2,110,235open jobs
129,942companies
241,452added this week
Browse all
Salary
$87k – $159k per year
Location
In office (Carlsbad)
Seniority
Senior · 5+ years exp
Employment
Full-Time

Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Nov 4, 2026. First seen by Alion on Nov 4, 2026.

Overview
Company
Impact
Profile match
Discover how we are enabling better futures for people living with serious disease through groundbreaking innovations. Learn about our mission here.

Headquartered in Carlsbad, California, and with offices in Boston, Massachusetts, and Dublin, Ireland, Ionis has been at work for more than three decades discovering medical breakthroughs that have redefined life for people with serious diseases. We’re pioneers in RNA-targeted medicines, and our platform continues to revolutionize drug discovery and transform lives for patients with unmet needs. With multiple marketed medicines and a leading pipeline in neurology, cardiology and select areas of high patient needs, we continue to drive innovation in RNA therapies in addition to advancing new approaches in gene editing to provide greater value to patients and are well positioned financially to deliver on our strategic goals.

At Ionis, we pride ourselves on cultivating a challenging, motivating and rewarding environment that fosters innovation and scientific excellence. We know that our success is a direct result of the exceptional talents and dedication of our employees.

With an unprecedented opportunity to change the course of human health, we look to add diverse individuals, skill sets and perspectives to our exceptional team. We continue to invest time, money and energy into making our onsite, hybrid and remote work environments a place where solid and lasting relationships are built and where our culture and employees can thrive.

We’re building on our rich history, and we believe our greatest achievements are ahead of us. If you’re passionate about the opportunity to have meaningful impact on patients in need, we invite you to apply and join us. Experience and contribute to our unique culture while you develop and expand your career!

SENIOR RESEARCH ASSOCIATE/ SENIOR SCIENTIST, PHARMACEUTICAL DEVELOPMENT

SUMMARY:

Ionis Pharmaceuticals is seeking a pharmaceutical development professional to support formulation development and drug product process development. This role will plan and execute laboratory studies, prepare and characterize parenteral formulations, evaluate stability and manufacturing-process performance, and turn experimental results into clear technical conclusions. The work will support programs across development stages for oligonucleotide-based drug products and other pipeline modalities, as appropriate.

The successful candidate combines strong bench skills with sound scientific judgment, careful documentation, and the ability to collaborate across Pharmaceutical Development and partner functions.

WORK LOCATION: This is an on-site, laboratory-focused position. The role is not eligible for remote work.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Design and/or execute laboratory studies supporting formulation screening, optimization, and characterization for parenteral drug products.
  • Maintain organized samples, study records, equipment records, and laboratory materials; follow applicable SOPs, safety requirements, and quality practices.
  • Summarize experimental plans, results, and conclusions in protocols, laboratory records, technical reports, presentations, and other development documents.
  • Communicate study status, risks, data gaps, and recommendations to the broader team; manage multiple experiments and deliverables in a timely manner.
  • Contribute to continuous improvement of laboratory methods, templates, and development practices.
  • Collaborate with internal and external partners to resolve technical questions and advance development activities.
  • Contribute to authoring and/or review of drug product CMC sections of regulatory submissions and supporting documents, as needed.

REQUIREMENTS:

    • BA/BS or higher degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, Biochemistry, or related scientific discipline with a minimum of 5 years (BA/BS), 3 years (MA/MS), or 2 years (PhD) pharmaceutical development experience.
    • Proficiency with common laboratory processes such as pipetting, buffer preparation, pH adjustment, and UV/Vis spectrophotometry is required.
    • Hands-on experience in three or more relevant techniques such as buffer exchange, osmometry, viscometry, liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, DLS, DSC, particle sizing/counting.
    • Experience preparing and characterizing complex APIs such as oligonucleotides, peptides, antibodies, and conjugates.
    • Careful, consistent execution of laboratory procedures, with attention to sample identity, calculations, equipment use, and contemporaneous documentation.
    • Clear written and verbal communication skills and the ability to work reliably with scientists and cross-functional colleagues.
    • Excellent organizational and communication skills, with the ability to manage multiple time-sensitive deliverables independently.
    • Direct experience with formulation development for parenteral drug products is preferred.
    • Familiarity with GMP requirements is preferred.

Please visit our website,http://www.ionis.com for more information about Ionis and to apply for this position; reference requisition # IONIS004082

Ionis offers an excellent benefits package! Follow this link for more details:Ionis Benefits

Full Benefits Link: https://ionis.com/careers#:~:text=Highly%20competitive%20benefits

The pay scale for this position is $87,244 to $159,263

The pay scale for the Senior Research Associate position is $87,244 to $107,880

The pay scale for the Senior Scientist position is $129,288 to $159,263

NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE. PRINCIPALS ONLY.

Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and all its subsidiaries are proud to be EEO employers.

Free account
Stop reading job ads. Get the ones that fit.
One free account turns this page into a shortlist built around your stack, your level and your pay.
Match on every job. Stack, seniority, pay and location, scored against your profile.
2,110,235 open roles. Read straight off company career pages, refreshed every day.
Unlimited applications. Every one you send is tracked in one place, on-site or on a company board.
3 tailored CVs a month. Rewritten for the exact job you are applying to. Included free.
Create a free account Continue with Google
Free forever. No card. Under a minute.

Your match

How well do you fit this role?
Two answers are enough for a real match. No account needed.
Check my fit
Answers stay in this browser until you create an account.

Recommended for you based on this role

Science & Research
Similar stack
Same company
Carlsbad
In office · 10+ years exp · PhD · Cupertino
Python
Apply
$75k – $90k per year · In office · Bachelor's Degree · Watertown
Life Sciences
PCR
Flow Cytometry
Western Blot
Cell Culture
GLP
FlowJo
Apply
$83k – $119k per year · Hybrid · Full-Time · 10+ years exp · Bachelor's Degree · Duluth
Apply
$85k – $162k per year · In office · Full-Time · 7+ years exp · Bachelor's Degree · Irvine
Life Sciences
Bioreactors
Apply
$110k – $209k per year · In office · Full-Time · 12+ years exp · Bachelor's Degree · Irvine
Life Sciences
Mass Spectrometry
HPLC
Chromatography
Bioreactors
Apply
≈ $97k – $201k per year (Estimated) · Remote (United States, EST hours) · Full-Time · 10+ years exp · Bachelor's Degree · New York · San Francisco · Washington · San Diego · Nashville
Apply
$36k – $123k per year · Equity · In office · Full-Time · 3+ years exp · Bachelor's Degree · Columbus · Durham · Carlsbad
DevOps
GCP
Life Sciences
Good Clinical Practice
Apply
≈ $51k – $91k per year (Estimated) · In office · 3+ years exp · High School Diploma · Carlsbad
Apply
$112k – $156k per year · Hybrid · Full-Time · 8+ years exp · Bachelor's Degree · Carlsbad
Analytics
Microsoft Excel
Apply
$60k – $120k per year · In office · Full-Time · High School Diploma · Carlsbad
Apply
See all jobs
This is one of many
2,110,235 more open roles from verified company boards, updated every day.