Principal Scientist Jobs in Illinois
Principal Scientist jobs in Illinois are concentrated in pharmaceutical research, biotechnology, agricultural science, and materials chemistry, with demand at every level from early-career researcher through senior principal scientist. Chicago, the North Shore suburbs of Gurnee and Waukegan, and the Deerfield-Lake County research corridor are the busiest hiring areas, anchored by long-established employers such as AbbVie, Baxter International, and Archer Daniels Midland. The most sought-after specializations include oncology drug discovery, analytical chemistry, and agricultural biotechnology. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 25+ Principal Scientist jobs
About AbbVie
AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.
Job Description
Biologics Drug Product Development (Bio DPD), a part of Development Sciences within AbbVie’s R&D, is a global organization that is responsible for drug product formulation and process development, and definition of the product presentation for biologics (proteins, conjugates, peptides, neurotoxins etc.) and genetic medicine (AAV, LNPs, Cell Therapy).
AbbVie is seeking a highly motivated candidate for the position of Principal Research Scientist I, located in North Chicago, IL. We are seeking an accomplished scientist with a proven track record in biologics drug product development. This position will be an integral part of the product development and CMC teams and will have strong collaborations with several stakeholders, including discovery research, analytical research and development, bioprocess development, combination products development, product development science and technology, pilot plants and third-party manufacturers.
Key Responsibilities:
- Act as the DP Team Lead and represent the Bio DPD function in the cross-functional Product Presentation and Device Strategy Team (PPDST) and the CMC Team for one or more pipeline programs spanning early- and late-stage development.
- Serve as a technical expert in ultra-high concentration co-formulation and product development.
- Lead the design and execution of biologics drug product formulation and process development, characterization and robustness studies.
- Lead drug product process scale-up and technology transfer activities to internal and external manufacturing sites.
- Effective and timely communication of development plans, risks, and mitigation plans to stakeholders and line management.
- Initiate and/or support scientific initiatives to drive innovation, continuously enhance capabilities and platforms, and improve business processes.
- Supervise a team of 2-3 scientists that may include other DP team leads.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications:
- BS, MS, or PhD in Pharmaceutics, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or related disciplines with 14+ (Bachelors), 12+ (Masters), or 6+ (PhD) years of relevant industry experience.
- Proven ability to solve critical scientific problems.
- Experience with biologics (proteins, conjugates, peptides and/or neurotoxins), parenteral synthetic molecules and/or genetic medicine (AAV, LNPs, cell therapy) drug product formulation development.
- Experience with sterile manufacturing unit operations (freeze-thaw, compounding, mixing, filtration and filling, lyophilization), characterization, scale-down models, simulation, scale-up, technology transfer, and batch record authoring.
- Experience leading drug product development workstream as the functional lead within cross-functional teams
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience with development and commercialization of ultra-high concentration liquid formulations for fixed dose combination products.
- Hands-on experience with authoring regulatory filings for biologics and sterile parenteral products.
- Understanding of relevant cGMP and regulatory guidance for biologics and sterile parenteral products.
- Experience in managing third-party manufacturers of sterile parenteral products.
- Experience with quality risk management and control strategies for biologics and sterile parenteral products.
Key Competencies:
- Deep scientific knowledge and significant hands-on experience with ultra-high co-formulation development and characterization.
- Effectively communicates to influence without authority, drives technical excellence, and inspires continuous improvement.
- Builds strong relationships with peers and cross-functional partners to enable higher performance.
- Connects ideas from disparate fields, integrates data and information quickly, and takes risks to achieve the highest performance.
- Raises the bar and is never satisfied with the status quo.
- Creates a learning environment, open to suggestions and experimentation for improvement.
- Embraces the ideas of others, nurtures innovation and manages innovation to reality
Additional Information
Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law:
The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.
We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.
This job is eligible to participate in our long-term incentive programs.
Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law.
AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.
US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html
US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more:
https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/reasonable-accommodations.html
About AbbVie
AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.
Job Description
Biologics Drug Product Development (Bio DPD), a part of Development Sciences within AbbVie’s R&D, is a global organization that is responsible for drug product formulation and process development, and definition of the product presentation for biologics (proteins, conjugates, peptides, neurotoxins etc.) and genetic medicine (AAV, LNPs, Cell Therapy).
AbbVie is seeking a highly motivated candidate for the position of Principal Research Scientist I, located in North Chicago, IL. We are seeking an accomplished scientist with a proven track record in biologics drug product development. This position will be an integral part of the product development and CMC teams and will have strong collaborations with several stakeholders, including discovery research, analytical research and development, bioprocess development, combination products development, product development science and technology, pilot plants and third-party manufacturers.
Key Responsibilities:
- Act as the DP Team Lead and represent the Bio DPD function in the cross-functional Product Presentation and Device Strategy Team (PPDST) and the CMC Team for one or more pipeline programs spanning early- and late-stage development.
- Serve as a technical expert in ultra-high concentration co-formulation and product development.
- Lead the design and execution of biologics drug product formulation and process development, characterization and robustness studies.
- Lead drug product process scale-up and technology transfer activities to internal and external manufacturing sites.
- Effective and timely communication of development plans, risks, and mitigation plans to stakeholders and line management.
