Principal Scientist​/Senior Principal Scientist, CMC, Analytical Chemistry

Principal Scientist/Senior Principal Scientist, CMC, Analytical Chemistry

Job Description
Posted Friday, October 10, 2025 at 10:00 AM

Who We Are:

Xenon Pharmaceuticals ( NASDAQ:

XENE ) is a neuroscience-focused biopharmaceutical company dedicated to drug discovery, clinical development, and commercialization of life-changing therapeutics for patients in need. We are looking for great people who thrive in a respectful, collaborative, inclusive, and productive culture to join the Xenon team.

What We Do:

We are advancing an exciting product pipeline to address indications with high unmet medical need, including epilepsy and depression. Our flagship azetukalner program represents the most advanced, clinically validated potassium channel modulator in late-stage clinical development for multiple indications. Building upon the positive results and compelling data from our Phase 2b “X-TOLE” study in adult patients with focal epilepsy, our Phase 3 epilepsy program includes multiple clinical trials evaluating azetukalner in patients with focal onset seizures and primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures.

In August 2025, we announced the completement of patient recruitment in our Phase 3 X-TOLE2 study and topline data are anticipated in early 2026. We also have multiple Phase 3 azetukalner clinical trials in major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar depression (BPD) underway, based on topline data from our Phase 2 “X-NOVA” clinical trial. In addition, we are proud of the leading-edge science coming out of our discovery labs, including early-stage research programs that leverage our extensive ion channel expertise and drug discovery capabilities to identify validated drug targets and develop new product candidates, and have recently initiated Phase 1 studies for our follow-on Kv7 channel opener, XEN
1120, and our lead Nav
1.7 development candidate, XEN
1701, in pain. Backed by a strong balance sheet to support our growth plans, we continue to build a fully integrated, premier neuroscience company with strong discovery, clinical development, corporate, and commercial operations.

About the Role:

We are seeking a  Principal/Senior Principal Scientist, CMC, Analytical Chemistry  to join our team. This position will report to the Executive Director, CMC, Analytical Development and will be responsible for the development of analytical methodology and characterization activities in support of new drug substance and new drug product development and manufacturing. He/she will provide analytical support for API and drug product manufacture in support of preclinical and clinical batches.

This position will be based out of Vancouver, BC, Canada. The level of the position will be commensurate with the candidate’s education and industry experience. Relocation and immigration support will be provided, if required. This role is a hybrid position, requiring a minimum of 2 days per week in the office.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Lead a team of scientists and research associates supporting the development of New Chemical Entities drug substance and drug product for preclinical and clinical programs within the CMC group in close collaboration with the CMC teams.

Collaborate with colleagues in Discovery to transfer product candidates into the CMC group.

Identify and recommend analytical methodologies to support chemical development, formulation development, QC, and stability testing. Lead and perform activities related to analytical method development, optimization, troubleshooting, qualification, validation, and transfer activities for starting materials, process intermediates, drug substances, drug products, internally and at CMOs.

Work with multi-functional project teams to design and execute phase-appropriate analytical strategies including analytical method development, qualification/validation, and product characterization. Represent analytical function in CMC teams and interdepartmental meetings.

Subject matter expert for impurity characterization. Track and evaluate impurity profiles for drug substance and drug product. Characterization and identify unknown impurities and their source. Develop new methods for impurity tracking.

Revolve…