Who We Are:
Xenon Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: XENE) is a neuroscience-focused biopharmaceutical company dedicated to drug discovery, clinical development, and commercialization of life-changing therapeutics for patients in need. We are looking for great people who thrive in a respectful, collaborative, inclusive, and productive culture to join the Xenon team.
What We Do:
We are advancing an exciting product pipeline to address indications with high unmet medical need, including epilepsy and depression. Our Phase 3 azetukalner program represents the most advanced, clinically validated potassium channel modulator in late-stage clinical development for multiple indications. Building upon the positive results and compelling data from our Phase 2b X-TOLE study in adult patients with focal epilepsy, our Phase 3 epilepsy program includes multiple clinical trials evaluating azetukalner in patients with focal onset seizures and primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures. In November 2025, we announced the completion of patient enrollment in our Phase 3 X-TOLE2 study, and topline data are anticipated in early 2026. We also have multiple Phase 3 azetukalner clinical trials in major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar depression (BPD) underway, based on topline data from our Phase 2 X-NOVA clinical trial. In addition, we are proud of the leading-edge science coming out of our discovery labs, including early-stage research programs that leverage our extensive ion channel expertise and drug discovery capabilities to identify validated drug targets and develop new product candidates. We have recently initiated Phase 1 studies for our follow-on Kv7 channel opener, XEN1120, and our lead Nav1.7 development candidate, XEN1701, in pain. Backed by a strong balance sheet to support our growth plans, we continue to build a fully integrated, premier neuroscience company with strong discovery, clinical development, corporate, and commercial operations.
About the Role:
We are seeking a Research Scientist 2, CMC, Analytical Chemistry to join our CMC team. The ideal candidate will work flexibly across a number of small molecule drug development programs with an emphasis on the development of in-house analytical methods on new research/development compounds that will be subsequently transferred to external cGMP testing labs. The preformulation studies (polymorphism, solubility assessment, material characterization etc.) will be a secondary aspect to the role which will be used to support the Company’s ongoing discovery and development programs.
This position reports to the Principal Scientist, Analytical Chemistry and will be in the Vancouver, BC, Canada location. The level of the position will be commensurate with the candidate’s education and industry experience. This is a permanent, full-time position.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Develop, pre-validate, and troubleshoot analytical methods for starting materials, process intermediates, drug substances, and drug products from Xenon’s internal pipeline. Assess current analytical methods and optimize where applicable.
- Design and execute dissolution experiments. Develop dissolution methods for solid oral dosage forms.
- Support method qualification/validation studies by designing and/or reviewing validation protocols, reports and raw data as needed.
- Closely collaborate with Drug Substance and Drug Product during development
- Collaborate with colleagues in the Discovery group to evaluate and transfer product candidates into the CMC group. Conduct preformulation studies to enable formulation development.
- Identify impurities in the drug substance or drug product.
- Perform excipient compatibility and stability studies to aid with formulation selection.
- Transfer methods to our outsourced contract organizations in collaboration with QC.
- Independently design and conduct analytical experiments.
- Implement new experimental protocols and techniques.
- Interpret results and draw conclusions from experiments; design and pursue relevant experiments.
- Evaluate data and summarize in associated reports and documentation.
- Understand relevant scientific literature and apply theoretical framework to solving problems.
- Interact with cross-functional teams with internal and external team members from various functional departments including Drug Substance, Drug Product, Quality Control, Quality Assurance, and Regulatory.
- General laboratory maintenance and monitoring.
- Maintain analytical equipment within the analytical laboratory.
- Write standard operating procedures and/or standard testing procedures as required. Develop in-house technical documents for the qualification, use and maintenance of analytical equipment in the CMC group
- Organize and file internal data, protocols, and reports.
- Effective time management with an emphasis on prioritizing projects as needed.
- Keep up to date and detailed records of experiments and data analysis within an Electronic Lab Notebook system. Ensure experiments are counter-signed on a monthly basis.
- Ensure the laboratory environment is safe and well-organized; follow and keep up to date with Health & Safety policies.
- Act in accordance with Company policies, including, for example, the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and ensure policies are understood and followed by direct reports, if any.
- Other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- An MSc or PhD in analytical/physical/organic chemistry, or pharmaceutical sciences is required.
- A minimum of 5 years experience for MSc (or 2 years for PhD) in the pharmaceutical industry, directly related to analytical development on small molecule drug substances and drug products is required.
- Extensive experience with chromatographic techniques (HPLC, GC), including assay and related substance method development, forced degradation studies, and excipient compatibilities studies.
- Hands-on experience developing dissolution methods for solid oral dosage forms is required.
- Impurity identification experience using LCMS and GCMS mass spectra is highly preferred.
- Relevant experience in the field of preformulation, solid state chemistry would be a plus.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to communicate with scientific and non-scientific personnel.
- Excellent attention to detail and commitment to providing reliable, accurate, high-quality data.
- Self-motivated with good organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple competing priorities.
- Strong interpersonal and team skills to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team.
- Language of work is English.
The base salary range for this role is $96,000 to $121,400 CAD; we will consider above this range for exceptional candidates. Base salary is determined by a combination of factors including, but not limited to, education and other qualifications, years of relevant experience, and internal equity.
Our Total Rewards program includes base salary, target bonus, and stock options, as well as a full range of benefits including medical, dental, vision, short-& long-term disability, accidental death & dismemberment, and life insurance programs, Employee Assistance Program, travel insurance, and retirement savings programs with company matching contributions.
Xenon encourages time to rest and re-charge through vacation, personal days, sick days, and an end-of-year company shutdown. Xenon highly values employee development and has an expanding Training, Learning & Development program, including a Tuition Assistance program for advanced degrees.
As part of our hiring process, Xenon conducts background checks for finalist candidates. The types of checks conducted will vary depending on the relevance to the position.
US positions only: Xenon Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. participates in the E-Verify program in all states in which we hire. Learn more about the E-Verify program here.
To apply for this position, click Apply Now to complete the application. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, due to the volume of applicants, only those chosen for interview will be contacted.
