Biogen Posted July 14, 2026

Director of Chemistry, Small Molecule Process Development and Manufacturing

Cambridge, United States Full time
Manufacturing & CMC Director

Biogen is the source of truth for this posting and owns the application process. We surface normalized context and market comparison you won't find on the original listing.

About this opportunity

About This Role 

We are   seeking   a highly motivated and creative Director of Chemistry to join our Small Molecule Chemical Development team. In this role, you will lead and mentor scientific and engineering teams as you guide project progression from early-phase through late-phase drug development. You will oversee the design and refinement of robust manufacturing processes for a wide range of small molecules, supporting pre - clinical   and clinical therapeutics. This role is integral to advancing our scientific endeavors, driving innovation, and enabling the successful launch of new medicines through collaborative, safe, economical, and sustainable process development.

Who We Are     

We are   a team of organic chemists   and chemical engineers   engaged in the   design   of innovative   processes   which   supply new medicines to patients.   We   focus on developing safe, economical, sustainable,   cost - effective ,   and robust processes to support clinical trials and the launch of new medicines across various drug modalities.   We are   driven by   first   principles   science, data-driven decision-making, and collaborative teamwork.

What  You’ll  Do 

Lead c ollaborat ive   development and manufacturing teams to design and conduct experiments to   optimize   and characterize the processes of   Biogen   assets with an emphasis on improvement in process understanding, robustness, and productivity.

D esign,   guide   and execute experimental plans to advance the Biogen portfolio. You will   be responsible for   leading project teams towards the implementation of safe,   efficient   and robust chemical   processes   Biogen drug candidates.   You will c ollaborate with development and manufacturing teams to   optimize   and characterize the processes of   Biogen   assets with an emphasis on improvement in process understanding, robustness, and productivity.

Responsible for managing scientific colleagues, and mentoring, engaging, and preparing   our future scientific and engineering leaders

Develop the fundamental   process   knowledge needed to support the transition of chemical and biochemical processes from laboratory scale to manufacturing partners.

Collaborate with our Process Engineering, Analytical Chemistry, Oligo Synthesis, Solid Form, and Separations colleagues to develop the knowledge and controls needed for the supply of clinical materials and characterization of processes to support regulatory filings.

Communicate   project team   research results effectively by   in   reports and   discussions   in team meetings , including e ngage ment   in CMC activities including authoring   CMC   section of INDs.

Interact with Contract Research Organizations as project needs evolve , which may include travel

Initiate innovative research projects to improve fundamental understanding and control of Biogen processes

Expand on your Chemistry community presence professionally   representing   Biogen externally in consortia and conferences

Who You Are 

You have a passion for exploring scientific concepts and are eager to contribute to   the design and development and execution of   cutting-edge   technologies   in the service of   delivering drug cand idates   for clinical trials . Your vision and dedication drive you to push the boundaries of scientific endeavors,   ultimately impacting   patient lives. You thrive in a collaborative environment   where urgency,   accountability,   inclusion   and integrity are   shared   value s .

M.S. or PhD   with   12 + years of relevant experience , including people management,   in pharmaceutical or biotech settings   is   required

Strong background in the theory and practice of   pharmaceutical process chemistry and engineering , including   command of synthetic strategies, impurity controls, analytical, purification and isolation techniques, process characterization ,   familiarity with process safety and tech transfer protocols,   and good problem -s olving skills   in the service of delivering non-clinical and clinical APIs and the phase appropriate knowledge packages for CMC support.

Demonstrated experience in leading project teams involved in delivery of APIs across several modalities

Ability to   lead teams   ethically,   collaboratively , effectively, and cross-functionally

Excellent   communication   and interpersonal   skills   are   required   along with   the   desire to work in a   highly   collaborative team environment .

Preferred Skills:

Experience in engaging with external partners and   representing   the organization in external facing settings.

Familiarity with regulatory requirements and CMC activities related to drug development.

Job Level: Management

Additional Information

The base compensation range for this role is: $188,000.00-$259,000.00

Base salary offered is determined through an analytical approach utilizing a combination of factors including, but not limited to, relevant skills & experience, job location, and internal equity.

Regular employees are eligible to receive both short term and long-term incentives, including cash bonus and equity incentive opportunities, designed to reward recent achievements and recognize your future potential based on individual, business unit and company performance.

