Director, Formulation Development

Location: Houston, TX

Posted: May 14, 2026

Req# 6156

Area: R&D

The Director, Formulation Scientist drives formulation innovation, technical strategy, and commercial readiness across Empower's expanding 503A and 503B portfolio, directly influencing product quality, regulatory compliance, operational scalability, and revenue growth. This leader owns formulation development from concept through transfer, overseeing scientific rigor, cross‑functional execution, risk mitigation, and accelerated delivery within a hyper‑growth, highly regulated environment. The role leverages AI as a multiplier to improve experimentation speed, predictive modeling, documentation quality, knowledge management, and data‑driven decision making across development activities.

• Portfolio Leadership
  :
  Lead formulation strategy across sterile and nonsterile pipelines, aligning scientific priorities with commercial demand, operational capabilities, and regulatory expectations within Empower's 503A and 503B environment. Use AI enabled analytics to improve formulation predictability, technical decisions, and resource prioritization while partnering with leadership, manufacturing, and quality teams to balance innovation, compliance, scalability, patient safety, and growth objectives.
• Innovation Planning
  :
  Establish formulation roadmaps supporting pipeline expansion and differentiated product development across regulated pharmaceutical operations. Integrate AI assisted modeling, literature mining, and digital experimentation tools to strengthen formulation design, reduce development risk, and improve speed to market while evaluating novel excipients, delivery systems, and technologies aligned with quality and regulatory expectations.
• Scientific Governance
  :
  Direct scientific governance frameworks ensuring formulation consistency, technical rigor, documentation integrity, and compliant development practices. Build scalable review mechanisms supporting rapid decision making and accountability throughout development life cycles. Utilize AI driven trend analysis, data visualization, and knowledge management systems to strengthen oversight, identify risks, and improve formulation quality, reproducibility, and process efficiency.

• Development Oversight
  :
  Oversee formulation development from feasibility through commercial readiness, ensuring alignment across research, manufacturing, analytical, and quality teams. Apply AI supported analytics to optimize formulations, improve batch consistency, accelerate troubleshooting, and maintain compliance, documentation integrity, and patient safety.
• Process Optimization
  :
  Lead formulation optimization initiatives focused on scalability, manufacturability, stability, and operational efficiency. Utilize AI enabled process intelligence, predictive monitoring, and data analysis to improve robustness, reduce variability, and support sustainable manufacturing performance.
• Technical Problem Solving
  :
  Resolve complex scientific, operational, and quality challenges impacting formulation performance and commercialization timelines. Integrate AI powered analytics and simulation tools to accelerate issue resolution, improve development outcomes, and maintain compliance, product quality, and operational continuity.

• Stakeholder Alignment
  :
  Build partnerships across quality, manufacturing, regulatory, analytical, and commercial teams to ensure coordinated formulation execution. Leverage AI enhanced collaboration and reporting tools to improve decision making, visibility, accountability, and alignment with Empower's strategic and compliance objectives.
• Talent Development
  :
  Recruit, develop, and retain high performing scientific talent within Empower's fast paced, highly regulated environment while promoting accountability, technical excellence, and continuous learning.
• Executive Communication
  :
  Deliver data driven updates and strategic recommendations regarding formulation progress, technical risks, and operational readiness. Apply AI enabled reporting and forecasting tools to improve communication clarity, accelerate decision making,…