Principal Scientist - Process Chemistry

Job Title:  Principal Scientist, Process Chemistry

Reports To: Director of Process Chemistry

Location: Boston (On-Site)

Job Type: Full-Time

Company Overview:

Founded in 1999, Asymchem is a global integrated Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) providing drug R&D and manufacturing for leading pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Our mission is to drive smarter, greener, and more cost-effective manufacturing to support clinical research and commercialization. Asymchem currently operates eight manufacturing facilities offering solutions ranging from early clinical stage to commercial stage, including R&D, cGMP production of advanced intermediates, APIs, formulations, and clinical research services. Asymchem Group, headquartered in Tianjin, P. R. China.  is a publicly traded company on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (stock code 002821.SZ) 

Job Overview: 

The Principal Scientist leads the design and optimization of synthetic routes for key small molecule intermediates and APIs, ensuring efficient, scalable, and robust processes. Responsibilities include multi-step synthesis, scale-up, and troubleshooting, with a strong emphasis on analytical characterization and process development. The role involves close collaboration with senior chemists, active participation in tech transfer and cGMP activities, and regular client communication. The scientist also prepares detailed R&D reports and contributes to project strategy and execution

Duties & Responsibilities:

Work on and lead the development projects including summarizing/interpreting data, solving technical problems, leading client meetings, and achieving timelines and budgets.

Effectively communicate own and team’s work. Effectively deliver project updates to the clients and the organization in oral or written forms.

Demonstrate independent thinking by proposing and implementing new experimental designs and concepts; plan and perform laboratory experiments independently.

Develop robust processes for the targe molecule which ensure safe, reproducible, and scalable manufacturing in large scale equipment.

Solve the more complicated chemistry problems and troubleshoot the process issues.

Display expertise in modern analytical techniques, such as HPLC, GC, NMR, MS, XRPD and the purification of organic compounds.

Understand the concepts of reaction kinetics, design of experiments, solubility and crystallization, mass transfer, heat transfer and process safety.

Keep abreast of relevant literature and maintain a high level of expertise in own field. Understand and manage IP position for a project.

Will contribute directly to technology transfer to internal sites. Collaborate with scientists within and outside functional area in achieving team goals.

Will contribute performing scale-up of intermediates and APIs independently and collaboratively in the process chemistry kilo lab.

Perform laboratory operations in a safe manner. Ensure process safety guidelines are followed when conducting scale-up experiments. Keep abreast of the Chemical Hygiene Plan. Follow responsible actions for chemical disposal. Maintain compliance with all regulations at the federal, state, and local levels.

Contribute and participate in setting up the process chemistry laboratory of Asymchem Boston’s new R&D center.

Contribute and participate in general laboratory maintenance activities.

Conduct other related duties as may be reasonably assigned.

Experience Requirements - Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities (KSAs):

PhD. in Organic Chemistry with 5–7 years of hands-on experience in the pharmaceutical or CDMO industry.

Minimum 3 years of specialized experience in Process Chemistry, including work in Kilo labs, technology transfer, or manufacturing environments within pharmaceutical or CDMO settings.

Experience and knowledge of GMP compliance and ICH quality guidelines is a plus.

Ability to communicate effectively both in verbal and written forms.

Must be able to work in a team environment.

Excellent planning and organizational skills and the ability of multi-tasking and prioritizing in a highly dynamic environment.

Experience of process research and development with demonstrated success in scaling processes is desirable.

Benefits:

Day 1 Coverage: Medical, Vision (Company-paid), and Dental Insurance

Company-paid: Life Insurance, Short-Term Disability (STD), & Long-Term Disability (LTD)

Paid Time Off: Holidays, Vacation, Sick Time, and Maternity Leave (per US or home country policy)

401(k) Matching 

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