Senior Director, Head of Extended Characterization

Overview

Site Name: USA - Massachusetts - Cambridge, USA - Pennsylvania - Upper Providence

Posted Date: Feb 4 2026

At GSK, we have bold ambitions for patients, aiming to positively impact the health of 2.5 billion people by the end of the decade. Our R&D focuses on discovering and delivering vaccines and medicines, combining our understanding of the immune system with cutting-edge technology to transform people’s lives. GSK fosters a culture ambitious for patients, accountable for impact, and committed to doing the right thing, focusing our efforts on assets with high potential to meet patient needs.

We unite science, technology, and talent to get ahead of disease together.

Lead strategic initiatives to advance process and product understanding through cutting-edge analytical techniques. Oversee the development and implementation of extended characterization platforms, including mass spectrometry (MS), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and advanced microscopy or bioassay platforms, ensuring robust analytical capabilities to support drug discovery, development, and manufacturing processes across the whole CMC portfolio. Focus on team building, talent development, and fostering collaborations to drive innovation and excellence in analytical sciences.

• Strategic Leadership: Develop and execute a comprehensive vision and strategy for extended characterization to support drug discovery and development pipelines. Lead the implementation, optimization, and application of advanced analytical techniques (MS, NMR, microscopy, and other cutting-edge methods) to achieve in-depth process and product characterization. Drive innovation to enhance understanding of drug substance and product properties, stability, and quality. Identify and integrate emerging technologies to strengthen analytical capabilities and improve operational efficiency.
• Team Leadership and Development: Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing team of scientists, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and scientific excellence. Develop and implement robust strategies to attract, retain, and nurture top talent. Oversee resource allocation, budgeting, and forecasting to enable efficient execution of characterization initiatives.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with analytical project, analytical operation, Drug Substance (DS), Drug Product (DP), manufacturing, and quality teams to align extended characterization efforts with organizational goals and ensure integration into development and production processes.
• External Engagement and Reputation Building: Establish and maintain strategic collaborations with external experts, academic institutions, and industry partners to advance research capabilities. Enhance visibility through publications in high-profile journals and participation in conferences, industry panels, and thought leadership forums.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Analytical Chemistry, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, or related field (life sciences)
• 15+ years of experience in analytical characterization or CMC-related analytical development in the pharmaceutical industry
• Extensive experience in advanced analytical techniques (MS, NMR, microscopy) and their application in drug discovery and development
• Strong track record with characterization techniques relevant to small and/or large molecules
• Experience managing external laboratory partners and technology transfers to manufacturing
• Hybrid work model with regular on-site presence in Belgium for laboratory leadership and stakeholder engagement

• PhD in a relevant scientific discipline
• Experience with material science disciplines (crystallography, particle science, physical chemistry)
• Hands-on experience implementing digital tools, laboratory information systems, or advanced data analytics in characterization workflows
• Experience supporting regulatory submissions and approval processes
• Track record in modernizing analytical platforms or introducing new technologies at scale
• Leadership: experience leading cross-functional technical strategy and managing resource prioritization
• Strong communication, collaboration,…