Principal Formulation Development Scientist I - Oxford

IMMUNOCORE LTD; Abingdon; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A biotechnology company in the United Kingdom is seeking an experienced technical leader in formulation development to innovate and contribute to scientific strategies. The role involves hands-on laboratory work in designing drug delivery systems for biopharmaceuticals and requires extensive experience in recombinant protein formulation. The ideal candidate will possess a PhD in a relevant field and a minimum of 8 years' industry experience. The position is critical for supporting clinical programs and ensuring regulatory compliance.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 8+ years related experience (may include post-doctoral experience).
• Experience in design of formulation studies, including use of design-of-experiments principles.
• Proven industry experience in drug delivery of biologics.

Responsibilities

• Conduct experiments and interpret results.
• Maintain accurate records of all work.
• Develop drug delivery approaches for biologics.

Skills

Recombinant protein formulation

Analytical development

Chromatographic assays

Education

PhD in bio–manufacturing, protein engineering, biochemistry, or related discipline

Job description

The primary purpose of this role is to serve as a recognized technical leader in formulation development, leveraging extensive experience and expert knowledge to drive innovation and contribute to the company's scientific strategy. The incumbent is expected to advocate for process, platform, and technology improvements, and apply advanced knowledge of scientific principles and the drug development process to solve extremely complex problems. The individual will exercise independent judgement in developing methods and techniques, consistently making the right calls to achieve results. This position will be responsible for conducting and designing experimental investigations to support a low and high dose parenteral biopharmaceutical in the development and management of integrated formulation strategies for Immunocore's biopharmaceutical platforms. The formulation role will be a hands‑on role, primarily focused on laboratory work designing and performing experimental work. It will also cover drug delivery approaches, investigate novel technologies such as LNP, Pegylation and other delivery systems applicable to biologics. The role will also cover early stressing studies, formulation excipient screening, CMC process support, drug substance and drug product through to compatibility with final patient delivery systems. Support and direct IUS studies and progress the clinical programmes. Support and respond to main stakeholders for example Clinical and Regulatory teams in the delivery of the clinical strategies. To work in close collaboration with the Head of Formulation, CMC teams and related functions to input into the formulation related sections for regulatory filings, development reports and other development related documents. Advanced people management skills are essential, including managing changing priorities while maintaining team motivation. They will create a safe environment for learning from mistakes, establish clear career paths, and hold career development conversations. The individual will engage in difficult conversations where appropriate, inspire action, and show employees how they contribute to higher goals.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct experiments, observe, interpret and respond to results.
• Maintain and increase technical knowledge in relevant fields through self‑study, observation, attending relevant conferences and training courses.
• Maintain accurate records of all work by completing laboratory notebooks on time and following company procedures.
• Ensure laboratory equipment is operated in accordance with safety and risk guidelines and report any faults promptly to the relevant staff.
• Operate in accordance with the company’s Health and Safety policies, especially within a laboratory environment.

Specific Responsibilities

• Experiments: independently test and increasingly lead lines of investigation, propose new experiments based on emerging data, and provide technical support to others.
  • Develop drug delivery approaches for the biologics portfolio.
  • Bring in new technologies exploring new administration approaches.
  • Conduct and design experiments to establish formulations for TCR platform API and IMP.
  • Lead and direct pre‑formulation, Cycle 1, 2 and 3 activities.
  • Conduct drug presentation studies to evaluate alternative drug administration routes (e.g., sub‑cut).
  • Represent formulation in CMC teams.
  • Investigate compatibility of drug product through delivery devices for patient administration.
  • Investigate novel drug delivery formats.
  • Perform testing and develop test methods to support stability and formulation studies.
  • Carry out and optimize production of recombinant protein supportive reagents, including conjugations.
  • Communicate key findings to managers and scientists in other groups.
  • Review and sign‑off routine assays.
  • Write SOPs.
  • Contribute to regulatory documentation.
  • Participate in laboratory maintenance.
  • Perform IUS studies.
  • Perform clinical compatibility studies.
  • Direct investigations into IUS clinical site excursion event impacts.
  • Identify new external scientific technology and collaborations.
  • Introduce new science into the group.
  • Hands‑on practical role.
• Priorities: establish priorities for own work and team‑based projects and make decisions on prioritisation based on overall goals, using evidence and experience.
• Technical knowledge: share knowledge with the wider team and across departments, represent the department internally and externally, act as mentor or manager to new hires, share analysis of new techniques and theories from outside the company.
• Laboratory records: ensure all records and information are up to date, on time and recorded to the correct standard, and encourage others to achieve this.
• Laboratory equipment: provide technical guidance on equipment use, make recommendations regarding acquisition of new pieces of equipment.
• Health & Safety: champion and help others understand H&S, provide ad‑hoc training as required.
• Reporting: communicate and present research findings at meetings with colleagues, senior management and partners.

Qualifications

• Background in recombinant protein or antibody formulation, drug delivery of biologics, analytical development or protein characterization, with proven industry experience and exposure to formulation strategies.
• Experience in design of formulation studies, including utilisation of design‑of‑experiments principles.
• Strong expertise in electrophoretic or chromatographic assays and general biochemical lab techniques.

Desirable Skills

• Experience in process development for production of biologics and conjugation of biomolecules.
• Experience with lyophilisation development of biotherapeutics.
• Familiarity with biopharmaceutical stability study principles.
• Familiarity with novel drug delivery formats.
• Proactive in ensuring high quality of work and seeking additional responsibilities to help meet the goals of the team.
• Presented detailed scientific findings and papers to internal and external audiences.
• PhD in bio‑manufacturing, protein engineering, biochemistry, molecular biology or related discipline.
• Industrial company experience delivering formulations through drug development phases.
• Minimum of 8 + years related experience (may include post‑doctoral experience).

About Immunocore

Immunocore (NASDAQ: IMCR) is a pioneering, commercial‑stage T cell receptor biotechnology company whose purpose is to develop and commercialise a new generation of transformative medicines that address unmet patient needs in oncology, infectious diseases and autoimmune disease. Our leaders in R&D are internationally recognised as some of the biotech industry's most successful drug developers. We are creating an environment where great minds can interact and an innovation powerhouse answering the big questions. We focus on delivering first‑in‑class biological therapies to patients, with a highly innovative soluble TCR platform that underpins a new generation of precision‑engineered drugs. At Immunocore, we value our employees as our greatest asset, embracing Science, Trust, Respect, Integrity, Diversity and Entrepreneurship (STRIDE) to foster collaboration, ingenuity and transformative impact.