Scientist/Spectroscopist

Scientist/Spectroscopist

Johnson & Johnson

Beerse, Belgium

We are seeking a motivated and early-career Spectroscopist to strengthen our high throughput preformulation characterization team, with a clear development pathway to becoming a technical Specialist. The successful candidate will apply and further develop advanced spectroscopic techniques - including infrared (Mid-IR and Far-IR) and Raman (Mid-Raman and Low-Frequency Raman) to investigate structural and physicochemical properties of organic drug molecules.

The position is designed for someone passionate about spectroscopy who is eager to expand technical depth through structured learning, mentored method development, and increasing ownership of data-rich, high-throughput workflows. You will contribute to daily experimental execution while progressively taking on more responsibility in innovation, automation-enabled spectroscopy, and advanced data analysis.

Major Duties & Responsibilities

Spectroscopic Characterization

• Execute and design experiments using IR and Raman to characterize pure API to complex formulations in a development setting.
• Investigate molecular interactions, crystallinity, polymorphism, and phase behavior.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of spectroscopic techniques in high-throughput or automated settings.

Solid-State Sciences

• Contribute to the understanding of structure–property relationships of drug substances and materials supporting solid form selection, stability studies, and material characterization activities.
• Gain insights on solid-state risk and interpretation of complex phase behavior.

Collaboration & Impact

• Collaborate cross-functionally with formulation scientists, preformulation experts, and analytical teams.
• Grow to become a go-to partner for spectroscopy strategy, influencing study design and decision-making.
• Develop the ability to communicate complex spectral insights to non-specialist audiences and support technical mentoring over time.

Communication

• Present findings in internal meetings and contribute to scientific reports, publications, and knowledge sharing.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• PhD in Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Physics, or a related field or master’s degree with relevant experience in spectroscopy or solid-state characterization.

Technical Skills

• Experience with infrared (IR) and/or Raman spectroscopy.
• Experience in solid-state characterization of organic materials and formulations (e.g., polymorphism, crystallinity, intermolecular interactions) is a plus.
• Experience or strong interest in high-throughput experimentation and data-rich environments is highly desirable.
• Familiarity with spectral data analysis and interpretation.

Soft Skills

• Strong analytical and problem-solving mindset, able to think outside the box.
• Scientific curiosity and willingness to explore new spectroscopic developments.
• Ability to work in a multidisciplinary and collaborative environment.
• Excellent communication skills in English, strong track record in scientific reporting.