- Initiate and/or support scientific initiatives to drive innovation, continuously enhance capabilities and platforms, and improve business processes.
- Supervise a team of 2-3 scientists that may include other DP team leads.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications:
- BS, MS, or PhD in Pharmaceutics, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or related disciplines with 14+ (Bachelors), 12+ (Masters), or 6+ (PhD) years of relevant industry experience.
- Proven ability to solve critical scientific problems.
- Experience with biologics (proteins, conjugates, peptides and/or neurotoxins), parenteral synthetic molecules and/or genetic medicine (AAV, LNPs, cell therapy) drug product formulation development.
- Experience with sterile manufacturing unit operations (freeze-thaw, compounding, mixing, filtration and filling, lyophilization), characterization, scale-down models, simulation, scale-up, technology transfer, and batch record authoring.
- Experience leading drug product development workstream as the functional lead within cross-functional teams
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience with development and commercialization of ultra-high concentration liquid formulations for fixed dose combination products.
- Hands-on experience with authoring regulatory filings for biologics and sterile parenteral products.
- Understanding of relevant cGMP and regulatory guidance for biologics and sterile parenteral products.
- Experience in managing third-party manufacturers of sterile parenteral products.
- Experience with quality risk management and control strategies for biologics and sterile parenteral products.
Key Competencies:
- Deep scientific knowledge and significant hands-on experience with ultra-high co-formulation development and characterization.
- Effectively communicates to influence without authority, drives technical excellence, and inspires continuous improvement.
- Builds strong relationships with peers and cross-functional partners to enable higher performance.
- Connects ideas from disparate fields, integrates data and information quickly, and takes risks to achieve the highest performance.
- Raises the bar and is never satisfied with the status quo.
- Creates a learning environment, open to suggestions and experimentation for improvement.
- Embraces the ideas of others, nurtures innovation and manages innovation to reality
Additional Information
Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law:
The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.
We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.
This job is eligible to participate in our long-term incentive programs.
Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law.
AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.
US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html
US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more:
https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/reasonable-accommodations.html
See All 25 Principal Scientist Jobs in Illinois
Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Principal Scientist JobsPrincipal Scientist Jobs by City in Illinois
Where Illinois roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Principal Scientist Job Market in Illinois
A snapshot from current Illinois openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- AbbVie15
- Kraft Heinz6
- AECOM1
- Fitch1
- Newly Weds Foods1
Top Industries Hiring
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals
- Food & Beverage
What Illinois Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in principal scientist jobs across Illinois.
- Ph.D. in a relevant scientific discipline such as chemistry, biology, or biochemistry
- Minimum five to eight years of post-doctoral or industry research experience in Illinois-dominant sectors
- Demonstrated ability to lead multi-disciplinary research teams and mentor junior scientists
- Expertise in experimental design, data analysis, and peer-reviewed publication or patent authorship
- Proficiency with regulatory frameworks relevant to pharmaceutical or agricultural product development
- Strong cross-functional collaboration skills with clinical, regulatory, and commercial teams
Principal Scientist Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a principal scientist in Illinois?
Becoming a principal scientist in Illinois typically requires an advanced degree, usually a Ph.D., in a field aligned with the target industry such as chemistry, molecular biology, or materials science. Illinois does not issue a state license specific to the principal scientist title, so hiring decisions center on advanced education, peer-reviewed research output, and progressively senior laboratory or program leadership experience gained at Illinois research institutions or industry employers.
Which companies hire principal scientists in Illinois?
Employers hiring principal scientists in Illinois right now include AbbVie, Kraft Heinz, and AECOM, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Illinois's dense concentration of pharmaceutical headquarters and agricultural science companies along the I-294 corridor and Lake County means principal scientist openings appear year-round across multiple disciplines.
Which Illinois cities have the most principal scientist jobs?
North Chicago, Glenview, and Chicago have the most principal scientist openings in Illinois. Chicago drives volume through its large hospital systems and university-affiliated research centers, while suburban Lake County and the North Shore corridor concentrate pharmaceutical and biotech postings because AbbVie, Baxter, and several specialty drug companies maintain major research campuses there.
Are there remote principal scientist jobs in Illinois?
Yes, but they're rare. About 100% of principal scientist openings tied to Illinois are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the hands-on laboratory nature of most roles in the state's pharmaceutical and biotech sectors. The sub-functions most likely to offer remote flexibility are computational biology, bioinformatics, and regulatory or scientific affairs roles that do not require bench work.
How can I get hired as a principal scientist in Illinois with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is a post-doctoral fellowship at an Illinois research university such as the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign or Northwestern University, which pipeline directly into industry roles. Large Illinois employers including AbbVie and Baxter run structured early-talent programs that recruit from these institutions. Candidates can also move laterally from research associate or scientist roles into principal scientist tracks by building a record of independent project ownership and publication.
Where can I find and apply to principal scientist jobs in Illinois?
You can find and apply to principal scientist jobs in Illinois on Migrate Mate, which lists current Illinois openings across pharmaceutical, biotech, agricultural science, and materials research employers. Find the roles that fit your background and apply directly from the listings on this page.
See All 25 Principal Scientist Jobs in Illinois
Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Principal Scientist Jobs