Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc (US) Posted November 4, 2026

Formulation Senior Research Associate

Boston, United States Full time
Notify me about similar jobs
This position may no longer be available.

We couldn't confirm this posting on Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc (US)'s site in our latest checks -- see current similar openings below.

View the original listing (may no longer be live).

About this opportunity

Job Description

General Summary:

The Formulation Senior Research Associate will perform an array of activities working with other scientists to advance drug candidates from exploratory development through commercial line extension in a Quality by Design (QbD) environment using lab based and computational tools.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Contribute to the development of solid dosage forms for clinical and commercial use, generate data for project progression and regulatory filings, conduct a range of activities for optimization and scale up studies

Help execute, and interpret laboratory experiments, with minimal supervision, to meet established project timelines

Maintain accurate and complete laboratory notebook capturing protocols, results and observations

Interpret data to form sound conclusions

Timely document integrated experimental outcomes in presentations and research reports

Perform basic statistical analysis of experimental data

Assist in technical transfer to CMO partners for clinical trial manufacture

Initiate experimental troubleshooting on routine problems, with minimal supervision

Contribute to drafting regulatory filing documentation

Comply with all relevant Safety and GMP procedures

Knowledge and Skills:

Sound technical knowledge of pharmaceutical and engineering principles in the solid dosage form development for both clinical and commercial scales

Hands on experience with formulation techniques, processing equipment, and unit operations at both the laboratory and clinical manufacturing scales

Strong math skills particularly as applied to material/energy balances, and intermediate applied statistical analysis

Strong technical writing skills

Strong verbal and written communication skills

Successful and efficient multitasking and ability to work on a few projects concurrently

Detail-oriented

Direct experience working with CMOs is a plus

Understanding of QbD and experience with Regulatory filings is a plus

Strong background in oral solid form development and good understanding of material properties

Education and Experience:

Bachelor’s degree in pharmaceutical, material science or chemical engineering field

Master's Degree in pharmaceutical sciences, chemistry, chemical engineering, materials sciences or related field and 0-2 years experience in life sciences, engineering or academia, or

Bachelor's Degree in pharmaceutical sciences, chemistry, chemical engineering, materials sciences or related field and 4 years experience in life sciences, engineering or academia

At Vertex, we embrace continuous learning and encourage employees to stay informed on advances in AI, technology, automation, and industry trends. We seek talent who bring an external perspective, demonstrate curiosity and sound judgment, and thoughtfully adopt new capabilities that improve decision-making, drive innovation, increase efficiency, and help deliver better outcomes for patients.

Pay Range:

$74,000 - $111,000

Disclosure Statement:

The range provided is based on what we believe is a reasonable estimate for the base salary pay range for this job at the time of posting. This role is eligible for an annual bonus and annual equity awards. Some roles may also be eligible for overtime pay, in accordance with federal and state requirements. Actual base salary pay will be based on a number of factors, including skills, competencies, experience, and other job-related factors permitted by law.

At Vertex, our Total Rewards offerings also include inclusive market-leading benefits to meet our employees wherever they are in their career, financial, family and wellbeing journey while providing flexibility and resources to support their growth and aspirations.  From medical, dental and vision benefits to generous paid time off (including a week-long company shutdown in the Summer and the Winter), educational assistance programs including student loan repayment, a generous commuting subsidy, matching charitable donations, 401(k) and so much more.

Flex Designation:

On-Site Designated

Flex Eligibility Status:

In this On-Site designated role, you will work five days per week on-site with ad hoc flexibility.

Note: The Flex status for this position is subject to Vertex’s Policy on Flex @ Vertex Program and may be changed at any time.

#LI-Onsite

Company Information

Vertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation.

Vertex is committed to equal employment opportunity and non-discrimination for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to a person's race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital status, or any characteristic protected under applicable law. Vertex is an E-Verify Employer in the United States. Vertex will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities, in accordance with applicable law.

Any applicant requiring an accommodation in connection with the hiring process and/or to perform the essential functions of the position for which the applicant has applied should make a request to the recruiter or hiring manager, or contact Talent Acquisition at ApplicationAssistance@vrtx.com

Job details

Seniority
Senior
Function
Manufacturing & CMC
Therapeutic area
Not listed
Location
Boston, 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 638 comparable Senior Manufacturing & CMC roles across 84 biopharma companies.

638Comparable roles tracked
594Currently active
84Companies hiring similar roles
30Countries represented

Salary context

233 of 638 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 $74,000/yr – $111,000/yr
Lowest disclosed · Senior Technician Calibration - Maintenance · Mylan Technologies, Inc. $37,000/yr – $80,000/yr
Peer group range $58,500 – $215,300 (median $151,700)

Where these roles are based

Top locations among the 638 comparable roles

United States427
India45
Ireland26
Netherlands19
Switzerland11
United Kingdom11

+ 24 more countries

Seniority mix

638 of 638 peers have a known seniority level

Senior401
Principal131
Associate Director106

Therapeutic area mix

2 of 638 peers have a known therapeutic area; the rest are genuinely unlabeled, not hidden

Dermatology & Aesthetics1
Vaccines & Infectious Disease1

Currently open similar roles

This posting is closed, but here are live openings closest to it -- ranked by similarity, not by how well you'd qualify for them.

60%similar
AbbVie North Chicago, IL Senior
Same function Same seniority Same country
60%similar
AbbVie North Chicago, IL Senior
Same function Same seniority Same country
60%similar
AbbVie North Chicago, IL Senior
Same function Same seniority Same country
60%similar
AbbVie North Chicago, IL Senior
Same function Same seniority Same country
60%similar
Novartis East Hanover, United States Senior
Same function Same seniority Same country
60%similar
Pfizer Andover, United States Senior
Same function Same seniority Same country

Notify me about similar jobs

Get an email when we spot other openings like this one – same job function, comparable seniority, roles you'd actually want to see.

Or follow a whole field: get every new Manufacturing & CMC job in the United States, and choose locations and companies.

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%
Senior Scientist II - Biologics Drug Product Development
AbbVie · North Chicago, IL · Senior
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
60%
Senior Scientist, II Biologics & Genetic Medicine - LCMS Characterization & Bioanalysis
AbbVie · North Chicago, IL · Senior
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
60%
Sr. Equipment Engineer
RayzeBio, Inc · Indianapolis, United States · Senior
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
60%
Mfg Tecnologies Sr Mgr
Amgen Inc. · Holly Springs, United States · Senior
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.