Job Description

Work Schedule

Standard (Mon-Fri)

Environmental Conditions

Adherence to all Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) Safety Standards

Job Description

Staff Scientist, Biopharma

Athlone, Ireland | Thermo Fisher Scientific

At Thermo Fisher Scientific, you’ll discover meaningful work that makes a positive impact on a global scale. Join our colleagues in bringing our Mission to life—enabling our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer.

We are seeking an experienced Staff Scientist, Biopharma to join our team in Athlone, Ireland. This is an exciting opportunity for an accomplished analytical scientist to take a Technical leadership role within our laboratory, applying deep scientific expertise to complex biopharmaceutical programs while remaining closely connected to hands-on laboratory science.

The role

As a Staff Scientist, you will be a senior scientific contributor and recognised technical authority within the laboratory. You will provide expert technical leadership for complex, non-routine analytical activities, including analytical method development, validation and transfer, while also acting as a subject matter expert for key analytical technologies and scientific disciplines.

This is a highly technical position for someone who enjoys solving challenging scientific problems, advancing laboratory capabilities and helping other scientists develop their technical expertise.

You will work across multiple client programs, partnering with laboratory, quality and project teams to ensure scientific rigor, regulatory compliance and robust analytical outcomes.

What you’ll do

In this role, you will:

• Provide technical leadership and oversight for complex, non-routine analytical testing, including method development, validation, transfer and method establishment activities.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for one or more analytical technologies, platforms, assays or scientific disciplines.
• Design, execute and oversee complex laboratory experiments and analytical activities.
• Guide scientific decision-making around experimental design, execution strategy, data interpretation and troubleshooting.
• Maintain an active laboratory presence, providing hands-on scientific support and ensuring alignment between technical strategy and laboratory execution.
• Lead the scientific resolution of complex technical issues, atypical results and escalated laboratory investigations.
• Conduct in-depth data and root cause analysis to identify technical issues and develop sustainable solutions.
• Review and/or approve technical documentation, including analytical methods, protocols, reports and quality records.
• Apply advanced data analysis to evaluate trends, identify outliers and interpret complex or atypical data.
• Mentor and coach scientists, helping strengthen scientific judgement, troubleshooting capability and technical expertise.
• Collaborate across laboratory, quality and project teams, influencing outcomes through scientific expertise and technical leadership.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives that enhance laboratory capability, quality and scientific performance.

What we’re looking for

You will bring a strong analytical science background together with the confidence and technical depth to lead complex scientific work in a regulated laboratory environment.

Education and experience

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent relevant academic/vocational qualification.
• Typically 8+ years of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education, training and directly related experience.
• Significant experience within an analytical laboratory environment, ideally supporting pharmaceutical or biopharmaceutical testing.

Equivalent combinations of appropriate education, training and directly related experience may also be considered.

Knowledge, skills and experience

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Expert knowledge of analytical testing techniques, laboratory instrumentation and method execution within a regulated environment.
• Experience independently designing, executing and overseeing complex analytical testing, investigations and non-routine laboratory activities.
• Strong expertise in analytical method development, establishment, validation and/or transfer.
• Deep subject matter expertise in one or more analytical methods, assays, platforms or technologies.
• Advanced troubleshooting, problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, including the ability to identify systemic root causes and implement sustainable technical solutions.
• Strong data-analysis skills, including trend evaluation, outlier detection and interpretation of complex data sets.
• Advanced understanding of GMP requirements, data integrity principles and regulatory expectations.
• The ability to make and guide sound scientific decisions relating to experimental design, laboratory execution and compliance.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience authoring and reviewing complex scientific and technical documentation.
• The ability to communicate complex scientific concepts effectively to internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience mentoring and technically developing other scientists.
• Strong collaboration and influencing skills, with the ability to provide technical leadership without formal line-management authority.
• Excellent organisation and prioritisation skills, with the ability to manage multiple complex technical priorities.
• A commitment to continuous improvement, scientific rigor and high-quality laboratory practices.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and familiarity with laboratory data systems and analytical software.

Technical leadership

This position does not have direct personnel-management responsibility. Instead, you will provide scientific leadership through your technical expertise, mentoring and coaching.

You will be a trusted technical resource for colleagues across the laboratory, supporting scientists with complex analytical challenges and helping develop the scientific capability of the wider team.

Working environment

The role is primarily laboratory-based at our Athlone site, with office-based activities required for data analysis, documentation, technical review and reporting.

You will work in accordance with established safety procedures, SOPs, GMP requirements and applicable regulatory standards. Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) will be required in designated laboratory areas.

The position involves regular laboratory activity, including periods of standing, bending and movement, and occasional light-to-moderate lifting. Occasional work outside standard business hours may be required to support laboratory and project needs.

Join us

If you are an experienced analytical scientist who wants to remain close to the science while taking the next step into senior technical leadership, this role offers the opportunity to make a significant impact.

At Thermo Fisher Scientific, you’ll have the opportunity to apply your expertise to challenging biopharmaceutical programs, mentor talented scientists and help advance analytical capabilities that support our customers and ultimately patients around the world.

Apply today for the Staff Scientist, Biopharma opportunity in Athlone, Ireland and help us make the world healthier, cleaner and safer.