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Director Pharmaceutical Development Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Reporting to Executive Director, Pharmaceutical Development and Manufacturing (PDM) Strategy, you will lead development of strategies for PDM with an enterprise mindset and provide clarity for ...

Reporting to Executive Director, Pharmaceutical Development and Manufacturing (PDM) Strategy, you will lead development of strategies for PDM with an enterprise mindset and provide clarity for ...

... directed. * Ensure that all work is accurate, precise, properly documented and, when appropriate ... D. in Pharmacy, Pharmaceutics, Industry Pharmacy or related field with four or more years of ...

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Director Pharmaceutical Development information

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$43K

$82.6K

$162K

How much do director pharmaceutical development jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 14, 2026, the average yearly pay for director pharmaceutical development in the United States is $82,598.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $55,000.00 and $97,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

How does a Director of Pharmaceutical Development typically collaborate with cross-functional teams during the drug development process?

A Director of Pharmaceutical Development regularly collaborates with multidisciplinary teams, including research scientists, regulatory affairs, clinical development, and manufacturing departments. This role acts as a bridge to ensure alignment between scientific objectives, regulatory requirements, and commercial goals. Effective communication and project management skills are crucial, as the director must coordinate timelines, resolve technical challenges, and integrate feedback from different stakeholders to advance projects efficiently. Collaboration is key to ensuring that product development stays on track and meets both quality standards and regulatory expectations.

What does a Director of Pharmaceutical Development do?

A Director of Pharmaceutical Development leads and oversees the process of developing new pharmaceutical products, from initial concept through to clinical trials and regulatory approval. They manage teams of scientists, coordinate with regulatory agencies, and ensure projects meet timelines, budgets, and quality standards. Additionally, they collaborate with cross-functional departments such as research, manufacturing, and marketing to align product development with business goals. Their role is crucial in bringing safe and effective medications to market.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Director of Pharmaceutical Development, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Director of Pharmaceutical Development, you need advanced expertise in pharmaceutical sciences, drug development processes, and regulatory compliance, typically supported by a PhD or PharmD and significant industry experience. Familiarity with tools like LIMS, project management software, and knowledge of FDA/EMA submission systems is crucial. Outstanding leadership, strategic thinking, and cross-functional communication skills distinguish top performers in this role. These competencies ensure effective management of complex development pipelines, regulatory success, and alignment with organizational goals.

What is the difference between Director Pharmaceutical Development vs Senior Pharmaceutical Scientist?

AspectDirector Pharmaceutical DevelopmentSenior Pharmaceutical Scientist
CredentialsAdvanced degrees (PhD, PharmD), extensive industry experienceMaster's or PhD in pharmaceutical sciences or related field
Work EnvironmentLeadership roles, strategic planning, cross-department collaborationResearch, formulation, laboratory work
Employer & Industry UsagePharmaceutical companies, biotech firms, R&D divisionsResearch labs, development teams within pharma companies

The main difference is that the Director Pharmaceutical Development oversees strategic development projects and manages teams, while the Senior Pharmaceutical Scientist focuses on hands-on research and formulation work. The director role involves leadership and planning, whereas the senior scientist role emphasizes technical expertise and experimentation.

More about Director Pharmaceutical Development jobs
What cities are hiring for Director Pharmaceutical Development jobs? Cities with the most Director Pharmaceutical Development job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Pharmaceutical Development jobs? The most popular types of Pharmaceutical Development jobs are:
What states have the most Director Pharmaceutical Development jobs? States with the most job openings for Director Pharmaceutical Development jobs include:
Infographic showing various Director Pharmaceutical Development job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 83% Full Time, 15% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 90% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $82,598 per year, or $39.7 per hour.
Senior Research Associate/Senior Scientist, Pharmaceutical Development

Senior Research Associate/Senior Scientist, Pharmaceutical Development

Ionis Pharmaceuticals

Carlsbad, CA โ€ข Hybrid

Full-time

Posted 8 days ago


Job description

Headquartered in Carlsbad, California, and with offices in Boston, Massachusetts, and Dublin, Ireland, Ionis has been at work for more than three decades discovering medical breakthroughs that have redefined life for people with serious diseases. Weโ€™re pioneers in RNA-targeted medicines, and our platform continues to revolutionize drug discovery and transform lives for patients with unmet needs.ย  With multiple marketed medicines and a leading pipeline in neurology, cardiology and select areas of high patient needs, we continue to drive innovation in RNA therapies in addition to advancing new approaches in gene editing to provide greater value to patients and are well positioned financially to deliver on our strategic goals.

