Job Opening: R&D Associate II/Associate Scientist I in the Drug Delivery & Devices Group (Formulation Sciences), MedImmune LLC, Gaithersburg MD.
Major duties and responsibilities: There is an opening for an experimental researcher in the Drug Delivery and Devices Group in the Formulations Sciences (FS) Group at MedImmune. You will primarily help support the wider FS group (including FS groups in Mountain View CA and Cambridge UK) by performing physical and rheological characterization of protein/peptide/vaccine formulations.
You will assist in characterizing secondary viscosity standard fluids used in delivery device trials. You will also be responsible for preparing these secondary standards, ensuring their stability under storage conditions and for filling them into delivery devices for trials. You will perform comprehensive studies, under your supervisor’s guidance, aimed at clarifying the effects of various excipients on protein/peptide solution rheology and thermodynamics to help predictively support your FS colleagues. You are expected to learn and perform interfacial rheology experiments, and help apply it as a tool to support late stage formulation development.
You will be focused on the quality of your physical characterization data, and ensuring that they meet the needs of our clients across the organization. You will be responsible for gathering solution rheology data on various pipeline molecules, interpreting data and explaining the relevance and impact of these data with your colleagues. You are expected to maintain lab notebooks according to cGxP compliance standards. You are expected to (co-)author memos and official technical reports, including reports used to support regulatory submissions. You will assist in writing guidance documents for torsional rheometry and micro-slit rheometry, and ensure that rheological measurements are performed in adherence to these guidance documents. You will also provide training and development for colleagues in rheometry as required.
Requirements and qualifications: Deep grasp of fluid mechanics and rheology is essential. Additionally you must be skilled in bulk shear rheology (torsional and also capillary/slit) calorimetry, spectrophotometry, optical microscopy, interfacial tensiometry and light scattering (dynamic and static). Understanding of basic principles of Colloid Science, Bio-Chemistry and Bio-Physics will be added strengths. Experience in protein solution rheology, interfacial rheology and micro-rheology will be a plus.
Education: Masters degree in Physics\Bio-Physics\Applied Physics\Chemistry\Chemical
Engineering\Materials Science & Engineering or a related discipline.
Experience: 2-5 years experience in the (bio)-pharmaceutical industry (only) is a must have for Associate Scientist I. Candidates with 0-3 years experience will be considered for the R&D Associate II level.
Special skills and abilities: You must be a team player. Superlative written and oral communication skills and polished inter-personal skills are a must. You must understand relevant compliance requirements in the bio-pharma industry, and have a good
understanding of the drug discovery/development process. The ability to self-motivate is required, along with independent, quick learning and critical thinking skills. This is a fast- paced and demanding environment that demands effective time management and project prioritization skills.
Job complexity: The job is challenging. You will work in a highly inter-disciplinary environment with colleagues from diverse fields such as Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biophysics, Pharmaceutical Science, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering etc, and must be comfortable in communicating across a broad spectrum of scientists and engineers.
Supervision: The ideal candidate will have already demonstrated skills of critical and independent thinking and self-motivation that require minimal day-to-day guidance.
About the Organization:
MedImmune, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.
MedImmune strives to provide better medicines to patients, new medical options for physicians and rewarding careers to employees. With approximately 3,000 employees worldwide and headquarters in Maryland, MedImmune is dedicated to advancing science and medicine to help people live better lives and is wholly owned by AstraZeneca plc (LSE: AZN.L, NYSE: AZN). For more information, visit MedImmune’s website athttp://www.medimmune.com.