Sr. Scientist II, Engineering

AbbVie; North Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Medical insurance

401(k)

Job summary

AbbVie is seeking a Peptide Process Engineer to lead research and development efforts for API processes, including small molecule APIs, antibody drug conjugates, peptides, and natural products. You will mentor scientists, collaborate across functions, and advance technologies from lab scale to manufacturing scale.

You will drive robust processes, support technology transfer, and address scale-up challenges in a fast-paced environment within Product Development Science & Technology.

Qualifications

• BS, MS, or PhD in chemical engineering or a related field with 12+ (BS), 10+ (MS), or 3+ (PhD) years of relevant industrial experience.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Thorough theoretical and practical understanding of own scientific discipline.

Responsibilities

• Apply chemical engineering principles to design, scale-up, and troubleshoot API processes.
• Ensure safe operation and compliance with safety, GxP, and regulatory standards.
• Lead technology transfer to manufacturing sites and drive continuous improvement.

Skills

Chemical engineering

Scientific communication

Education

Chemical Engineering degree (BS/MS/PhD)

Job 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.

Company Description

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

Purpose

Process Engineers in Product Development Science & Technology support API projects through all the phases of late-stage development, commercialization, product life cycle. This position will be responsible for ensuring processes can be run safely, addressing scale-up issues and developing and implementing robust API process steps from the lab to a manufacturing environment. Once commercialized, the Process Engineer is responsible for continuous improvement activities, technical transfer to manufacturing sites, and resolution of technical manufacturing issues in a commercial setting. Effective cross functional interactions with quality and regulatory functions and on‑site manufacturing personnel are key for successful job performance.

The Peptide Process Engineer will lead research and project activities within cross‑functional teams contributing expertise while effectively collaborating with and/or mentoring scientific personnel. Independently conceive, develop, and execute novel scientific research or development leading to scalable and robust engineering processes for key modalities (e.g., small molecule APIs, antibody drug conjugates, peptides, and natural products). Lead initiatives, identify, develop, and optimize best practices for peptide asset development and new technologies for peptide manufacturing. Effectively communicate findings in a multidisciplinary team. Serve as a lead scientist on his/her own project and contribute scientific insights into multiple other projects.

Responsibilities

• Leverage core chemical engineering principles (chemical kinetics, transport phenomena, thermodynamics, mathematical modeling) in experimental design, thought process in problem‑solving, and data analysis.
• Understand and adhere to corporate standards regarding code of conduct, safety, appropriate handling of materials, controlled drug and radioactive compounds, and GxP compliance.
• Demonstrated ability to resolve key project hurdles by effectively utilizing available information, scientific creativity, and technical expertise.
• Maintain autonomous and productive performance in laboratory experimentation, pilot plant, and/or manufacturing support space, requiring only minimal direction from or interaction with supervisor.
• Author of publications, presentations, technical reports, regulatory documents, and/or patents.
• Be a subject matter expert to other functions within the project team. Anticipate, recognize, and resolve problems while functioning as the technical expert on cross functional teams.
• Demonstrate high proficiency across a wide range of relevant technologies.
• Lead Engineering team initiatives that drive operational efficiency, strengthen technology platforms, and build capabilities to meet evolving program needs.
• Mentor and guide junior scientific personnel, both within and outside direct reporting relationships, to support their technical and professional development.

Qualifications

• BS, MS, or PhD in chemical engineering or a related field and 12+ (BS), 10+ (MS), or 3+ (PhD) years of relevant industrial experience.
• Possesses excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Possess thorough theoretical and practical understanding of own scientific discipline.

Key Leadership Competencies

• Builds strong relationships with peers and cross‑functionally with partners outside of team to enable higher performance.
• Learns fast, understands key objectives, and can change course quickly where indicated.
• Raises the bar and is never satisfied with the status quo.
• Creates a learning environment, open to suggestions and experimentation for improvement, while establishing and maintaining project operation criteria and technical standards of excellence.
• May mentor, supervise, guide, and evaluate team members holding everyone accountable for effective performance.
• Embraces the ideas of others, nurtures innovation, and manages the transition from innovation to implementation.
• Demonstrates excellent technical and personal mentorship of others.

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 long‑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 employee 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

US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more: https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/reasonable-accommodations.html