Principal Research Scientist II Central Core Function Operations Leader

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.

The Quantitative, Translational and ADME Science (QTAS) organization at AbbVie is seeking a highly motivated Principal Research Scientist II – Central Core Function Operations Leader to join the Non-regulated Bioanalysis team in North Chicago. This laboratory-based role provides strategic and operational leadership for a centralized organization supporting ADME, Bioanalysis, and Translational Sciences. The successful candidate will be responsible for developing and executing an efficient, compliant, and scalable operating model that advances scientific productivity, data integrity, and operational excellence.

The Operations Leader partners with scientific, technical, quality, automation, IT, and business stakeholders to align priorities, standardize processes, improve workflows, and drive continuous improvement across laboratory operations. This position also provides leadership to a multidisciplinary team and serves as a key integrator across laboratory operations and enterprise support functions.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead centralized operational activities supporting ADME, Bioanalysis, and Translational Sciences core functions, ensuring alignment with business priorities, service expectations, quality standards, and timelines.
• Partner with scientific and technical leaders to lead cross-functional initiatives, standardize processes, and strengthen laboratory support capabilities, including automation, IT-enabled workflows, sample logistics, operational metrics, data analytics, quality/compliance, EHS, calibration, and instrumentation coordination, including LC-MS systems and robotics.
• Monitor operational performance through dashboards, metrics, and business reviews; identify trends, assess risk, and drive corrective actions while partnering with scientific and functional leaders to forecast demand, manage capacity, prioritize work, and ensure timely service delivery.
• Oversee vendor relationships and outsourcing activities.
• Lead and develop a team of professionals across multiple functional areas, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, inclusion, and operational excellence.

• PhD with 8+ years, M.S. with 14+ years, or BS with 16+ years of experience in analytical chemistry, chemistry, life sciences, engineering, or a related field, with experience in scientific operations management and the pharmaceutical or biopharmaceutical industry.
• Demonstrated experience leading operational workflows in a complex, cross-functional laboratory environment, with strong knowledge of laboratory systems, sample management, data flow, quality practices, and operational governance.
• Experience leading and developing teams, with prior people leadership experience in a scientific or operational setting.
• Experience with robotics, automation, laboratory IT systems, digital enablement, validation activities, and workflow improvement.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities across stakeholders and deliver results in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong analytical, organizational, problem-solving, communication, and influencing skills, with the ability to partner effectively across scientific and technical functions.
• Experience leading outsourced operations, external partner oversight, dashboards, metrics frameworks, or operational reporting systems.
• Working knowledge of compliance expectations, including quality systems, EHS practices, and instrument/calibration controls.

Leadership Expectations

• Serve as a visible and trusted operational leader of the centralized core organization.
• Drive standardization and efficiency while balancing scientific flexibility and business needs.
• Anticipate operational risks and proactively implement mitigation strategies.
• Build strong partnerships with cross-functional leaders to ensure clarity of roles, responsibilities, and service expectations.
• Model AbbVie values through integrity, accountability, collaboration, and a commitment to excellence.

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. 

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