About us
At Ardena, we’re helping shape the future of medicine. Our teams work on the development of innovative and complex therapies that can improve the lives of patients around the world.
As a global Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) and Contract Research Organization (CRO), Ardena partners with pharmaceutical and biotech companies to turn scientific ideas into real treatments. From early development to manufacturing and regulatory support, we help bring new medicines to market faster and with the highest quality standards.
With more than 750 colleagues across Europe and the United States, Ardena offers expertise in drug substance and drug product development, manufacturing, bioanalytical services, clinical logistics, fill & finish, and CMC regulatory support.
But what truly makes Ardena special is our people. We are a science-driven and people-focused company where collaboration, innovation, and curiosity are encouraged.
Working at Ardena means contributing to meaningful pharmaceutical projects that help ensure medicines are safe, effective, and accessible for patients worldwide. We offer an international environment where you can learn, take initiative, and grow your career across teams, functions, and locations.
Our way of working is guided by our CARE values:
Communicative, Accountable, Reliable, and Excellent.
These values shape how we collaborate, solve challenges, and support each other every day.
At Ardena, you’re not just building your career — you’re helping build the future of medicine.
FORMULATION SCIENTIST - Nanomedicine/injectables
WHAT YOU WILL WORK ON
Ardena Gent guides a worldwide portfolio of customers through the processes of formulation and analytical development and the manufacturing and labeling of early-phase clinical materials according to GMP appropriate standards.
As a Formulation Scientist with a specialization in nanomedicine and/or injectable formulations, you act as the scientific lead within the Galenic Team for drug product development projects involving new chemical entities. You are responsible for supporting (pre)clinical development and stability studies, ensuring scientifically sound and robust formulation strategies.
In this role, you independently lead multiple formulation development projects, taking ownership of the preparation, execution, and interpretation of formulation activities. Your primary focus lies in the end‑to‑end development of nanomedicines and/or injectable formulations, starting from first principles. This includes the rational design and optimization of lipid‑based (e.g. LNPs), polymeric, and/or metal‑based nanoparticles to encapsulate active pharmaceutical ingredients, as well as developing a deep understanding of which nanoformulation approach best fits a given API. For instance, you guide the client with the selection of appropriate raw materials and excipients, propose formulation development strategies, interpret and discuss data and results.
YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
* Providing technical expertise/scientific input on formulation development strategies
* Preparation and practical execution of formulation development projects
* Providing scientific expertise and formulation insights to Core Teams meetings
* Assisting to client meetings to present scientific data in a clear manner
* Writing scientific reports for clients, e.g. formulation development reports
* Drafting work instructions for the Formulation Associate Scientists to ensure that work is performed efficiently and in a scientifically sound manner
* Monitoring experiments (e.g. process development, implementation of new formulation techniques) and ensuring complex data are interpreted in a scientifically correct way
* Identifying potential stability and performance issues with prototype formulations
* Streamlining the activities associated with a wide variety of formulation technologies to shorten Formulation Lab turnaround times and improve the quality of formulations being delivered
* Supporting the scale-up of developed formulations and bringing them to GMP manufacturing
QUALIFICATION & EXPERIENCE
* PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences or a closely related field (e.g. Delivery); PhD is mandatory
* Proven hands‑on experience in nanomedicine development and/or injectable formulations, involving small and/or large molecules
* Strong practical and theoretical expertise in nanoparticle development, including the design and optimization of:
o Lipid‑based nanoparticles
o Polymeric nanoparticles
o Metal‑based (or hybrid) nanoparticle systems
* Solid working knowledge of particle characterization techniques such as DLS, LD, and related analytical methods
TECHNICAL & SCIENTIFIC SKILLS
* Excellent understanding of formulation development from early R&D through scale‑up
* Experience working in both R&D and GMP environments, including technology transfer from R&D to GMP manufacturing
* Ability to design robust formulation strategies with a focus on quality, reproducibility, and scalability
SOFT SKILLS
* Excellent written and oral communication skills in English, with the ability to present scientific data clearly and concisely
* Self‑motivated, proactive, and adaptable in a fast‑changing research and development environment
* Able to work independently as well as collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams
* Capable of stimulating and supporting colleagues through scientific leadership and teamwork
* Results‑driven, solution‑oriented, and able to deliver within tight timelines and budgets
* Stress‑resistant and comfortable managing multiple priorities simultaneously
WHAT WE OFFER
* Opportunity to make impact on multiple projects with a variety in formulations and technologies
* Ability to further grow your formulation and project management skills while working within multidisciplinary teams
* A true learning environment where you will have the ability to grow your skills
* A rapidly international developing and growing company with an interesting services, product and customer portfolio
* A dynamic working environment with nice colleagues
* Open straightforward but also caring culture
* We are true to our values
* An attractive remuneration package
* Flexible working hours
* 32 days holiday a year
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