Director, Process Chemistry

Ladders; United States; Remote; USD 215,000 - 235,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision coverage (99%)

Life insurance, AD&D, disability

401(k) match up to 6% with stock'}},{

Job summary

Ladders is seeking a Director, Process Chemistry to lead strategy across multiple programs in the Pharmaceuticals & Biotech space. This role guides drug substance development from early research through late-stage execution, partnering with CMC stakeholders and external partners to ensure robust, scalable, and compliant delivery of clinical and commercial materials.

The position emphasizes process design, API form selection, and translating laboratory findings into practical manufacturing

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Engineering, or related discipline, or equivalent experience.
• 12+ years in CMC with focus on small molecule drug substance.
• Familiarity with continuous processing, biocatalysis, or high-throughput experimentation is advantageous.
• Strong understanding of US and EU cGMP regulations for drug substances and products.
• Comprehensive knowledge of CMC development through all drug development phases.
• Experience collaborating with third-party CRO / CMO partners.
• Familiarity with salt/crystalline form selection and experience in oligonucleotide chemistry is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead Process Chemistry R&D for multiple projects from early to late phase
• Design drug substance processes for early and late phases, managing progression from lab to pilot plant
• Provide chemistry and technical leadership throughout the product lifecycle
• Identify and finalize API forms to support pharmaceutical development
• Integrate closely with cross-functional CMC teams for clinical and commercial drug substance delivery
• Collaborate with and oversee external CROs and CDMOs to meet project deliverables
• Analyze data from external experiments to plan synthetic strategies

Skills

CMC experience

Leadership

Regulatory knowledge

External partnerships

Education

Advanced degree in Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Engineering, or related discipline

Job description

For our client, we are seeking a Director, Process Chemistry to join the team of a leader in the Pharmaceuticals & Biotech space.
This leader will guide process chemistry strategy across multiple programs, supporting the advancement of small molecule drug substance development from early research through late-stage execution. The role will partner closely with cross-functional CMC stakeholders and external development partners to enable robust, scalable, and compliant delivery of clinical and commercial materials. This is a highly technical leadership position focused on process design, API form selection, and the translation of laboratory findings into practical manufacturing approaches.
Location: Remote
Compensation: $215,000 – $235,000 annually

Responsibilities

• Lead Process Chemistry R&D for multiple projects from early to late phase
• Design drug substance processes for early and late phases, managing progression from lab to pilot plant
• Provide chemistry and technical leadership throughout the product lifecycle
• Identify and finalize API forms to support pharmaceutical development
• Integrate closely with cross-functional CMC teams for clinical and commercial drug substance delivery
• Collaborate with and oversee external CROs and CDMOs to meet project deliverables
• Analyze data from external experiments to plan synthetic strategies

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Engineering, or related discipline, or equivalent experience
• 12+ years in CMC with focus on small molecule drug substance
• Familiarity with continuous processing, biocatalysis, or high-throughput experimentation is advantageous
• Strong understanding of US and EU cGMP regulations for drug substances and products
• Comprehensive knowledge of CMC development through all drug development phases
• Experience collaborating with third-party CRO / CMO partners
• Familiarity with salt/crystalline form selection and experience in oligonucleotide chemistry is a plus

Benefits

• 99% premium coverage for medical, dental, and vision plans
• Company-paid life insurance, AD&D, and disability benefits
• 401(k) match dollar-for-dollar up to 6% with stock incentives
• Discretionary quarterly bonuses and flexible wellness benefits
• Generous PTO, paid holidays, and company-wide shutdowns

Our client is an equal opportunity employer.