Senior Scientist, Process Chemistry — Early Development

AbbVie; North Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

AbbVie’s Process Chemistry team seeks a Senior Scientist to lead chemical process research and development, enabling toxicology and clinical studies for API candidates. You will develop and optimize processes across small molecules, antibody-drug conjugates, peptides, and oligonucleotides, while advancing IP and scalable manufacturing capabilities.

You will work autonomously in a fast-paced environment, publishing results, presenting at conferences, and collaborating with cross-functional teams

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in Organic Chemistry with 10+ (BS), 8+ (MS) or 0+ (PhD) years of experience.
• Thorough theoretical and practical understanding of the discipline.
• Experience in peptides, bioconjugations, biocatalysis, AI/ML, or oligonucleotides is desired.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute chemical processes to support clinical development of therapies (small molecules, ADCs, peptides, or oligonucleotides).
• Routinely demonstrate scientific initiative and creativity to resolve project hurdles.
• Learn quickly, adapt course as needed.
• Build cross-functional relationships to enable higher performance.
• Work autonomously in laboratory research and method development with minimal supervision.
• Maintain high productivity in the lab setting.
• Publish research in peer-reviewed journals and present at scientific conferences.
• Foster a collaborative learning environment and openness to experimentation.
• Adhere to corporate standards on safety, quality, and material handling.

Skills

Organic synthesis

Purification

Spectral analysis/interpretation

Scientific communication

Education

Organic Chemistry degree

Job description

AbbVie’s Process Chemistry team seeks a Senior Scientist to lead chemical process research and development, enabling toxicology and clinical studies for API candidates. You will develop and optimize processes across small molecules, antibody-drug conjugates, peptides, and oligonucleotides, while advancing IP and scalable manufacturing capabilities.

You will work autonomously in a fast-paced environment, publishing results, presenting at conferences, and collaborating with cross-functional teams