Principal Scientist

Ipsen Biopharm Ltd; Wrexham; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible hybrid working

Global collaboration

Career development

Job summary

Ipsen Biopharm Ltd seeks a Principal Scientist to lead Cell Line Development and Upstream Process Development for biologics. You will guide programmes from candidate selection to commercial manufacturing, providing technical leadership and mentoring to junior scientists.

You will collaborate with CDMOs and internal teams, drive process improvements, and contribute to regulatory submissions within a global biologics portfolio.

Qualifications

• Significant pharmaceutical/biotech experience in biologics development.
• Deep expertise in CLD and/or USP.
• Experience with CHO cell lines and mammalian culture processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead CLD and upstream process development strategies across biologics programmes.
• Provide scientific leadership for CMC development projects from early development through commercialisation.
• Act as SME for CLD/USP activities and support regulatory documentation.

Skills

Biologics development

Cell Line Development

Upstream Process Development

CHO cell culture

Cross-functional collaboration

Mentoring

Education

PhD in relevant scientific discipline

Job description

Title:Principal Scientist Company:Ipsen Biopharm Ltd About Ipsen: Ipsen is a mid-sized global biopharmaceutical company with a focus on transformative medicines in three therapeutic areas: Oncology, Rare Disease and Neuroscience. Supported by nearly 100 years of development experience, with global hubs in the U.S., France and the U.K, we tackle areas of high unmet medical need through research and innovation. Our passionate teams in more than 40 countries are focused on what matters and endeavor every day to bring medicines to patients in 88 countries. We build a workplace that champions human-centric leadership and fosters a culture of collaboration, excellence and impact. At Ipsen, every individual is empowered to be their true selves, grow and thrive alongside the company’s success. Join us on our journey towards sustainable growth, creating real impact on patients and society! For more information, visit us at https://www.ipsen.com/ and follow our latest news on LinkedIn and Instagram.

Job Description: Principal Scientist - Cell Line Development & Upstream Process Development Location: Wrexham, UK (Hybrid Working) Contract: Permanent Travel: Occasional travel (European) Shape the Future of Biologics at Ipsen At Ipsen, we're passionate about advancing innovative medicines that make a meaningful difference to patients' lives.

The Opportunity

As Principal Scientist, you will act as a recognised subject matter expert, leading the development and optimisation of cell line and upstream manufacturing processes for biologic products from candidate selection through to commercial manufacturing. A key focus of the role will be driving upstream process development activities using mammalian and/or microbial cell lines, supporting multiple development programmes while providing technical leadership and mentorship to junior scientists. You will play an integral role within cross-functional CMC teams, partnering with internal stakeholders and external Contract Development and Manufacturing Organisations (CDMOs) to ensure successful programme delivery. This position offers exposure to a diverse biologics pipeline and the opportunity to influence development strategy across multiple projects while collaborating with colleagues throughout Ipsen's global organisation.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead Cell Line Development and Upstream Process Development strategies across biologics development programmes.
• Provide scientific leadership for CMC development projects from early development through commercialisation.
• Act as a subject matter expert for CLD and USP activities, supporting technical decision-making across programmes.
• Drive innovation and continuous improvement to enhance process productivity, robustness and product quality.
• Represent Upstream Process Development within multidisciplinary CMC teams.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders and external CMOs to support development, scale-up and technology transfer activities.
• Contribute to regulatory submissions and technical documentation.
• Conduct technical assessments for new product opportunities and in-licensing activities.
• Mentor, coach and develop junior scientists, fostering a culture of scientific excellence.

About You

We're looking for a scientifically driven leader with strong biologics development experience and the ability to influence across complex, matrixed environments.

• Significant pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry experience within biologics development.
• Deep expertise in Cell Line Development and/or Upstream Process Development.
• Strong experience working with CHO cell lines and mammalian cell culture processes.
• Experience leading CMC development activities across the product lifecycle.
• Proven ability to work effectively with cross-functional stakeholders and external partners.
• Experience engaging with and managing activities CDMOs
• Strong communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills.

Desirable PhD in a relevant scientific discipline (or equivalent industry experience). Experience supporting regulatory submissions and technology transfer activities. Experience progressing biologic products from early to late-stage development and commercialisation. Demonstrated mentoring, coaching or leadership experience within scientific teams.

Why Join Ipsen?

At Ipsen, you'll be part of a collaborative and innovative organisation where science drives meaningful patient outcomes.

We offer:

• Flexible hybrid working.
• Opportunities to collaborate with international teams across the UK, Ireland and France.
• Exposure to a diverse and exciting biologics pipeline.
• A culture that values scientific excellence, innovation and continuous learning.
• The opportunity to mentor others while continuing to develop your own career within a global biopharmaceutical company.

If you're an experienced biologics scientist looking to make a significant impact across Cell Line Development, Upstream Process Development and CMC programmes, we'd love to hear from you.

We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels heard, valued, and supported; where we embrace “The Real Us”. The value we place on different perspectives and experiences drives our commitment to inclusion and equal opportunities. When we include diverse ways of thinking, we make more thoughtful decisions and discover more innovative solutions. Together we strive to better understand the communities we serve. This means we also want to help you perform at your best when applying for a role with us. If you require any adjustments or support during the application process, please let the recruitment team know. This information will be handled with care and will not affect the outcome of your application.

At Ipsen, each employee makes a real impact. Our teams are passionate about what they do because they care about making a difference in patients’ lives. We invest in our employees to support life-changing projects that create positive impact for patients and society.

Introduce yourself to our recruiters and we'll get in touch if there's a role that seems like a good match. Learn more about careers with us