Research Fellow in Biomaterials, Drug Delivery

Research Fellow in Biomaterials, Drug Delivery

Auxilium is a biomaterials company developing solutions for tissue infections and regeneration. We are setting the stage for the next generation of biomaterials that promote effective healing and improve outcomes for both patients and healthcare professionals. Our mission is to heal patients from day one.

Auxilium is seeking an exceptional, collaborative, and analytical Biomaterials Research Fellow in Drug, Gas (NO) Delivery & Release Kinetics to join our pioneering team. The ideal candidate combines deep expertise in biomaterials and polymer systems with a strong background in drug delivery, controlled release, and infection-relevant biology. We are particularly interested in individuals who have worked on porous scaffolds for local delivery in wound, implant, or tissue-engineering contexts, and who are excited about tackling problems at the intersection of biofilms, antimicrobials, and host–material interactions.

In this role, you will partner closely with Auxilium’s leadership to drive hypothesis‑driven research on bio‑based, drug‑loaded porous materials. You will design and execute robust experimental frameworks to understand and tune release kinetics, link formulation and processing to payload loading and stability, and evaluate the impact of these systems on biofilm inhibition, bacterial killing, and biocompatibility. Your work will generate the scientific and mechanistic understanding that underpins future implant and wound‑care products, while giving you significant ownership over the direction and depth of the research.

• Formulate drug‑loaded porous biomaterials for local delivery of antibiotics, antiseptics, or other bioactive molecules.
• Define and optimize release kinetics (burst vs. sustained vs. multi‑phase profiles), using mechanistic and empirical studies to link formulation, structure, and release behavior.
• Assess processing–performance relationships by varying formulation and drying/coating parameters to understand their impact on drug loading, stability, and release.
• Execute in vitro release and efficacy assays to quantify drug release profiles, biofilm inhibition, bacterial kill curves, and antimicrobial activity in relevant models.
• Evaluate biocompatibility and functional response via cell‑based assays, including viability, cytotoxicity, and cell–material interactions in the presence of drug‑loaded systems.
• Use materials and formulation characterization tools (e.g., microscopy, swelling/degradation studies, mechanical testing, release profiling) to understand structure–function relationships in drug‑delivery systems.
• Design rigorous experiments with appropriate controls and replicates; analyze data using sound statistical methods, and refine hypotheses based on results.
• Maintain high‑quality documentation, including lab notebooks, protocols, and datasets, to support reproducibility, collaboration, and eventual technology transfer.
• Communicate scientific findings clearly, synthesizing results into figures, slide decks, and concise technical summaries for internal discussions—and, where appropriate, for manuscripts, conference abstracts, or patent filings.

• Current Ph.D. candidate in their 4th or 5th year or postdoctoral fellow in Materials Science, Polymer Science, Bioengineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related field with a strong emphasis on biomaterials, polymers, and drug‑delivery chemistry.
• Must have hands‑on experience with polymer functionalization, including chemical modification, surface activation, or conjugation of functional groups.
• Must have hands‑on experience working with polymer‑based nitric oxide (NO) release systems, including synthesis, characterization, and quantification of NO release.
• Familiarity with analytical and quantitative characterization methods relevant to drug delivery, such as UV–Vis, fluorescence, HPLC, or similar quantification tools, as well as basic materials characterization.
• Experience with in vitro cell culture, including viability or cytotoxicity assays, and the ability to assess cell–material interactions or the biological impact…