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Principal Scientist/Senior Principal Scientist, Material Science & Engineering

Principal Scientist/Senior Principal Scientist, Material Science & Engineering

locationNew Brunswick, NJ, USA
PublishedPublished: 10/31/2025
Full Time
$138,190 - $167,457 per year

Working with Us
Challenging. Meaningful. Life-changing. Those aren’t words that are usually associated with a job. But working at Bristol Myers Squibb is anything but usual. Here, uniquely interesting work happens every day, in every department. From optimizing a production line to the latest breakthroughs in cell therapy, this is work that transforms the lives of patients, and the careers of those who do it. You’ll get the chance to grow and thrive through opportunities uncommon in scale and scope, alongside high-achieving teams. Take your career farther than you thought possible.

Bristol Myers Squibb recognizes the importance of balance and flexibility in our work environment. We offer a wide variety of competitive benefits, services and programs that provide our employees with the resources to pursue their goals, both at work and in their personal lives. Read more: careers.bms.com/working-with-us.

Our Drug Product Development team is committed to CMC design, development, and commercialization of innovative drug products to improve patient lives. We leverage the best people, collaboration, and cutting-edge innovation to achieve this commitment. BMS’s internal engine of innovation includes unrivaled industry leading expertise in CMC development of small molecules, protein biotherapeutics, protein degraders, and other therapeutic modalities. We collaborate closely with our colleagues in R&D and Commercial to design our drug products. Here, you’ll get the chance to grow and thrive through opportunities that are uncommon in scale and scope.

Job Description:

As a Principal or Senior Principal Scientist in the Drug Product Development - Materials Science and Engineering Group, the main responsibilities will be developing understanding of the material options for novel drug candidates and driving the selection of commercial materials. The candidate is expected to apply biopharmaceutics, physical chemistry and engineering principles to achieve these goals. Primary activities and responsibilities will include:

  • Screening for polymorphs of neutral molecules, salts, and cocrystals to support material selection
  • Perform solid state material characterization of novel materials
  • Perform solid state physical and chemical stability assessments on selected lead materials
  • Develop understanding of the polymorph landscape and thermodynamic relationships between polymorphic forms, leveraging automated and manual experimentation as well as connecting with predictive modeling
  • Connect selection of materials into the manufacturing, stability, and performance of drug products
  • Provide leadership and supervision to scientific staff. Develop, coach and mentor others.
  • Participate in and lead cross-functional materials teams for novel drug candidates to drive materials strategy at the interface of drug substance and drug product.

It is expected that the candidate will work with a broad range of materials, such as crystalline and non-crystalline APIs including small molecules, peptides, oligonucleotides as well as drug product intermediates that will be used in the design of robust oral and injectable drug product formulations.

This role may be appointed at the Principal Scientist or Senior Principal Scientist level. Candidates with demonstrated experience and expertise will be considered for the appropriate level.

Requirements

  • Principal Scientist: Ph.D.in Pharmaceutics, Pharmaceutical Science, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Chemical Engineering or related field with 4–6 years of industry experience, or MS with 6–9 years, or BS with 9–12 years
  • Senior Principal Scientist: Ph.D. in a relevant field (e.g., physical chemistry, materials/pharmaceutical science, chemical engineering) with 6–8 years of industry experience, or MS with 9–12 years, or BS with 12–15 years
  • Excellent problem-solving skills with a strong background in biopharmaceutics and pre-formulation are required.
  • Hands-on experience in laboratory experimentation and expertise in solid state characterization techniques such as XRD, BET, moisture sorption, thermal techniques such as TGA, DSC and hot stage microscopy, optical and electron microscopy, vibrational spectroscopy and chromatography techniques is preferred.
  • Experience with polymorph screening and salt/form selection is required.
  • Familiarity with high-throughput experimentation and data analysis is desired.
  • Experience with complex molecules such as millamolecules, oligonucleotide, peptides and proteins is desired.
  • Experience with direct management and with cross-functional team leadership is also desired.
  • A demonstrated record of scientific accomplishment, laboratory experimentation, publication and presentation is required.

