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Pharmaceutical Development Jobs in Illinois (NOW HIRING)

Project Manager

Woodstock, IL · On-site

$80K - $100K/yr

PMP certification (preferred) Experience: * 5+ years of relevant experience in pharmaceutical development and project management * Experience managing client-facing projects strongly preferred * Have ...

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Pharmaceutical Development information

See Illinois salary details

$22.8K

$66.3K

$126.9K

How much do pharmaceutical development jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 4, 2026, the average yearly pay for pharmaceutical development in Illinois is $66,300.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $33,900.00 and $86,200.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a pharmaceutical development?

A Pharmaceutical Development job involves researching, formulating, and optimizing new drug products to ensure safety, efficacy, and regulatory compliance. Professionals in this role work on drug formulation, process development, and scale-up for manufacturing. They collaborate with scientists, regulatory teams, and production staff to bring medications from the lab to market. This field requires strong knowledge of chemistry, biology, and regulatory requirements.

What does a pharmaceutical development professional do?

Professionals in Pharmaceutical Development typically oversee the formulation and optimization of new drug products, conduct lab-based experiments, and analyze test data to ensure product efficacy and safety. They frequently collaborate with cross-functional teams such as quality assurance, regulatory affairs, and manufacturing to advance each stage of product development. Regular responsibilities also include drafting technical reports, maintaining detailed laboratory documentation, and supporting regulatory submissions. The role often requires balancing hands-on lab work with strategic planning, ensuring that all processes comply with industry standards and regulations.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in pharmaceutical development?

To thrive in Pharmaceutical Development, you need a strong background in pharmaceutical sciences, chemistry, or related fields, often supported by an advanced degree (MS or PhD) and experience in drug formulation and testing. Proficiency in analytical instrumentation (e.g., HPLC, GC), regulatory compliance systems, and Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) certifications are highly valued. Strong project management, problem-solving abilities, and effective communication skills set top performers apart. These competencies ensure the development of safe, effective pharmaceuticals while navigating complex regulatory requirements and cross-functional team dynamics.

How much do pharmaceutical developers make?

Pharmaceutical developers typically earn a median annual salary of around $80,000 to $120,000, depending on experience, education, and location. Entry-level positions may start lower, while experienced professionals or those with advanced degrees can earn higher salaries, especially in research and development environments.

How to get into pharmaceutical development?

To enter pharmaceutical development, candidates typically need a bachelor's degree in pharmacy, chemistry, biology, or a related field, with advanced roles often requiring a master's or Ph.D. in a relevant discipline. Gaining experience through internships, research projects, or entry-level positions in laboratories is valuable, along with developing skills in laboratory techniques, data analysis, and regulatory compliance. Certifications such as Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) or Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) can enhance job prospects in this field.

What does a pharmaceutical development do?

A pharmaceutical development professional is responsible for designing, testing, and optimizing processes to create new drugs or improve existing ones. They work in laboratories and manufacturing settings, often using specialized tools and adhering to regulatory standards to ensure product safety and efficacy.

What are the most commonly searched types of Pharmaceutical Development jobs in Illinois?

The most popular types of Pharmaceutical Development jobs in Illinois are:

What are popular job titles related to Pharmaceutical Development jobs in Illinois?

For Pharmaceutical Development jobs in Illinois, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What cities in Illinois are hiring for Pharmaceutical Development jobs?

Cities in Illinois with the most Pharmaceutical Development job openings:

Infographic showing various Pharmaceutical Development job openings in Illinois as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 65% Full Time, 32% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 91% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $66,300 per year, or $31.9 per hour.

Director, Pharmaceutical Development

AbbVie

North Chicago, IL • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Posted yesterday

New


AbbVie rating

8.7

Company rating: 8.7 out of 10

Based on 103 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

14th of 86 rated pharmaceutical


Job description

Company Description

About AbbVie

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.

Job Description

AbbVie Process Chemistry is responsible for the chemical development of AbbVie's clinical candidates. We are seeking a Director, Pharmaeceutical Development to lead the Radiochemistry team that is responsible for labeling experimental drug candidates from preclinical through clinical development.

We are looking for a highly motivated person who can drive the development of drug candidates from early discovery to late-stage development through radiolabeling. The candidate will lead a group of scientists in the labeling of materials with tritium and 14C. The candidate will serve as the primary contact for labeling requests and as such would be responsible for developing strategies, timelines, and key activities required for radiolabeled drug substances. The candidate must be able to mentor and develop staff with experimental approaches to solve difficult scientific and technical challenges. Working with discovery, drug metabolism, analytical and chemistry colleagues, the candidate will develop productive collaborations and effectively communicate with scientific teams.

Responsibilities:

  • The candidate will lead activities associated with labeling and characterization for new drug substances.
    • Lead the design and execution of labeling strategies.
    • Proactively advise and share knowledge and expert opinions with subordinates, peers, and senior management. Mentor staff in troubleshooting strategic and experimental issues.
    • Author and review key regulatory documents, laboratory data, technical memos, standard operating procedures, and reports.
    • Collaborate to ensure successful CMC interactions with regulatory authorities.
  • The position involves multi-disciplinary interactions with organic chemists, analytical chemists, engineers, drug metabolism scientists, formulators, and program management.  The candidate will utilize his/her expertise across disciplines to advance the pipeline.
  • The candidate will encourage ideas for continuous improvement activities and initiatives within the Radiochemistry team.
  • The candidate will understand, adhere, and ensure compliance with corporate standards regarding code of conduct, safety, radiosafety and GXP compliance.
  • Lead the development of innovative radiolabeling synthetic methods, to solve critical technical problems and advance the portfolio.
  • Utilize expertise, portfolio awareness, and cross-functional network to identify new opportunities for radiochemical studies.
  • Design, with cross-functional partners, innovative radiochemical experiments to answer critical scientific questions and advance the portfolio.
  • Provide strategic and technical leadership in evaluating and advancing candidates across modalities.
  • Provide strategic and technical leadership at the interface of synthetic chemistry, formulation development, imaging capabilities, and DMPK, to enhance understanding of assets across the AbbVie portfolio.  

  •  
Qualifications

Qualifications:

  • BS (20+ years); MS (18+ years) or PhD (12+ years) in Chemistry or allied field, with 8+ years of previous work experience in a pharmaceutical laboratory setting.
  • Experience in radiolabeling and safety. 
  • Experience in managing and developing scientific leaders is required.
  • The successful candidate will have a strong understanding of synthetic organic chemistry, process development, GXP compliant processes, and radiolabeling strategies to appropriately label compounds to meet the study needs.

Key AbbVie Competencies:

Interacts well with diverse groups within function and maintain strong working relationships with internal and external collaborators to enable higher performance. 

  • Learns fast, grasps the "essence" and can change course quickly where indicated.
  • Raises the bar and is never satisfied with the status quo.
  • Creates a learning environment, open to suggestions and experimentation for improvement.
  • Embraces the ideas of others, nurtures innovation and manages innovation to reality.
Additional Information

Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law: 

  • The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future. 
  • We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.
  • This job is eligible to participate in our long-term incentive programs. 

Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company's sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law.

AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled. 

US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html

US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more:

https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/reasonable-accommodations.html


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About AbbVie

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas: immunology, oncology, neuroscience, eye care, virology, women's health, and gastroenterology, in addition to products and services across its Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Industry

Scientific research and development services

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

North Chicago, IL, US

Year founded

2013