AbbVie
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Principal Research Scientist II, Process Chemistry

Pay
$141,500 – $268,500 per year
Location
North Chicago, IL
Listed
Today

About the role

AbbVie Process Chemistry is responsible for the chemical development of AbbVie's clinical candidates. We are looking for a highly motivated Principal Research Scientist II who can make scientific contributions and develop strategies, timelines and key activities across drug substance modalities, including small molecules.

The candidate must be able to mentor and develop staff with experimental approaches to solve difficult scientific and technical challenges. The candidate will be an integral part of project teams and will be responsible for developing the synthetic process and executing activities required for drug substance process development.

Working with cross-functional colleagues, the candidate will develop productive collaborations and communications with scientific teams.

Responsibilities

  • The candidate will participate and/or lead project teams associated with drug substance process development and characterization.
  • Develop and characterize drug substance processes in the laboratory and translate them to scalable processes.
  • Proactively advise and share knowledge and expert opinions with subordinates, peers, and senior management. Mentor staff in troubleshooting strategic and experimental issues.
  • Author and review key regulatory documents, laboratory data, technical memos and reports.
  • The position involves multi-disciplinary interactions with organic chemists, analytical chemists, engineers, drug product development, and program management.
  • The candidate will identify and nurture ideas for continuous improvement activities and initiatives within the department.
  • The candidate will be responsible for setting project strategies, defining project responsibilities and timelines, developing control strategies, providing leadership in a matrixed team setting and developing robust processes for cGMP manufacturing.

Qualifications & Requirements

  • BS (16+ years); MS (14+ years) or PhD (8+ years) in Chemistry or allied field, with 8+ years of previous work experience in a pharmaceutical laboratory setting.
  • Proven scientific leadership; strong interpersonal and communication skills for facilitating collaborations and a demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional process development teams.
  • Experience with GMP drug substance manufacturing and process development.
  • Experience in managing and developing scientific leaders.
  • The successful candidate will have a strong understanding of modern organic chemistry, mechanistic theory, process development, control strategy development, and regulatory starting material strategies.

Key AbbVie Competencies

Interacts well with diverse groups within function and maintain strong working relationships with internal and external collaborators to enable higher performance.

  • Learns fast, grasps the "essence" and can change course quickly where indicated.
  • Raises the bar and is never satisfied with the status quo.
  • Creates a learning environment, open to suggestions and experimentation for improvement.
  • Embraces the ideas of others, nurtures innovation and manages innovation to reality.

Additional Information

Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law:

  • The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of thisposting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location,and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.
  • We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.
  • This job is eligible to participate in our long-term incentive programs.

Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission,incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless anduntil paid and may be modified at the Company's sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law.

About AbbVie

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio.

Read the original posting

From AbbVie's careers page, first listed on Rolev.ai on November 10, 2026. Rolev.ai is not the employer.

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Common questions

What is the salary for the Principal Research Scientist II, Process Chemistry role at AbbVie?

The Principal Research Scientist II, Process Chemistry posting at AbbVie states compensation of $141,500 – $268,500 per year. Final pay may depend on location, experience, and interview evaluation on AbbVie's official career site.

Where is the Principal Research Scientist II, Process Chemistry job at AbbVie located?

This Principal Research Scientist II, Process Chemistry position at AbbVie is located in North Chicago, IL. Always check AbbVie's application page for specific state eligibility or relocation policies.

How do I apply for the Principal Research Scientist II, Process Chemistry position at AbbVie?

This listing links directly to AbbVie's SmartRecruiters application page. You can apply directly on AbbVie's site, or use Rolev.ai to check your resume fit, generate a zero-hallucination tailored resume and cover letter for this posting, and autofill the SmartRecruiters application form in 1 click with the Rolev.ai Chrome extension. You always review the form and press Submit yourself.