Senior Scientist

Atrium; Stone Cross; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Atrium in Sandwich, Kent, seeks a Senior Scientist to lead PBPK/PBBM modelling within the Biopharmaceutics Modelling & Simulation team. You will support model-informed drug development across all stages, collaborating across disciplines to influence regulatory decisions.

The role involves developing and validating mechanistic models, contributing to dissolution and BE work, and advancing AI/ML driven predictive tools to optimise drug products.

Qualifications

• PhD or MSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biopharmaceutics, Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacometrics, Chemical Engineering, or related field.
• Strong expertise in PBPK, PBBM, pharmacometrics, mechanistic modelling, or model-informed drug development.
• In-depth understanding of oral absorption, dissolution, permeability, biopharmaceutics, and pharmacokinetics.
• Hands-on experience with Simcyp, GastroPlus, PK-Sim or similar software.
• Proven ability to apply modelling strategies to solve development challenges.
• Excellent scientific communication and technical writing skills
• Experience supporting regulatory submissions involving PBPK or PBBM analyses.
• Knowledge of virtual bioequivalence studies and dissolution specifications.
• Programming experience with Python, R, MATLAB, or similar tools.
• Exposure to machine learning and data science in pharmaceutical development.

Responsibilities

• Develop, verify, and apply PBPK and PBBM models using software platforms such as Simcyp, GastroPlus, or equivalent tools.
• Support predictions related to oral absorption, food effects, bioavailability, formulation bridging, dissolution performance, particle size specs, and virtual BE.
• Conduct model calibration, sensitivity analyses, scenario testing, and uncertainty assessments.
• Collaborate with laboratory scientists to design and interpret in vitro studies for model development and verification.
• Contribute to dissolution method development and in vitro–in vivo correlations.
• Present modelling outcomes through technical reports, project meetings, regulatory submissions, and publications.
• Drive innovation in modelling methodologies, automation, and data-driven approaches including AI/ML tools.

Skills

PBPK modelling

PBBM

Pharmacometrics

Model-informed DDD

Python

R

MATLAB

AI/ML in pharma

Diverse drug modalities

Scientific writing

Education

PhD or MSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences/Biopharmaceutics/Pharmacokinetics/Pharmacometrics

Tools

Simcyp

GastroPlus

PK-Sim

Job description

Atrium is seeking a highly motivated Senior Scientist to join their Biopharmaceutics Modelling & Simulation team in Sandwich, Kent. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the development and optimisation of innovative drug products by applying cutting-edge Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic (PBPK) and Physiologically Based Biopharmaceutics Modelling (PBBM) approaches.

The successful candidate will play a key role in supporting model-informed drug development across all stages of the pharmaceutical lifecycle, working within multidisciplinary teams to drive scientific and regulatory decision-making

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, verify, and apply PBPK and PBBM models using software platforms such as Simcyp, GastroPlus, or equivalent tools.
• Support predictions related to oral absorption, food effects, bioavailability, formulation bridging, dissolution performance, particle size specifications, and virtual bioequivalence.
• Conduct model calibration, sensitivity analyses, scenario testing, and uncertainty assessments to support development decisions.
• Collaborate closely with laboratory scientists to design and interpret in vitro studies that support model development and verification.
• Contribute to clinically relevant dissolution method development and in vitro-in vivo correlations where appropriate.
• Present modelling outcomes through technical reports, project team meetings, regulatory submissions, and scientific publications.
• Drive innovation in modelling methodologies, automation, and data-driven approaches, including AI/ML-enabled predictive tools.

Required Experience & Qualifications

• PhD or MSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biopharmaceutics, Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacometrics, Chemical Engineering, or a related scientific discipline.
• Strong expertise in PBPK, PBBM, pharmacometrics, mechanistic modelling, or model-informed drug development.
• In-depth understanding of oral absorption, dissolution, permeability, biopharmaceutics, and pharmacokinetics.
• Hands-on experience with modelling platforms such as Simcyp, GastroPlus, PK-Sim, or similar software.
• Proven ability to apply modelling strategies to solve pharmaceutical development challenges.
• Excellent scientific communication and technical writing skills
• Experience supporting regulatory submissions involving PBPK or PBBM analyses.
• Knowledge of virtual bioequivalence studies and clinically relevant dissolution specifications.
• Programming experience with Python, R, MATLAB, or similar scientific tools.
• Exposure to machine learning and data science applications within pharmaceutical development.
• Experience across diverse drug modalities, including poorly soluble compounds, peptides, enabling formulations, or complex dosage forms.