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)