At Ionis, we pride ourselves on cultivating a challenging, motivating and rewarding environment that fosters innovation and scientific excellence. We know that our success is a direct result of the exceptional talents and dedication of our employees.ย 

With an unprecedented opportunity to change the course of human health, we look to add diverse individuals, skill sets and perspectives to our exceptional team. We continue to invest time, money and energy into making our onsite, hybrid and remote work environments a place where solid and lasting relationships are built and where our culture and employees can thrive.ย 

Weโ€™re building on our rich history, and we believe our greatest achievements are ahead of us. If youโ€™re passionate about the opportunity to have meaningful impact on patients in need, we invite you to apply and join us. Experience and contribute to our unique culture while you develop and expand your career!

SENIOR RESEARCH ASSOCIATE / SENIOR SCIENTIST, PHARMACEUTICAL DEVELOPMENT

SUMMARY:ย 

Ionis Pharmaceuticals seeks an experienced pharmaceutical development scientist to support laboratory experiments, review development data, and author and standardize technical reports for injectable drug products in development. The ideal candidate will be an independent self-starter with experience in analytical, formulation and process support for early and late-stage development of oligonucleotide-based drug products including conjugated with small molecules, peptides and proteins.ย 

The successful candidate will be able to perform the following responsibilities with a high degree of independence and attention to detail.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Analytical support for formulation development, development stability and drug product manufacturing process development of early and late-stage parenteral drugs.
  • Perform laboratory experiments to develop formulation and aseptic manufacturing processes and to assess development stability and characterize combination products.
  • Statistical treatment of data sets including DOE
  • Author and/or review of technical data and reports, summarizing development studies and supporting regulatory submissions, while ensuring scientific rigor and accuracy, and presentation clarity
  • Author / review of drug product specifications, manufacturing batch records, stability protocols, stability data, expiration dating and related documents, ensuring timely data reporting for regulatory submission
  • Work closely with cross-functional teams including Analytical, Drug Product, Device, Clinical, QA, and Regulatory to develop drug products while meeting regulatory requirements
  • Perform other duties as assigned

REQUIREMENTS:ย 

  • BS with a minimum of 5 years, MS with a minimum of 3 years, or PhD with a minimum of 2 years of related industry experience in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bio/Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Biochemistry, or related major
  • Experience with compendial and separation methods (chromatography, electrophoresis) supporting preformulation, formulation development and development stability are required.
  • Self-starter with proven skills in designing experiments, analyzing data sets including statistical treatment, presenting technical presentations and authoring technical reports
  • Excellent communication skills and the ability to work independently as well as cohesively with internal and external cross-functional teams
  • Able to think, perform independently, strategically, analytically, and creatively to solve technical and project challenges
  • Knowledge of FDA, ICH, ISO, USP and relevant guidance documents in product development
  • Good technical writing skills/experience
  • Work efficiently and effectively in a fast pace, cross-functional environment with excellent time and project management skills to manage multiple time-sensitive projects.
  • Strong interpersonal, communication, and collaboration skills along with strengths in meeting project deliverable(s).
  • Role is onsite and does not support remote working; 3 โ€“ 5 days of laboratory work per week is expected

Please visit our website, http://www.ionis.com for more information about Ionis and to apply for this position; reference requisition #IONIS004037

Ionis offers an excellent benefits package! Follow this link for more details: Ionis Benefits

Full Benefits Link: https://ionis.com/careers#:~:text=Highly%20competitive%20benefits

The pay scale for this position is $87,500 to $154,461
The pay scale for Senior Research Associate (B.S. or M.S. Degree) is $87,000 to $108,662

The pay scale for Senior Scientist (PhD) is $99,696 to $$154,461

NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE. PRINCIPALS ONLY.

Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and all its subsidiaries are proud to be EEO employers.