Scientist I, Preformulation

Scorpion Therapeutics; United States; On-site; USD 135,000 - 158,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Health/Dental/Vision/Life/Disability

401k match

Learning stipend

Wellness stipend

Paid time off

Job summary

Scorpion Therapeutics is seeking a senior preformulation scientist to lead design and evaluation of formulations for drug discovery and early development. You will communicate strategy and risks to cross-functional teams and oversee analytical method development.

Ideal candidates hold an MS or PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences with hands-on experience in solubility, solid-state analysis, and HPLC/UPLC, including dose verification and SGF FaSSIF/FeSSIF methods.

Qualifications

• MS/PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences or related field with industry experience.
• Hands-on formulation of poorly water-soluble compounds in discovery settings.
• Experience developing analytical methods (HPLC/UPLC) and dosage verification.

Responsibilities

• Serve as preformulation representative on drug discovery and early development teams.
• Design and evaluate formulations for non-clinical studies to achieve exposure and stability.
• Lead preformulation assessments of NCEs, including solubility and solid-state properties.
• Conduct salt, co-crystal, and solid-form screening for optimization.
• Apply solubility-enabling technologies for poorly soluble compounds.
• Develop/qualify analytical methods and oversee CRO work.
• Contribute data to candidate selection and regulatory documentation.

Skills

Physicochemical properties

Solubility-enabling formulations

Analytical method development

Project management

Clear communication

Education

MS in Pharmaceutical Sciences

PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences

Tools

HPLC/UPLC

Mass spectrometry

Job description

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Serve as the preformulation representative on drug discovery and early development project teams, communicating strategy, risks, and data to cross-functional partners.
• Design and evaluate formulations for non-clinical PK, PK/PD, pharmacology, and toxicology studies, selecting vehicles and excipients that deliver the required exposure and stability.
• Lead preformulation assessment of new chemical entities (NCEs), including solubility, solid-state stability, particle size/morphology, bio-relevant dissolution, and polymorphism.
• Conduct salt, co-crystal, and solid-form screening to support solid-form selection.
• Apply solubility-enabling technologies (amorphous solid dispersions, lipid-based systems, nanosuspensions, complexation) for poorly water-soluble compounds.
• Develop/qualify HPLC/UPLC methods for formulation characterization, stability, and dose formulation analysis (including GLP concentration/homogeneity verification).
• Plan and lead lab work to timelines; oversee CRO formulation/analytical work.
• Contribute data to candidate selection and first-in-human documentation.
• Author technical reports suitable for internal review, CMC handoff, and regulatory filings.
• Monitor literature and apply established/emerging approaches; collaborate with CMC Formulation Development.

Education and Experience

• M.S. or Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, or related.
• M.S.: 7+ years; Ph.D.: 4+ years relevant industry experience in preformulation/preclinical formulation.
• Hands-on formulation of poorly water-soluble compounds (discovery setting).
• Hands-on HPLC/UPLC analysis and method development.
• Hands-on dose verification; solubility assays in SGF and FaSSIF/FeSSIF (USP methods).

Required Skills

• Strong knowledge of physicochemical/solid-state properties and impact on drug product performance.
• Practical experience selecting/developing solubility-enabling formulations.
• Analytical method development experience across chromatographic techniques; familiarity with mass spectrometry.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and meet objectives/timelines.
• Excellent written/oral communication to research and CMC audiences.

Preferred Skills

• Knowledge of biopharmaceutics and pharmacokinetic principles.
• Experience supporting GLP toxicology studies (dose formulation analysis).
• Experience overseeing CRO formulation/analytical work.
• Problem-solving and strong practical lab skills.
• Collaboration/networking; ability to work under competing priorities.

Compensation/Benefits

• Expected salary range (South San Francisco, CA): $135,000–$157,500; includes competitive total compensation with equity, health/dental/vision/life/disability insurance, 401k match, learning/wellness stipends, and paid time off.