Senior Scientist Chemical Research Full-time NEW

Senior Scientist – Small Molecule Crystallization

Crystallization Technology Unit (CTU) | Beerse, Belgium

Driving life‑changing medicines through excellence in crystallization development!

At Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. As a Senior Scientist in Small Molecule Crystallization, you will play a meaningful role in transforming promising molecules into robust, manufacturable Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) that support patients worldwide.

Based in Belgium, Beerse, you will join the Crystallization Technology Unit (CTU)—a recognized center of excellence supporting the full Johnson & Johnson synthetic small‑molecule portfolio. Here, your scientific decisions directly influence product quality, supply reliability, and patient impact.

Your impact

In this role, you will drive crystallization and downstream process development from early laboratory work through plant implementation. You will tackle complex solid‑state challenges and develop scalable solutions for manufacturing use.

You will:

• Own crystallization and downstream processing strategies for multiple development projects, from lab to production scale.
• Translate solid‑state science into robust, scalable processes meeting critical API specifications (polymorph, particle properties, purity)
• Generate deep mechanistic understanding through data‑rich experimentation, kinetics/thermodynamics evaluation, and process modeling
• Leverage advanced analytics offline and PAT tools (e.g. UPLC, XRD, DSC, DVS, laser diffraction, ATR-FTIR, Raman, image analysis,…) to guide process development and decision‑making
• Evaluate and optimize downstream steps such as isolation, drying, and milling
• Work closely with R&D chemists, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Drug Product Development, and manufacturing sites worldwide
• Stay at the forefront of crystallization science through external collaborations and academic engagement

What you bring

Required

• PhD (or equivalent experience) in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, or a related field with a strong focus on crystallization science.
• Strong hands‑on laboratory expertise, with demonstrated responsibility for the design, execution, and interpretation of data‑rich crystallization experiments.
• Ability to plan and independently conduct laboratory studies, translating scientific questions into well‑designed experimental strategies.
• Solid fundamentals in crystallization and phase behavior, with the ability to apply theory to practical laboratory work.
• Experience in generating high‑quality experimental data to support process understanding, development decisions, and scale‑up.
• Excellent in scientific communication skills in English, both verbal and written, with the ability to clearly document, interpret, and present experimental results.
• Ability to work effectively in a dynamic, cross‑functional environment, collaborating with diverse project teams to develop and implement efficient processes.

Preferred

• Exposure to crystallography (e.g., structure determination, polymorph analysis) is considered an advantage, particularly where it is related to crystallization process understanding.
• Industrial experience in crystallization, precipitation, isolation, and drying processes
• Experience with scale‑up and technology transfer from lab to pilot or production plant
• Familiarity with crystallizability screening, phase diagrams, DoE, and downstream operations
• Experience with high-throughput experimentation, preferably in the area of crystallization
• Experience with crystallization and/or isolation of biomacromolecules (e.g., proteins, peptides)
• Experience with scientific modeling (G-Proms, PBM…) programming or data science using (Python, R, or Matlab) is considered an advantage.

What we offer

• The opportunity to contribute to breakthrough medicines with global patient impact
• A world‑class, highly collaborative scientific environment where you work alongside recognized experts and build scientific direction, within a close‑knit ~15‑person expert team at the J&J Beerse site, embedded in the Crystallization Expertise center.
• Access to state‑of‑the‑art facilities and sophisticated PAT technologies, enabling high‑quality, data‑driven science
• High visibility and real impact — your work directly supports clinical development and reliable commercial supply of medicines!
• Strong scientific ownership, with the autonomy and trust to design, interpret, and defend your work independently
• End‑to‑end exposure, allowing you to translate scientific ideas from early laboratory experiments to full‑scale manufacturing
• Continuous supported professional growth, supported by peer exchange, mentoring, and targeted learning opportunities
• Competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits, including on‑site sports facilities and well‑being programs
• Flexible working hours and hybrid options for non‑lab activities, supporting sustainable performance and work‑life balance

Ready to turn molecules into medicines?

If you are passionate about crystallization science and want your work to make a tangible difference in patients' lives, we would love to hear from you.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

Required Skills: Collaborating, Critical Thinking, Data Quality, Drug Discovery Development, Emerging Technologies, Execution Focus, Chemistry, Industry Analysis, Innovation, Interdisciplinary Work, Pharmaceutical Trends, Pharmacognosy, Pharmacology, Quantitative Research, Research Ethics, Scientific Research, Technologically Savvy