Director Environmental Risk Assessment Pharmaceuticals in the Environment

GlaxoSmithKline; Stevenage; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading biopharma company is seeking a Director of Environmental Risk Assessment to provide strategic oversight and technical leadership on environmental issues related to pharmaceuticals. This role involves leading risk assessments, engaging with stakeholders, and shaping policies to manage environmental impact effectively. Ideal candidates will have a strong educational background in biochemistry or environmental science and proven project management experience.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Annual bonus based on performance

Healthcare and wellbeing programmes

Pension plan membership

Shares and savings programme

Qualifications

• Minimum of a BSc degree in a related field.
• Recognised EHS professional.
• Proven project management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead global Environmental Risk Assessment for drug filings.
• Design environmental testing strategies.
• Represent GSK in scientific forums.

Skills

Project Management

Environmental Risk Assessment

Stakeholder Engagement

Education

BSc in Biochemistry, Chemistry or Environmental Science

Job description

Site Name: UK - Hertfordshire - Stevenage, Durham Blackwell Street
Posted Date: May 21 2025

Director Environmental Risk Assessment / Pharmaceuticals in the Environment

Location: Stevanage, UK / Durham, USA

The purpose of this role is to provide clear direction, support, and oversight for selected EHS programs in alignment with overall company EHS strategy. Serve as the subject matter expert (SME) responsible for providing robust and timely environmental risk assessments in support of drug filings to regulatory agencies. This role provides technical leadership and strategic support across the organization on issues related to pharmaceuticals in the environment, helping the company evaluate and mange environmental risks, support sustainability initiatives, and shape science-based internal and external policies.

Key Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Lead GSK global Environmental Risk Assessment operational needs in support of new drug filings

• Provide robust and timely environmental risk assessments in support of worldwide GSK drug filings, especially EU & US.

• Design intelligent environmental fate and effects testing strategies based on the physico-chemical properties of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) with a view to assessing their environmental impact.

• Commission & monitor Environmental fate and effects Studies outsourced to Contract Research Organisations (CROs), including drafting, reviewing and finalising study protocols and reports.

Support GSK engagement in the Pharmaceuticals in the Environment agenda

• Provide critical technical input & support to our Pharmaceuticals in the Environment Task Force in terms of engaging with EU stakeholders from a considered & balanced scientific point of view.

• Represent GSK perspective to stakeholders, with the objective of helping all stakeholders make the right science-based decisions that support both environmental & patient needs.

• Input into GSK strategy around key active pharmaceutical ingredients currently under scrutiny within the EU as well provide strategic input into GSK’s longer-term strategy on this topic more broadly.

• Recommend and/or lead scientific discourse or enquiry in support of GSK on this topic.

Represent GSK as a credible external subject matter expert on Pharmaceuticals in the Environment

• Participate in academic and scientific liaison and collaboration in support of original scientific projects that promote the science of Pharmaceuticals in the Environment (PiE).

• Lead GSK GSK’s involvement in PREMIER, a 6-year cross industry project under the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI), focused on the prioritisation and risk evaluation of legacy medicines in the environment.

• Represent GSK across scientific conferences, task force groups, technical forums and workshops, including Industry and Trade Association technical activities relating to environmental risk assessment and pharmaceuticals in the environment.

• Active membership and participation of cross-industry ERA expert user’s network, Inter-Association Initiative PiE Task Force and relevant work streams to shape Industry strategy.

• Review relevant scientific literature on an ongoing basis.

Application of environmental ecotoxicological data to underpin responsible aqueous waste disposal strategies at GSK manufacturing sites.

• Generate PNEC for all GSK and non-GSK APIs in support of GSK management of aqueous discharge from manufacturing sites.

• Provide technical support to GSK sites around site ERA including options for refinement and modelling of API biodegradation and removal via wastewater treatment.

• Where warranted and justified generate preliminary environmental fate and effects dataset to support refinement of PNEC.

• Support cross-functional teams within EHS where appropriate, including toxicology and the preparation of SDSs (safety data sheets)

• Collaborate with EHS counterparts to ensure consistency in delivering the company strategy as well as any departmental priorities.

Why you?

Basic Qualifications:

We are looking for professionals with these required skills to achieve our goals:

• A minimum of a BSc degree within a biochemistry/chemistry or environmental science related field.

• Recognised EHS professional internally and externally.

• Proven project management and managerial skills abilities.

• The ideal candidate is likely to have originated from a technical background in a chemicals-related field but will have developed a strategic working knowledge of chemical regulations and a working knowledge of environmental hazard and risk assessment, including ERAs for medical products, REACH, EU Water Framework Directive.

• Expertise in Environmental Risk Assessment of pharmaceuticals is preferred but consideration will be given to candidates with broader ERA experience in chemicals e.g. pesticides, biocides, chemicals.

• The candidate should have awareness and understanding of key stakeholder groups surrounding these issues from Regulators to Trade Bodies (including but not limited to European Medicines Agency (EMA), Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), Water Framework Directive (WFD), EFPIA, European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) etc. Awareness of development of PiE regulations elsewhere in the world such as Canada, Australia, Japan as well as the potential impact of PiE on Lower and Middle Income countries (LMIC) would be useful.

• The candidate will have sufficient educational qualifications and work experience to be considered a subject matter expert and be able to be conversant and communicate.

Preferred Qualifications:

If you have the following characteristics, it would be a plus:

• PHD or advanced education preferred. Targeted areas of expertise in Environmental Toxicology and/or Environmental Risk Assessment. Practical experience & understanding of the topic of Pharmaceuticals in the Environment (PiE).

• Good external networks to benchmark and to effectively represent the interests of GSK

• Experience in pharmaceutical, chemical, or high-risk industry

Closing Date for Applications: 4th June 2025(COB)

We create a place where people can grow, be their best, be safe, and feel welcome, valued and included. We offer a competitive salary, an annual bonus based on company performance, healthcare and wellbeing programmes, pension plan membership, and shares and savings programme.

We embrace modern work practises; our Performance with Choice programme offers a hybrid working model, empowering you to find the optimal balance between remote and in-office work.

Discover more about our company wide benefits and life at GSK on our webpage Life at GSK | GSK

Please take a copy of the Job Description, as this will not be available post closure of the advert.When applying for this role, please use the ‘cover letter’ of the online application or your CV to describe how you meet the competencies for this role, as outlined in the job requirements above. The information that you have provided in your cover letter and CV will be used to assess your application.

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Why GSK?

Uniting science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together.

GSK is a global biopharma company with a special purpose – to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together – so we can positively impact the health of billions of people and deliver stronger, more sustainable shareholder returns – as an organisation where people can thrive. We prevent and treat disease with vaccines, specialty and general medicines. We focus on the science of the immune system and the use of new platform and data technologies, investing in four core therapeutic areas (infectious diseases, HIV, respiratory/ immunology and oncology).

Our success absolutely depends on our people. While getting ahead of disease together is about our ambition for patients and shareholders, it’s also about making GSK a place where people can thrive. We want GSK to be a place where people feel inspired, encouraged and challenged to be the best they can be. A place where they can be themselves – feeling welcome, valued, and included. Where they can keep growing and look after their wellbeing. So, if you share our ambition, join us at this exciting moment in our journey to get Ahead Together.

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