R&D Scientist — Compounding

About Us

At The Pharmacy Hub, we collaborate with pharmaceutical brands, manufacturers, health brands, telemedicine providers, and healthcare companies to deliver essential products directly to patients. Our expertise allows us to seamlessly distribute pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and other healthcare products to consumers, ensuring greater accessibility and convenience.

Position Summary

The Pharmacy Hub is looking for an R&D Scientist to join our in-house Research & Development team and drive the development, optimization, scale-up, and commercialization of compounded pharmaceutical formulations. This is a hands-on, lab-based role: you will design and run formulation and process trials across a wide range of dosage forms — ODTs, chewables, troches, oral films, capsules and tablets, creams and ointments, topical and transdermal formulations, solutions, sprays, gummies, and injectables — and take successful formulations from the bench through pilot and production scale.

You will also troubleshoot existing formulations, support equipment evaluation and technology transfer, and produce the technical documentation that keeps our work compliant with GMP, 503A requirements, and USP <795>, <797>, and <800>. The role works closely with Production, Quality, Pharmacy, Procurement, and Operations.

This position reports to the Head of R&D / R&D Manager.

Core Responsibilities

Formulation & Process Development (~50%)

• Conduct literature reviews to guide formulation approach, ingredient selection, and technical feasibility
• Design and execute formulation screening, optimization, and comparative studies, adjusting variables based on scientific rationale and real-time results
• Evaluate APIs, excipients, flavors, colors, and processing aids, including their chemical and physical properties
• Resolve formulation challenges such as poor flow, sticking/picking, friability, hardness, segregation, content uniformity, viscosity, stability, and appearance
• Perform organoleptic evaluation and finalize color and flavor systems
• Execute laboratory and pilot-scale compounding trials following approved procedures and protocols
• Develop and optimize processes including mixing, milling, homogenization, granulation, compression, filling, casting, drying, and molding
• Establish process parameters and operating ranges, identify process risks, and recommend controls
• Identify opportunities for new products, dosage forms, excipients, and manufacturing approaches, and contribute to innovation projects from concept through commercialization, including IP documentation where applicable

Troubleshooting & Production Support (~20%)

• Partner with Production to investigate manufacturing issues — breakage, weight variability, content uniformity, mixing or homogenization problems, appearance changes, and yield losses — and implement technically justified corrective actions
• Participate in technical investigations, CAPA support, and process improvement

Documentation, Technology Transfer & Project Tracking (~15%)

• Document every trial in real time in laboratory logbooks or batch records, and maintain complete R&D records for materials, equipment, and trials
• Prepare and review Master Formulation Records (MFRs) for accuracy, completeness, and compliance
• Transfer developed formulations and processes to Production, including MFRs, batch records, SOPs, work instructions, and process parameters
• Evaluate equipment capability, run equipment trials, and support scale-up from lab to pilot to production batches
• Track and report project status and support prioritization and timeline planning with the R&D Manager
• Ensure formulation and laboratory practices meet 503A requirements and USP <795>, <797>, and <800>; perform pre-operational inspections, clean and disinfect between tests, and properly store samples, prototypes, and pilot batches

Analytical & Product Evaluation (~10%)

• Perform or coordinate testing including HPLC, water activity, pH, viscosity/rheology, particle size, disintegration/dissolution, mechanical strength, and weight variation
• Evaluate dosage-form performance — appearance, weight variation, mechanical strength, flow, dispersion, and dissolution/disintegration
• Coordinate external laboratory testing when required and interpret analytical results to assess formulation and process performance

Cross-Functional, Supplier & Equipment Coordination (~5%)

• Collaborate with R&D, Production, Quality Control, Quality Assurance, Pharmacy, Procurement, and Operations
• Support supplier assessment, evaluating quality, capability, and reliability of prospective vendors
• Work with equipment suppliers to evaluate new technologies and inform equipment selection

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a related field
• Minimum 3 years (3–5 years preferred) of hands-on experience in pharmaceutical formulation, compounding, product development, or process development
• Demonstrated experience designing and executing formulation studies, stability protocols, and compatibility evaluations
• Working knowledge of GMP principles and USP <795> (nonsterile), <797> (sterile), and <800> (hazardous drugs)
• Understanding of 503A compounding pharmacy regulatory requirements and how they apply to formulation development
• Familiarity with multiple dosage forms, such as tablets, capsules, creams, ODFs, sprays, topical semisolids, troches, ODTs, injections, and gummies
• Ability to run laboratory trials independently and accurately
• Strong technical documentation and problem-solving skills

Preferred

• Experience with compounded pharmaceutical products
• Experience with ODTs, chewables, troches, oral films, gels, transdermal systems, sprays, or solutions
• Experience with scale-up and technology transfer
• Experience leading process troubleshooting and root-cause investigations
• Experience with formulation development software or electronic laboratory systems

Core Competencies

• Hands-on and detail-oriented — comfortable at the bench daily, meticulous about documentation, and doesn’t cut corners on data capture even when trials move fast
• Curious problem-solver — treats an OOS result or a sticking/picking issue as a puzzle to investigate methodically, not a setback
• Comfortable with ambiguity — energized by iterating through trial and error rather than needing a fixed playbook
• Clear communicator — translates technical findings into plain language for Production, Quality, or a prescriber, and flags risks early
• Self-directed but collaborative — runs trials independently while seeking input and sharing findings openly
• Manages multiple development projects and prioritizes well
• Continuous improvement mindset

Work Environment

This is a full-time, on-site role based at The Pharmacy Hub’s Davie and Miami Gardens, Florida locations, Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM–6:00 PM. The role works in R&D laboratory and pilot/production compounding areas, handling APIs, excipients, and hazardous drugs under USP <800> controls, using appropriate personal protective equipment, and working closely with cross-functional teams in a regulated 503A compounding environment.

Physical Requirements

The physical and mental demands described are representative of those an employee must meet to successfully perform the essential functions of this role. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Standing and walking for extended periods in laboratory and compounding areas
• Manual dexterity to operate laboratory instruments, scales, and compounding equipment
• Ability to lift and move materials and equipment as needed
• Ability to wear required PPE, including gowning and respiratory protection where applicable
• Close visual acuity for measurement, inspection, and documentation
• Extended computer use for documentation, data analysis, and reporting

Important

• This position is based on-site across Davie, FL and Miami Gardens, FL
• Candidates will complete a technical test task as part of the interview process

At-Will Employment

Employment is at will and may be terminated at any time, with or without cause or notice, in accordance with applicable law.