Senior Scientist I, Analytical Development, Mass Spectrometry tLNP CMC

Allergan; Chicago, Northern (IL, KY); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

PTO

Health insurance

401(k) plan

Short-term incentive

Job summary

AbbVie in Chicago is seeking a Mass Spectrometry SME within the Analytical Development group for tLNP CMC. You will develop LC-MS methods to characterize biotherapeutics, especially mRNA and oligonucleotides, and support drug substance, product, and formulation development with advanced biophysical and MS techniques.

You will operate and troubleshoot LC-MS platforms, document results, collaborate with Discovery, Process Chemistry, QA, and regulatory teams, and contribute to submissions.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry, Biochemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or closely related field with 0-3 years of industry experience.
• Experience with LC-MS analysis of mRNA, oligonucleotides, antibodies, and LNPs is a strong plus.
• Proficiency with LC-MS data acquisition and analysis software.

Responsibilities

• Operate, maintain, and troubleshoot LC-MS platforms and related lab equipment.
• Document instrument performance and coordinate maintenance with service engineers.
• Lead and execute characterization of mRNA attributes like 5' capping and polyA tail.
• Provide analytical support to formulation development and QA teams.
• Develop innovative LC-MS methods to improve efficiency and address new needs.
• Prepare ELN documentation and contribute to regulatory submissions.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Attention to detail

Team collaboration

Scientific communication

Self-motivation

Education

Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry or related field

Tools

LC-MS systems

Orbitrap/TOF platforms

XCalibur, Skyline, MassLynx

Job description

Company Description

About AbbVie

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.

Job Description

The Analytical Development group within the Targeted LNP (tLNP) CMC Development Team at AbbVie is dedicated to advancing state-of-the-art analytical capabilities for tLNP therapeutics development. Our team provides critical support to tLNP drug substance, drug product, and formulation development. We leverage advanced biophysical, separation, and mass spectrometry techniques to deeply characterize antibodies, mRNA, lipids, and intact LNP particles. We are building a strong team of scientists who will be instrumental in developing and deploying the analytical toolbox needed to deliver high-quality, innovative tLNP medicines to patients.

Position Description:

As the mass spectrometry SME within the Analytical Development group of tLNP CMC Development team, you will work in an innovative analytical research and development lab and develop LC-MS method for characterizing biotherapeutic products to support tLNP development, with an emphasis on mRNA and oligonucleotide analysis. The successful candidate will have hands‑on analytical method development experience of LC-MS analysis. Additionally, the candidate must foster productive collaborations within the global Analytical CMC organization and with R&D cross-functional partners such as Discovery, Process Chemistry, Process Engineering, Drug Product Development, and Quality Assurance and CMC-Regulatory Affairs.

Responsibilities:

• Operate, maintain, and troubleshoot mass spectrometry (Orbitrap, TOF) and liquid chromatography platforms, along with general laboratory equipment.
• Document instrument performance, organize regular maintenance, and coordinate with service engineers during maintenance and troubleshooting activities.
• Lead and execute characterization activities to evaluate and elucidate critical quality attributes of mRNA, such as 5' capping efficiency, 3' polyA tail distribution, and oligonucleotide sequence mapping.
• Provide analytical support for cross-functional teams, including formulation development, upstream/downstream process development, and manufacturing to solve drug development challenges.
• Proactively advance LC-MS characterization of biotherapeutics by developing innovative techniques that address evolving developmental needs and improve operational efficiency.
• Independently conduct sample preparation and LC-MS analyses in compliance with SOPs, and document experimental procedures and results in electronic laboratory notebook (ELN).
• Author and review regulatory submission documents, such as IND and comparability study.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry, Biochemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or a closely related field with 0-3 years of industry experience.
• Previous experience with mRNA, oligonucleotide, antibody, and LNP analysis by LC-MS is a strong plus.
• Experience in mRNA 5' capping and 3' polyA tail LC-MS analysis is preferred.
• Proficient in operating and maintaining mass spectrometry equipment, particularly LC-MS systems, and have experience in troubleshooting and maintaining LC-MS instruments, including tasks like changing and cleaning interfaces.
• Experience with LCMS data acquisition and analysis software, such as XCalibur, Protein Metrics, FreeStyle, Skyline, BioPharma Finder, and MassLynx.
• Organized, detail-oriented, and committed to maintaining proper documentation.
• Work independently while also collaborating effectively with a team of experts.
• Hands-on experience with additional analytical techniques relevant to mRNA or LNP analysis is a plus.
• Strong presentation and communication skills with the ability to explain data to technical and non-technical audiences.

Additional Information

Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law:

• The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.
• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.
• This job is eligible to participate in our short-term incentive programs.

Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employer remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law.

AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.

US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html