The individual will effectively interface and collaborate across drug substance, drug product and analytical development teams. The individual must have demonstrated ability to identify and solve problems. Outstanding oral and written communication skills with the ability to provide technical input and scientific leadership are required. This position requires employees to work safely at laboratory scale with chemical agents which may pose health or safety hazards if improperly handled.

#LI-Onsite

#GPSProdDev

If you come across a role that intrigues you but doesn’t perfectly line up with your resume, we encourage you to apply anyway. You could be one step away from work that will transform your life and career.

Compensation Overview:

New Brunswick - NJ - US: $138,190 - $167,457


The starting compensation range(s) for this role are listed above for a full-time employee (FTE) basis. Additional incentive cash and stock opportunities (based on eligibility) may be available. The starting pay rate takes into account characteristics of the job, such as required skills, where the job is performed, the employee’s work schedule, job-related knowledge, and experience. Final, individual compensation will be decided based on demonstrated experience.

Eligibility for specific benefits listed on our careers site may vary based on the job and location. For more on benefits, please visit https://careers.bms.com/life-at-bms/.

Benefit offerings are subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plans then in effect and may include the following: Medical, pharmacy, dental and vision care. Wellbeing support such as the BMS Living Life Better program and employee assistance programs (EAP). Financial well-being resources and a 401(K). Financial protection benefits such as short- and long-term disability, life insurance, supplemental health insurance, business travel protection and survivor support. Work-life programs include paid national holidays and optional holidays, Global Shutdown Days between Christmas and New Year’s holiday, up to 120 hours of paid vacation, up to two (2) paid days to volunteer, sick time off, and summer hours flexibility. Parental, caregiver, bereavement, and military leave. Family care services such as adoption and surrogacy reimbursement, fertility/infertility benefits, support for traveling mothers, and child, elder and pet care resources. Other perks like tuition reimbursement and a recognition program.

Uniquely Interesting Work, Life-changing Careers
With a single vision as inspiring as “Transforming patients’ lives through science™ ”, every BMS employee plays an integral role in work that goes far beyond ordinary. Each of us is empowered to apply our individual talents and unique perspectives in a supportive culture, promoting global participation in clinical trials, while our shared values of passion, innovation, urgency, accountability, inclusion and integrity bring out the highest potential of each of our colleagues.

On-site Protocol

BMS has an occupancy structure that determines where an employee is required to conduct their work. This structure includes site-essential, site-by-design, field-based and remote-by-design jobs. The occupancy type that you are assigned is determined by the nature and responsibilities of your role:

Site-essential roles require 100% of shifts onsite at your assigned facility. Site-by-design roles may be eligible for a hybrid work model with at least 50% onsite at your assigned facility. For these roles, onsite presence is considered an essential job function and is critical to collaboration, innovation, productivity, and a positive Company culture. For field-based and remote-by-design roles the ability to physically travel to visit customers, patients or business partners and to attend meetings on behalf of BMS as directed is an essential job function.

BMS is dedicated to ensuring that people with disabilities can excel through a transparent recruitment process, reasonable workplace accommodations/adjustments and ongoing support in their roles. Applicants can request a reasonable workplace accommodation/adjustment prior to accepting a job offer. If you require reasonable accommodations/adjustments in completing this application, or in any part of the recruitment process, direct your inquiries to adastaffingsupport@bms.com. Visit careers.bms.com/eeo-accessibility to access our complete Equal Employment Opportunity statement.

BMS cares about your well-being and the well-being of our staff, customers, patients, and communities. As a result, the Company strongly recommends that all employees be fully vaccinated for Covid-19 and keep up to date with Covid-19 boosters.

BMS will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records, pursuant to applicable laws in your area.

If you live in or expect to work from Los Angeles County if hired for this position, please visit this page for important additional information: https://careers.bms.com/california-residents/

Any data processed in connection with role applications will be treated in accordance with applicable data privacy policies and regulations.

Salary range

  • $138,190 - $167,457 per year