Associate Director, Formulation Chemistry, Biosurgery – MedTech

Associate Director, Formulation Chemistry, Biosurgery – Med Tech

Fueled by innovation at the intersection of biology and technology, we're developing the next generation of smarter, less invasive, more personalized treatments.

Are you passionate about improving and expanding the possibilities of surgery? Ready to join a team that's reimagining how we heal? Our Surgery team will give you the chance to deliver surgical technologies and solutions to surgeons and healthcare professionals around the world. Your contributions will help effectively treat some of the world's most prevalent conditions such as obesity, cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Patients are waiting.

We are searching for the best talent for an Associate Director, Formulation Chemistry, Biosurgery – Med Tech to support our handheld medical devices business. This role will be located in Raritan, NJ & work a Flex/Hybrid schedule with 3 days per week on-site. Relocation assistance is available to qualified applicants.

Our business offers a broad range of products and technologies, including surgical staplers, clip appliers, trocars and sealing devices—that are used in a wide variety of minimally invasive and open surgical procedures.

Purpose:

We are seeking an experienced, hands‑on Associate Director of Formulation Chemistry to lead and grow a multidisciplinary team of chemists and chemical engineers in Biosurgery R&D. This leader will oversee resource deployment across new product development and lifecycle improvement projects to design, develop, and refine chemistries used in medical devices (e.g., hemostats, sealants, adhesives, hydrogels, etc.). The role combines technical leadership, resource management, cross‑functional collaboration, and people development with strong attention to regulatory, quality, and manufacturability requirements.

Key responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and manage a team of formulation chemists and chemical engineers; hire, coach, set objectives, and perform performance reviews.
• Prioritize and allocate team resources across new product development and lifecycle projects to meet timelines, budget, and strategic goals.
• Define technical strategy for formulation and chemistry aspects of biosurgery product portfolio; translate business needs into project plans.
• Provide scientific and technical direction for formulation development: polymer/biopolymer chemistries, adhesives, crosslinking strategies, rheology modification, drug/biologic incorporation where applicable.
• Oversee formulation optimization for functional performance, stability, sterilization compatibility, biocompatibility, process robustness, and scale‑up.
• Ensure design controls, risk management (e.g., DFMEA), and documentation meet regulatory and quality system expectations (ISO 13485, FDA 21 CFR where applicable).
• Drive development and execution of test methods for formulation characterization
• Collaborate closely with cross‑functional partners: product development, device engineering, biocompatibility, regulatory affairs, quality, clinical, procurement, and external partners/suppliers.
• Represent the formulation function in leadership meetings; report project status, technical risks, and mitigation plans.
• Manage department budget and external vendor/contract research relationships.
• Promote a culture of safety, continuous improvement, innovation, and compliant documentation practices.

Qualifications and Requirements:

• A minimum of an MS is required; a Ph. D in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Polymer Science, or related discipline is strongly preferred.
• 6+ years (PhD) or 8+ years (MS/BS) of progressive industry experience in formulation development and leadership is required.
• Demonstrated experience leading teams of chemists/engineers and managing technical resources across multiple projects is required.
• Deep technical knowledge of polymer/biopolymer chemistry, adhesives/sealants, hydrogels, crosslinking chemistries, and relevant analytical techniques is required.
• Track record of successful technology transfer and scale‑up of formulations to manufacturing is required.
• Strong working knowledge of regulatory requirements for medical devices and combination…