In addition to compensation, Biogen offers a full and highly competitive range of benefits designed to support our employees’ and their families physical, financial, emotional, and social well-being ; including, but not limited to:

Medical, Dental, Vision, & Life insurances

Fitness & Wellness programs including a fitness reimbursement

Short- and Long-Term Disability insurance

A minimum of 15 days of paid vacation and an additional end-of-year shutdown time off (Dec 26-Dec 31)

Up to 12 company paid holidays + 3 paid days off for Personal Significance

80 hours of sick time per calendar year

Paid Maternity and Parental Leave benefit

401(k) program participation with company matched contributions

Employee stock purchase plan

Tuition reimbursement of up to $10,000 per calendar year

Employee Resource Groups participation

Why Biogen?

We are a global team with a commitment to excellence, and a pioneering spirit. As a mid-sized biotechnology company, we provide the stability and resources of a well-established business while fostering an environment where individual contributions make a significant impact. Our team encompasses some of the most talented and passionate achievers who have unparalleled opportunities for learning, growth, and expanding their skills. Above all, we work together to deliver life-changing medicines, with every role playing a vital part in our mission. Caring Deeply. Achieving Excellence. Changing Lives.

At Biogen, we are committed to building on our culture of inclusion and belonging that reflects the communities where we operate and the patients we serve. We know that diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives make us a stronger and more innovative company, and we are focused on building teams where every employee feels empowered and inspired.  Read on  to learn more about Biogen.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, race, color, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, religion, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law. Biogen is an E-Verify Employer in the United States.

Job details

Seniority
Director
Function
Manufacturing & CMC
Therapeutic area
Not listed
Location
Cambridge, United States
Employment type
Full time

How this role compares

Computed from every other active Manufacturing & CMC role in our database, not just this employer's listings.

We currently track 163 comparable Director Manufacturing & CMC roles across 25 biopharma companies.

163Comparable roles tracked
157Currently active
25Companies hiring similar roles
11Countries represented

Salary context

119 of 163 peers report a salary range (USD, annualized)

Peers share this role's job function and a matching or adjacent seniority level -- not necessarily the same therapeutic area or country.

This roleSubject Not listed on this posting
Lowest disclosed · Senior/Principal Scientist, Bioprocess Purification Development · Lilly $79,500/yr – $116,600/yr
Highest disclosed · Sr Director Operations · Hospira, Inc. $214,900/yr – $358,100/yr
Peer group range $98,050 – $286,500 (median $184,900)

Where these roles are based

Top locations among the 163 comparable roles

United States139
India11
Netherlands4
Ireland2
France1
United Kingdom1

+ 5 more countries

Seniority mix

163 of 163 peers have a known seniority level

Principal79
Director63
Senior Director21

Therapeutic area mix

2 of 163 peers have a known therapeutic area; the rest are genuinely unlabeled, not hidden

Oncology1
Vaccines & Infectious Disease1

Similar opportunities

The closest matches from our peer group, ranked by how similar they are, not how well you'd qualify for them -- treat this as market context, not a guaranteed shortlist; a weak match is labeled as one below.

60%similar
AstraZeneca Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America Director
Same function Same seniority Same country
60%similar
Lilly Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America Director
Same function Same seniority Same country
60%similar
Lilly Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America Director
Same function Same seniority Same country
60%similar
Lilly Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America Director
Same function Same seniority Same country
60%similar
Lilly Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America Director
Same function Same seniority Same country
60%similar
Lilly Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America Director
Same function Same seniority Same country

How we calculate "similar"

No black box, no LLM guesswork: a deterministic score built from four normalized attributes. Here's this role's own peer group at different match levels, so you can see the mechanism, not just the result.

Every comparison starts from the same 100-point budget: 25 for working in the same function, 40 for the same therapeutic area, 20 for the same or adjacent seniority, 15 for the same country. A dimension we can't confirm on both sides contributes nothing, never a guess, never a free pass.

60%
Director, Integrated Bioanalysis Oncology Development
AstraZeneca · Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America · Director
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
60%
Director - Analytical Chemistry
Lilly · Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America · Director
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
60%
Director, Vaccine Formulation Development
Lilly · Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America · Director
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
60%
Director of GMP Analytical, Pharmaceutical Analytical Sciences
Merck · Rahway, New Jersey, United States of America · Director
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
Unmatched or unknown dimensions score exactly the same: 0 points, never a partial guess. A role we know almost nothing about beyond its function bottoms out at 25%; it never inflates to 100% just because there's little to compare against. Seniority uses a defined ladder (Associate → Manager → Associate Director → Senior → Principal → Director → Senior Director → Executive/VP) so "Director" and "Senior Director" count as adjacent, but "Director" and "Executive/VP" do not.