Senior Scientist, Advanced Drug Delivery Systems

AbbVie Inc.; Northern (KY); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits

Paid time off

Medical/dental/vision insurance

401(k)

Short-term incentive programs

Job summary

AbbVie Inc. is seeking a Senior Scientist I to join the Drug Delivery Sciences and Engineering team in Irvine, California.

This laboratory-based role will design and execute studies to develop and characterize innovative drug delivery systems for small molecules and biologics, leveraging chemistry, formulation, polymer, and protein science in collaboration with discovery and development teams. The ideal candidate combines strong scientific judgment with hands-on experimentation and clear

Qualifications

• PhD in chemistry, biochemistry, chemical engineering, pharmaceutical sciences or related field with 0–4 years of experience; MS with 8+ years or Bachelor with 10+ years.
• Strong foundation in chemistry, drug delivery, formulation, protein, polymer sciences, or biomaterials.
• Ability to design experiments, troubleshoot, analyze data, and draw conclusions.
• Hands-on experience with formulation and analytical/biophysical characterization methods.
• Strong written and verbal communication for multidisciplinary audiences.
• Proven cross-functional collaboration and ability to manage priorities in fast-paced research.

Responsibilities

• Independently design, execute, analyze, and document lab studies for drug delivery systems.
• Develop and optimize delivery for small molecules and biologics (proteins/peptides).
• Apply formulation, protein, polymer and colloid science to stability and manufacturability challenges.
• Characterize formulations with analytical/biophysical methods (HPLC, ELISA, DSC, FTIR, GPC/SEC, MALS/DLS).
• Interpret data, assess risks, and propose practical experimental strategies.
• Communicate study plans, results, and risks to cross-functional teams.
• Maintain compliant records and contribute to reports, publications, and invention disclosures.
• Mentor colleagues and collaborate with external labs to meet project objectives.

Skills

Drug delivery

Formulation science

Protein science

Polymer science

Biomaterials

Analytical methods

Data interpretation

Education

PhD in chemistry/biochemistry/chemical engineering/pharmaceutical sciences or related

MS with 8+ years of relevant experience

Bachelor degree with 10+ years of experience

Tools

HPLC

ELISA

DSC

FTIR

GPC/SEC

MALS/DLS

Rheology

Particle-size analysis

Job description

AbbVie Inc. is seeking a Senior Scientist I to join the Drug Delivery Sciences and Engineering team in Irvine, California.

This laboratory-based role will design and execute studies to develop and characterize innovative drug delivery systems for small molecules and biologics, leveraging chemistry, formulation, polymer, and protein science in collaboration with discovery and development teams. The ideal candidate combines strong scientific judgment with hands-on experimentation and clear