CONTACT

CAREERS
START WORKING WITH THE HARPAGO TEAM
About Harpago
Over 70% of small-molecule therapeutics emerging from today's discovery pipelines are too poorly water-soluble to enable adequate bioavailability after oral intake. This solubility problem greatly hinders pharmaceutical development and ultimately prevents patients from accessing potentially life-saving treatments.

At Harpago, we tackle this solubility problem through rigorous formulation design and development. Our dosage forms are being used by pharmaceutical companies across the globe to enhance solubility and bioavailability in discovery, preclinical and early clinical projects.
Job openings
Senior Formulation Scientist
Full-time I Ghent, Belgium
More
Senior Formulation Scientist
Full-time I Ghent, Belgium
As a Senior Formulation Scientist, you will play a pivotal role in overcoming poor aqueous solubility of novel small-molecule therapeutics – one of the most significant challenges in modern drug development. You will lead client-facing projects, designing and executing formulation strategies to improve the bioavailability of poorly soluble molecules.

This role requires both deep technical expertise in physical pharmacy and the agility to manage multiple fast-paced projects.
Roles and responsibilities
  • Formulation strategy: design and develop innovative solubility-enhancing formulations, based on platforms such as amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs), lipid-based delivery systems, nanocrystalline systems and complexation technologies.
  • Preformulation: conduct rigorous physicochemical characterisation of active compounds, including solubility profiling, permeability profiling, chemical and physical stability assessments and solid-state characterisation (XRD, DSC, TGA, SEM).
  • Process development: Develop and optimise manufacturing processes for unit operations such as spray drying and wet milling
  • Project leadership: act as the primary technical point of contact for pharmaceutical clients, translating their drug delivery goals into actionable laboratory work plans.
  • Mentorship: supervise and mentor junior scientists and lab technicians, ensuring high-quality data generation
  • Science: stay up to date on the relevant scientific literature and disseminate scientific knowledge at the biweekly science meetings
  • Technology: scout for new formulation and analytical technologies the expand the company’s service offering
  • Reporting: author high-quality technical reports, presentations and standard operating procedures
Profile
  • Master’s degree or PhD in chemistry, chemical engineering, bioengineering, pharmaceutics or related field
  • 3–5 years of industry experience
  • Proven track record in developing formulations for poorly soluble small molecules.
  • Hands-on experience with solubility and dissolution profiling, HPLC/UPLC and solid-state analysis tools.
  • Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment with shifting priorities and strict client deadlines.
  • Knowledge of Quality by Design (QbD) principles and Design of Experiments (DoE) software like JMP or Design-Expert.
  • Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate complex scientific data into clear-cut information for non-technical stakeholders
  • Fluency in Dutch and English
What we can offer as your future employer
  • A varied and challenging role in an innovative start-up company with international customer portfolio
  • The opportunity to work on a diverse range of molecules across various therapeutic areas
  • The ability to work creatively and independently on formulations that deliver the medicines of tomorrow
  • Development and further training opportunities for shaping and realising your career goals
  • Employment contract of unlimited duration with a competitive salary package
How to apply?
Interested applicants are requested to send their CV and cover letter to info@harpagocdmo.com