At Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more at https://www.jnj.com **Job Function:** Career Programs **Job Sub** **Function:** Post Doc – R&D Product Development **Job Category:** Career Program **All Job Posting Locations:** Beerse, Antwerp, Belgium **Job Description:** Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine (J&J IM) develops treatments that improve the health of people worldwide. Research and development areas encompass oncology, cardiovascular and metabolic disorders, immunology, pulmonary hypertension, neuroscience, and infectious disease. Our goal is to help people live longer, healthier lives. We have produced and marketed many first-in-class prescription medications and are poised to serve the broad needs of the healthcare market – from patients to practitioners and from clinics to hospitals. To learn more about J&J Innovative Medicine, visit https:// https://www.jnj.com/innovative-medicine . The J&J IM Discovery, Product Development, & Supply (DPDS) Postdoctoral Fellowship Program helps early career scientists gain the training and experience needed to further their careers while addressing the needs of global healthcare. Postdocs work side-by-side with DPDS scientists on innovative research projects and have the opportunity to present their work. They also learn the functional role of scientists in the pharmaceutical industry and receive valuable career advice from mentors while building a network of professional contacts and developing the skills needed to advance their careers. As part of the DPDS Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, we are seeking a talented Postdoc scientist to jointly collaborate with the Solid-State Sciences team and the Parenterals & Liquids Development (PLD) team, both part of the global Pharmaceutical Product Development & Supply (PPDS) organization within J&J IM R&D to be based in Beerse, Antwerp, Belgium. The former team is responsible for solid state form screening, selection and understanding the drug substance-drug product interface, and the latter is responsible for developing parenteral and liquid drug product formulations and manufacturing processes to support the J&J IM Synthetics modality portfolio from late discovery to commercialization. This 2-year Postdoc program will focus on screening, developing and assessing novel (crystalline) solid (co-)forms of peptides and their subsequent formulation into innovative oral delivery platforms. Oral delivery of peptides is challenged by limited stability and low bioavailability. The selected candidate will collaborate internally & cross-functionally with CPRD (Chemical Process R&D), Oral Solid development (OSD), Preclinical Sciences and Translation Safety (PSTS) and other expert teams to generate a holistic understanding starting from the selection of the right co-formers to form peptide solids, developing novel formulations to increase peptide oral bioavailability, and exploring new molecular design principles, to advance our oral peptide delivery capabilities. As a Postdoc scientist, you will operate under limited supervision with a high level of autonomy to transform drug design and delivery challenges into innovative ideas and practical solutions consistent with project objectives. You will be tasked with drafting critical research questions, and with the ideation, design, planning and execution of experiments to address those. Activities in scope will include solid state form screenings and characterization, co-former selection, solid form design and subsequent formulation engineering, followed by collaborative biopharmaceutical characterization. On-the-job training will be provided by qualified staff. Additionally, you will be present data to the scientific community internally in cross-functional meetings and within scientific symposia. This position will require hands-on lab work, while offering ample scientific leadership and personal growth opportunities through training, mentoring and R&D-wide connectivity. **Required Qualifications** + A PhD degree in a scientific or technical field, _e.g._ , in Chemical Engineering, (Physical) Chemistry, Bioscience Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmaceutical Technology, or closely related field. + Demonstrated competency and experience in molecular design, solid-state screening, physical pharmacy principles, formulation design and/or characterization with understanding of material/solid-state properties and their relationship with molecular and formulation attributes. + Proven ability to leverage literature to independently transform molecular design challenges into innovative ideas and practical solutions. + To make your ideas practical, you must possess an innovation mentality and be able to think and act creatively. + Ability to quickly adapt to constantly evolving scientific challenges with a strong sense of accountability, leadership, and achievement. + Track record of scientific contributions, including peer reviewed publications and presentations, and/or patents. + Excellent oral and written communication skills and efficient information exchange in English. + On-site presence (Beerse, Antwerp area, Belgium) and hands-on execution of lab activities. **Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Abilities** + Background in solid-state sciences, molecular and/or formulation design and characterization of organic molecules and/or peptides. + Knowledge of solid form screening/characterization and design towards the engineering of crystalline or amorphous solids is an asset. + Experience with small molecule and/or peptide crystallization and characterization (spectroscopic, thermal) is a clear benefit. + Experience with drug delivery approaches in general, and lipid-based or nanocarrier-based formulation design and process development (liposomes, solid-lipid nanoparticles, polymeric nanoparticles, SNEDDS) is an advantage. + Familiarity with opportunities to enhance permeability and stability, as well as experience with targeted or local delivery is a distinct advantage. **Major Duties & Responsibilities** 50% - Literature review, planning and lab-based execution of experiments 30% - Data analysis and reporting 10% - Authorship and publication of scientific reports 10% - Development, training, conferences, internal meetings & symposia