仕事内容:
Job Description – Project Leader
Position Title
Project Leader – Synthetic Chemistry
Department
Research & Development (R&D)
Employment Type
Full-time, Permanent
Location
Kanagawa, Japan (Shonan Health Innovation Park / Shonan iPark)
Position Summary
The Project Leader is responsible for planning, executing, and managing synthetic chemistry projects for global pharmaceutical clients. This role requires strong technical expertise in organic synthesis, excellent project management skills, and the ability to lead teams while maintaining high standards of quality, safety, and client communication.
Key Responsibilities
1. Technical Leadership
- Design, evaluate, and optimize synthetic routes for client projects.
- Provide scientific guidance on reaction mechanisms, route selection, and troubleshooting.
- Review experimental plans and ensure scientific rigor across project activities.
- Oversee analytical data interpretation (NMR, LC‑MS, GC‑MS, HPLC, etc.).
- Support process development, scale-up, and technology transfer when required.
2. Project Management
- Lead multiple chemistry projects simultaneously, ensuring on-time and high‑quality delivery.
- Define project scope, milestones, timelines, and resource allocation.
- Identify project risks and implement mitigation strategies.
- Manage scope changes and communicate impacts to internal teams and clients.
- Work effectively within FTE/FFS project models.
3. Client Communication & Stakeholder Management
- Serve as the primary point of contact for global pharmaceutical clients.
- Provide clear and timely technical updates, reports, and presentations.
- Facilitate milestone meetings and technical discussions with clients.
- Build and maintain strong, trust-based client relationships.
- Adapt communication style to diverse cultural and organizational contexts.
4. Team Leadership & People Development
- Lead and mentor a team of chemists with varying experience levels.
- Assign tasks, review results, and ensure adherence to scientific and operational standards.
- Foster a culture of safety, quality, and continuous improvement.
- Coordinate effectively with cross-functional teams (analytical, process, QA, procurement, etc.).
5. Operational Excellence
- Ensure accurate, complete, and audit-ready project documentation.
- Maintain compliance with EHS, IP protection, and data integrity requirements.
- Identify workflow inefficiencies and drive process improvements.
- Support laboratory equipment upgrades, workflow optimization, and digitalization initiatives.
6. Problem-Solving & Decision-Making
- Analyze complex technical and operational issues and make timely decisions.
- Apply structured problem-solving and data-driven decision-making.
- Balance scientific rigor with project timelines and client expectations.
7. Business & Commercial Awareness
- Understand CRO business models, cost structures, and profitability drivers.
- Support proposal development, project scoping, and client negotiations.
- Stay informed about market trends, emerging technologies, and competitive landscape.
- Align project execution with broader business strategy.
Qualifications
Required
- Minimum 8 years of management experience in R&D teams at a top 20 Japanese pharmaceutical company or a Big Pharma in Europe or America; experience in both large pharmaceutical companies and CDMOs is preferred.
- PhD in Organic Chemistry or a related field.
- Strong expertise in synthetic organic chemistry and analytical data interpretation.
- Experience leading R&D teams through complete projects from process development to scale-up production.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills.
- Ability to lead teams and manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
- Strong organizational skills, independence, and problem-solving ability.
- Fluent in both Japanese and English (written and spoken)
- Good understanding of GMP management is required
Preferred
- Experience in CRO environments, especially FTE/FFS project models.
- Experience working with global pharmaceutical clients.
Personal Attributes
- High sense of ownership and accountability.
- Adaptability and resilience in dynamic environments.
- Attention to detail and strong organizational discipline.
- Collaborative mindset and ability to work across cultures and functions.
- Commitment to continuous learning and innovation.
勤務時間・曜日:
始業時間：08時30分
終業時間：17時30分
休憩時間：1時間
その他:
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: 15,000,000円 - 20,000,000円 per year
Average number of scheduled working hours (monthly): 160 hour(s)
