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Pharmaceutical Formulation Development Jobs in Illinois

Senior Scientist

North Chicago, IL

$88K - $120K/yr

The incumbent will participate in the development of parenteral formulation for monoclonal ... Hands on expertise of bio analytical test methods for protein pharmaceuticals e.g. mass ...

Sr Project Engineer

Melrose Park, IL · On-site

$96K - $126K/yr

... development of new/alternative complex formulation and processing technologies for the improvement of current commercial projects for parenteral nutrition and generic pharmaceuticals. Salary Range ...

Sr Project Engineer

Melrose Park, IL · On-site

$96K - $126K/yr

... development of new/alternative complex formulation and processing technologies for the improvement of current commercial projects for parenteral nutrition and generic pharmaceuticals. Salary Range ...

Sr Project Engineer

Melrose Park, IL · On-site

$96K - $125K/yr

... development of new/alternative complex formulation and processing technologies for the improvement of current commercial projects for parenteral nutrition and generic pharmaceuticals. Salary Range ...

Analytical Chemist

Chicago, IL · On-site

$65K - $80K/yr

Prepare and review Method Development/Validation and Dose Formulation Analysis (DFA) reports for ... Pharmaceutical Sciences, or related field. * Hands-on experience with HPLC and UPLC systems.

Showing results 21-40

Pharmaceutical Formulation Development information

See Illinois salary details

$28

$49

$93

How much do pharmaceutical formulation development jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 8, 2026, the average hourly pay for pharmaceutical formulation development in Illinois is $49.31, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $33.56 and $78.94 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is pharmaceutical formulation development?

A Pharmaceutical Formulation Development job involves designing and optimizing drug formulations to ensure safety, efficacy, and stability. Professionals in this role work on selecting appropriate excipients, determining dosage forms, and improving drug delivery methods. They collaborate with regulatory teams to meet compliance standards and conduct tests to assess product performance. This role is essential for bringing new medications from the research phase to commercial production.

What are the main responsibilities of someone working in pharmaceutical formulation development?

Professionals in Pharmaceutical Formulation Development are typically responsible for designing and optimizing drug formulations, conducting laboratory experiments, and ensuring products meet safety, efficacy, and stability standards. Their work often involves collaborating closely with analytical, manufacturing, and regulatory teams to advance products from early development to commercial scale-up. They may also troubleshoot formulation issues, document experimental results, and contribute to regulatory submissions. The role requires careful attention to detail, a strong scientific foundation, and the ability to work both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.

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

To thrive in Pharmaceutical Formulation Development, you generally need a strong background in pharmaceutical sciences, chemistry, or related fields, and experience with drug formulation principles and analytical techniques. Familiarity with laboratory instrumentation (such as HPLC, dissolution testers), regulatory documentation systems, and GMP/GLP compliance is essential. Excellent problem-solving abilities, attention to detail, and cross-functional communication skills help you excel in a team-oriented environment. These competencies ensure the creation of safe, effective, and commercially viable pharmaceutical products that meet regulatory standards.

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

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

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

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

What job categories do people searching Pharmaceutical Formulation Development jobs in Illinois look for?

The top searched job categories for Pharmaceutical Formulation Development jobs in Illinois are:

What cities in Illinois are hiring for Pharmaceutical Formulation Development jobs?

Cities in Illinois with the most Pharmaceutical Formulation Development job openings:

Infographic showing various Pharmaceutical Formulation Development job openings in Illinois as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 78% Full Time, 19% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 86% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 11% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $102,570 per year, or $49.3 per hour.

Senior Scientist I, Analytical Development, Mass Spectrometry tLNP CMC

North Chicago, IL • On-site

AbbVie
Scientific Research and Development Services • 10K+ employees

$96K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Posted 8 days ago


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
The Analytical Development group within the Targeted LNP (tLNP) CMC Development Team at AbbVie is dedicated to advancing state-of-the-art analytical capabilities for tLNP therapeutics development. Our team provides critical support to tLNP drug substance, drug product, and formulation development. We leverage advanced biophysical, separation, and mass spectrometry techniques to deeply characterize antibodies, mRNA, lipids, and intact LNP particles. We are building a strong team of scientists who will be instrumental in developing and deploying the analytical toolbox needed to deliver high-quality, innovative tLNP medicines to patients.
Position Description:
As the mass spectrometry SME within the Analytical Development group of tLNP CMC Development team, you will work in an innovative analytical research and development lab and develop LC-MS method for characterizing biotherapeutic products to support tLNP development, with an emphasis on mRNA and oligonucleotide analysis. The successful candidate will have hands-on analytical method development experience of LC-MS analysis. Additionally, the candidate must foster productive collaborations within the global Analytical CMC organization and with R&D cross-functional partners such as Discovery, Process Chemistry, Process Engineering, Drug Product Development, and Quality Assurance and CMC-Regulatory Affairs.
Responsibilities:
  • Operate, maintain, and troubleshoot mass spectrometry (Orbitrap, TOF) and liquid chromatography platforms, along with general laboratory equipment.
  • Document instrument performance, organize regular maintenance, and coordinate with service engineers during maintenance and troubleshooting activities.
  • Lead and execute characterization activities to evaluate and elucidate critical quality attributes of mRNA, such as 5' capping efficiency, 3' polyA tail distribution, and oligonucleotide sequence mapping.
  • Provide analytical support for cross-functional teams, including formulation development, upstream/downstream process development, and manufacturing to solve drug development challenges.
  • Proactively advance LC-MS characterization of biotherapeutics by developing innovative techniques that address evolving developmental needs and improve operational efficiency.
  • Independently conduct sample preparation and LC-MS analyses in compliance with SOPs, and document experimental procedures and results in electronic laboratory notebook (ELN).
  • Author and review regulatory submission documents, such as IND and comparability study.

Qualifications
  • Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry, Biochemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or a closely related field with 0-3 years of industry experience.
  • Previous experience with mRNA, oligonucleotide, antibody, and LNP analysis by LC-MS is a strong plus.
  • Experience in mRNA 5' capping and 3' polyA tail LC-MS analysis is preferred.
  • Proficient in operating and maintaining mass spectrometry equipment, particularly LC-MS systems, and have experience in troubleshooting and maintaining LC-MS instruments, including tasks like changing and cleaning interfaces.
  • Experience with LCMS data acquisition and analysis software, such as XCalibur, Protein Metrics, FreeStyle, Skyline, BioPharma Finder, and MassLynx.
  • Organized, detail-oriented, and committed to maintaining proper documentation.
  • Work independently while also collaborating effectively with a team of experts.
  • Hands-on experience with additional analytical techniques relevant to mRNA or LNP analysis is a plus.
  • Strong presentation and communication skills with the ability to explain data to technical and non-technical audiences.

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 short-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