Head of Late‑Stage Formulation
Northern Ireland
A global veterinary pharmaceutical manufacturer with a strong international footprint is expanding its R&D leadership team and is seeking an experienced Head of Late‑Stage Formulation.
The organisation develops and manufactures veterinary medicines supplied to over 100 countries worldwide, with significant ongoing investment in R&D and a robust pipeline of new product launches. This role offers the opportunity to lead a critical function at the interface of development, scale‑up, and commercial manufacture.
As Head of Late‑Stage Formulation, you will be the technical authority for late‑stage formulation development, leading a specialist scientific team responsible for ensuring formulations are robust, scalable, and ready for commercial manufacture.
You will play a key role in managing technical risk, applying Quality by Design (QbD) principles, and working cross‑functionally with Operations, Quality, Regulatory, and Manufacturing teams to support successful technology transfer.
Key Responsibilities
* Lead and manage the Late‑Stage Formulation team, ensuring high technical and quality standards
* Develop and optimise veterinary drug product formulations in line with (V) ICH guidelines
* Transfer formulations from early development into late‑stage scale‑up and commercial manufacture
* Apply QbD principles to strengthen process understanding and lock down critical process parameters
* Collaborate cross‑functionally to support scale‑up, validation, and handover to manufacturing
* Oversee reverse engineering, product characterisation, and stability studies
* Provide technical input into patent and intellectual property strategy
* Author and review technical documentation to support global regulatory submissions (FDA, EMA, VICH/ICH, Ph. Eur., BP, USP)
* Drive continuous improvement within the formulation function
* Train, develop, and mentor scientific staff, maintaining strong technical capability and compliance
About You
You are an experienced formulation scientist and people leader with a strong background in regulated pharmaceutical development.
Essential experience includes:
* Postgraduate degree in Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmacy, or a related discipline
* 5+ years’ experience in drug product formulation development, scale‑up, and manufacture
* Strong working knowledge of GMP and global regulatory frameworks (FDA, EMA, VICH/ICH)
* Experience across a range of dosage forms within human or veterinary pharmaceuticals
* Proven experience leading and developing scientific teams
* Strong communication skills and a track record of effective cross‑functional collaboration
Why Apply?
* Lead a high‑impact formulation function within a globally active pharmaceutical manufacturer
* Play a key role in bringing new veterinary medicines to market
* Long‑term career opportunity within a growing, R&D‑driven organisation
* Competitive benefits package including pension, healthcare support, and generous annual leave
* Permanent, site‑based role with strong investment in facilities and people
Additional Information
* This role is based on a penicillin‑producing site and is not suitable for individuals with a penicillin allergy
* Applicants must have the right to work in the UK (visa sponsorship is not available)