Lead Research Scientist

Senior Research Scientist (Pharma)

Croda is a FTSE 100 specialty chemical manufacturer driven by our purpose of Smart Science to Improve Lives™. With a global presence and deep expertise in high-performance materials, Croda Pharma develops innovative solutions that support pharmaceutical development, drug delivery, and bioprocessing.

We are seeking a Senior Research Scientist – Synthetic Chemistry (Polymer-Enabled) to join our Princeton R&D team. This role is designed for a strong synthetic chemist with a robust background in polymer chemistry and analytical science, who can operate beyond discovery chemistry to deliver scalable, manufacturable solutions within a specialty chemicals environment.

You will work closely with cross-functional teams, including Process Development, Manufacturing, Quality, and Commercial functions, to translate scientific innovation into practical, industrial outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

The Senior Research Scientist will work closely with cross-functional teams and contribute to the design, development, and characterization of new excipient systems and the improvement of existing ones.

• Lead the design and synthesis of chemical systems, including polymers, small molecules, and hybrid materials for pharmaceutical applications
• Apply polymer chemistry expertise to develop functional excipients, delivery-enabling materials, and specialty chemical solutions, while contributing broadly across synthetic chemistry challenges
• Translate laboratory chemistry into scalable processes, working collaboratively with process development and manufacturing teams
• Utilize analytical chemistry tools (e.g., NMR, HPLC, GPC, LC-MS, FTIR, GC-FID/MS, and thermal analysis) to characterize materials and guide development decisions
• Establish structure–property relationships to inform product performance and application
• Apply data-driven approaches (DoE, statistical analysis) to optimize processes and ensure robustness
• Support identification of critical quality attributes (CQAs) and process parameters (CPPs) for commercial viability
• Troubleshoot challenges related to synthesis, purification, reproducibility, and scale-up
• Collaborate across functions to support technology transfer, commercialization, and customer-driven development
• Generate high-quality technical documentation aligned with regulated or quality-driven environments
• Mentor junior scientists and contribute to a collaborative, high-performance team culture
• Participate in general lab and instrument maintenance.
• Willing to learn new techniques and application areas.

Qualifications & Experience

• Ph.D. in Chemistry (Polymer, Organic, Materials, or related field)
• Typically 10+ years of relevant industrial experience, ideally within specialty chemicals, pharmaceutical, or related sectors.
• Strong foundation in synthetic chemistry, with demonstrated ability to work across both small molecules and polymeric systems
• Proven experience in polymer design, synthesis, modification, and characterization
• Hands-on experience in analytical chemistry (eg. GC-FID/MS, HPLC-ELSD/ material characterization, with the ability to interpret complex datasets and guide development decisions
• Experience or exposure to pharmaceutical formulation development, including working with excipients, understanding of drug delivery systems, and the ability to translate material properties into formulation performance
• Experience in process development and scale-up, with an appreciation for manufacturing constraints and commercial requirements
• Familiarity with regulated environments (e.g., cGMP or adjacent) and expectations around documentation and data integrity
• Experience applying DoE, statistical tools, and data-driven approaches to process or product development
• Understanding of structure–property relationships and how they translate into product performance
• Ability to operate effectively at the interface of innovation and industrial application
• Strong problem-solving and troubleshooting skills in complex chemical systems
• Proven ability to lead and manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Excellent cross-functional collaboration and communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to translate laboratory…