Senior Principal Scientist – Process Development

About the role

Pfizer’s Process Development Centre in Cork is seeking a Senior Principal Scientist to lead route scouting, synthetic design and process development for new therapeutic programmes. The role combines hands‑on laboratory innovation with strategic guidance across early‑ and late‑stage projects.

Key responsibilities

• Design and execute scalable synthetic routes using modern organic chemistry and state‑of‑the‑art technologies.
• Lead process development campaigns, including high‑throughput experimentation, continuous processing and catalysis optimisation.
• Apply data‑rich experimentation, AI‑driven tools and predictive modelling to accelerate chemistry development.
• Mentor junior scientists and influence cross‑functional project direction.
• Represent the Process Development Centre internally and with external partners.

Required profile

• PhD in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering or a related discipline.
• Extensive experience in synthetic organic chemistry and process development at a senior level.
• Proven track record of delivering scalable, safe and robust manufacturing routes for pharmaceutical APIs.
• Strong leadership and communication skills to guide multidisciplinary teams.

Required skills

• Synthetic organic chemistry
• Process development
• High‑throughput experimentation (HTE)
• Data‑rich experimentation
• AI tools for chemistry
• Continuous processing
• Catalysis
• Predictive modelling
• Statistical experimental design

What we offer

• Competitive salary and benefits package.
• Opportunities for career advancement and professional development.
• Access to further education programmes and international travel.
• Strong personal development and mentorship environment.