Pharmaceutical Scientist, Peptides - Discovery Pharmaceutics

Johnson & Johnson Johnson & Johnson · Pharma · Beerse, Antwerp, Belgium

Johnson & Johnson is seeking a Pharmaceutical Scientist specializing in Peptides for their Discovery Pharmaceutics team in Beerse, Belgium. This role focuses on advancing peptide research, supporting drug discovery and development by optimizing molecule design, formulation strategies, and data integration. The scientist will collaborate with cross-functional teams to translate structure-property relationships into actionable guidance for formulation and delivery, contributing to candidate selection and early-stage development. The position requires a Ph.D. in a relevant scientific field and demonstrated expertise in peptide characterization and formulation.

What you'd actually do

  1. Shaping molecule design by translating structure–property relationships into actionable guidance (e.g., ionization, lipophilicity, aggregation, solid-state behavior) and clarifying how these govern formulation and delivery options.
  2. Driving selection of patient-centric delivery concepts for peptide assets, proposing novel formulation strategies to overcome key barriers (e.g., solubility, stability, permeability, enzymatic degradation, manufacturability).
  3. Contributing to candidate selection by integrating pharmaceutics, developability, and biophysical data into clear decision narratives and risk registers.
  4. Partnering with Development to define stage-appropriate formulation strategy (e.g., enabling formulations for tox and First-in-Human), including solid form considerations, stability strategy, and comparability-thinking from the start.
  5. Generating high-quality data through hands-on experimentation and quantitative analysis (wet lab and in silico), with reproducible methods, well-structured datasets, and scientifically defensible interpretation.

Skills

Required

  • Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Industrial Pharmacy, Chemical/Biochemical Engineering, Chemistry, Materials Science, or a closely related field.
  • Demonstrated expertise in peptide physicochemical characterization and/or formulation design.
  • Track record of translating scientific ideas into practical experiments and recommendations; comfortable iterating based on data and uncertainty.
  • Strong scientific communication skills (clear experimental rationale, rigorous data storytelling, concise written documentation).
  • Ability to design and execute laboratory experiments safely and independently, including troubleshooting and method development where needed.
  • Solid grounding in physical chemistry and pharmaceutical science principles (thermodynamics, kinetics, intermolecular interactions, phase behavior).
  • Independent thinking with strong collaboration skills; able to influence across disciplines and thrive in a matrixed, fast-moving R&D environment.

Nice to have

  • Oral peptide enabling science and/or novel delivery approaches.
  • Experience designing formulation concepts for preclinical studies across routes of administration, with clear rationale linking material properties to in vivo performance.
  • Hands-on experience