for further optimisation and eventually technology transfer.
• The Crystallisation Scientist is expected to be competent in a wide variety of analyses using an extensive range of different techniques including specialist areas such as – DVS; XRPD; TG/DTA; DSC and more general areas including spectroscopic and wet chemistry methods.

Qualifications/Skills

• An enthusiastic team player with excellent communication skills (essential).
• Ability and willingness to learn new skills and techniques (essential).
• Application of knowledge to solve complex problems (essential).
• Demonstrate high levels of motivation and the organizational planning tools to manage workload across multiple projects (essential).
• Be commercially aware of business development needs (desirable).
• Knowledgeable of the pharmaceutical development continuum of APIs (desirable).

Education, Experience & Licensing Requirements

• BSc (Hons) / Masters in chemistry, chemical engineering, or related degree (essential).
• Practical experience in a laboratory setting and with wet chemistry techniques (essential).
• Experience/knowledge solid-state analytical techniques (e.g., XRPD, DSC, TG/DSC microscopy, DVS, single crystal X-ray diffraction) and more general spectroscopic (e.g., NMR, FT-IR, Raman) (desirable).
• Ability to discuss complex technical data clearly and succinctly (essential).
• Ability to work safely in a lab environment, adhering to local SHE policies (essential).
• Experience in working independently and within a team in an R&D environment (desirable).
• Knowledge/ experience in one or more of the following: polymorph, salt, co-crystal, and/or crystallization screening for APIs; crystallization process development; and/or working within ISO9001 quality standards (desirable).

All requirements are subject to possible modifications to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. Cambrex Corporation is an Equal Opportunity / affirmatively Action employer and will consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), ancestry, national origin, place of birth, age, marital status, disability/handicap, genetic information, veteran status, or other characteristics protected by federal, state, and/or local law.

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