Research Scientist , CMC, Analytical Chemistry

Research Scientist 2, CMC, Analytical Chemistry Job Description

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 completion 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 Research Scientist 2, CMC, Analytical Chemistry to join our CMC team. The ideal candidate will work flexibly across a number of small molecule drug development programs with an emphasis on the development of in‑house analytical methods on new research/development compounds that will be subsequently transferred to external cGMP testing labs. The preformulation studies (polymorphism, solubility assessment, material characterization etc.)

will be a secondary aspect to the role which will be used to support the Company’s ongoing discovery and development programs.

This position reports to the Principal Scientist, Analytical Chemistry and will be in the Vancouver, BC, Canada location. The level of the position will be commensurate with the candidate’s education and industry experience. This is a permanent, full‑time position.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop, pre-validate, and troubleshoot analytical methods for starting materials, process intermediates, drug substances, and drug products from Xenon’s internal pipeline. Assess current analytical methods and optimize where applicable.
• Design and execute dissolution experiments. Develop dissolution methods for solid oral dosage forms.
• Support method qualification/validation studies by designing and/or reviewing validation protocols, reports and raw data as needed.
• Closely collaborate with Drug Substance and Drug Product during development
• Collaborate with colleagues in the Discovery group to evaluate and transfer product candidates into the CMC group. Conduct preformulation studies to enable formulation development.
• Identify impurities in the drug substance or drug product.
• Perform excipient compatibility and stability studies to aid with formulation selection.
• Transfer methods to our outsourced contract organizations in collaboration with QC.
• Independently design and conduct analytical experiments.
• Implement new experimental protocols and techniques.
• Interpret results and draw conclusions from experiments; design and pursue relevant experiments.
• Evaluate data and summarize in associated reports and documentation.
• Understand relevant scientific…