Head of Late Stage Formulation

Head of Late‑Stage Formulation

Northern Ireland

A global veterinary pharmaceutical manufacturer with a strong international footprint is expanding its R&D leadership team and is seeking an experienced Head of Late‑Stage Formulation.

The organisation develops and manufactures veterinary medicines supplied to over 100 countries worldwide, with significant ongoing investment in R&D and a robust pipeline of new product launches. This role offers the opportunity to lead a critical function at the interface of development, scale‑up, and commercial manufacture.

As Head of Late‑Stage Formulation, you will be the technical authority for late‑stage formulation development, leading a specialist scientific team responsible for ensuring formulations are robust, scalable, and ready for commercial manufacture.

You will play a key role in managing technical risk, applying Quality by Design (QbD) principles, and working cross‑functionally with Operations, Quality, Regulatory, and Manufacturing teams to support successful technology transfer.

Key Responsibilities

* Lead and manage the Late‑Stage Formulation team, ensuring high technical and quality standards

* Develop and optimise veterinary drug product formulations in line with (V) ICH guidelines

* Transfer formulations from early development into late‑stage scale‑up and commercial manufacture

* Apply QbD principles to strengthen process understanding and lock down critical process parameters

* Collaborate cross‑functionally to support scale‑up, validation, and handover to manufacturing

* Oversee reverse engineering, product characterisation, and stability studies

* Provide technical input into patent and intellectual property strategy

* Author and review technical documentation to support global regulatory submissions (FDA, EMA, VICH/ICH, Ph. Eur., BP, USP)

* Drive continuous improvement within the formulation function

* Train, develop, and mentor scientific staff, maintaining strong technical capability and compliance

About You

You are an experienced formulation scientist and people leader with a strong background in regulated pharmaceutical development.

Essential experience includes:

* Postgraduate degree in Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmacy, or a related discipline

* 5+ years’ experience in drug product formulation development, scale‑up, and manufacture

* Strong working knowledge of GMP and global regulatory frameworks (FDA, EMA, VICH/ICH)

* Experience across a range of dosage forms within human or veterinary pharmaceuticals

* Proven experience leading and developing scientific teams

* Strong communication skills and a track record of effective cross‑functional collaboration

Why Apply?

* Lead a high‑impact formulation function within a globally active pharmaceutical manufacturer

* Play a key role in bringing new veterinary medicines to market

* Long‑term career opportunity within a growing, R&D‑driven organisation

* Competitive benefits package including pension, healthcare support, and generous annual leave

* Permanent, site‑based role with strong investment in facilities and people

Additional Information

* This role is based on a penicillin‑producing site and is not suitable for individuals with a penicillin allergy

* Applicants must have the right to work in the UK (visa sponsorship is not available)