Working at Pepscan

Pepscan is globally renowned as an all-in-one partner in peptides that enables life-improving breakthroughs. It is building on 25 years of experience in advancing and applying peptide expertise to assist customers in the discovery, development and production of peptides. The Pepscan team has successfully synthesized hundreds of thousands of custom peptides for biotech and large pharma companies, as well as academic customers.

Pepscan offers a range of phage display capabilities, lead-optimization services and production facilities for R&D- to GMP-grade peptides, including libraries and neoantigen vaccines. These services are built on proprietary technologies and platforms. Among its patents is the CLIPS™ technology, which locks peptides into their active conformations.

Pepscan has built unrivalled expertise in complex, constrained, multimeric and other special peptides.
Its custom peptide production uses a range of state-of-the-art instruments at a 1,500 m² facility in Lelystad, the Netherlands. Complex peptides can be produced according to GMP for clinical stages, and are always produced at Pepscan’s ISO9001 standards.

As a peptide provider, Pepscan consistently meets the highest standards for quality, customer service and technical expertise. With its highly skilled and committed chemists, Pepscan delivers on the ever-increasing peptide needs in biology and drug discovery research.

The opportunity

Pepscan has built a strong position in the synthesis of the most complex peptides for a large variety of customers, from academia to big pharma. Its team of scientists and technicians has a strong track record in the delivery of high-quality, complex peptides by applying smart science and using Pepscan’s flexible manufacturing capabilities in the Netherlands.

Pepscan is rapidly building a track record in assisting customers in the development of their peptide NCEs. In Lelystad, processes are tailored to the peptide(s), optimized and scaled up. The resulting drug substances are fully suitable for use in clinical trials (according to EudraLex, volume 4, part II). For commercial supply, Pepscan produces in an FDA/Swissmedic-inspected plant in Switzerland. Its portfolio of clients ranges from new innovative scale-up companies to established big pharma companies. Pepscan’s proven track record in the fields of radiopharmaceuticals/theranostics, lipidated peptides and antimicrobials includes:

• Production ranging from mg-scale up to (multi)gram-scale
• Step-wise multiple disulfide bond formation
• Incorporation of non-natural building blocks
• Peptide (fluorescent) labeling

Within the sales team, Pepscan is looking for a Product Specialist in NCE Peptide Services to act as first contact and sparring partner for customers. The role is focused on finding and defining solutions for customers that combine peptide chemistry with quality, analytical and regulatory requirements, and this within a commercial setting, where pricing should not be an obstacle to the new therapies.

A typical proposal or quotation starts with getting an in-depth understanding of the request of the customer. The next step is to assess the technical feasibility (based on the specialist’s own peptide chemistry expertise, enriched with the knowledge and experience from our Manufacturing Support, Science & Technology team. This Is followed by collecting expert insights from QC (incl. the Stability Study Manager), QA, Analytical Development and regulatory advisors to come to a commercial proposal that sketches the path to turn the customer’s project into a success story.

Your profile

The ideal candidate is entrepreneurial, loves interacting with (potential) customers, and enjoys solving customer’s challenges. You have a good knowledge of peptide chemistry, combined with a broad interest in the critical factors that determine success in pharma development (incl. quality and regulatory affairs), which you like to apply to a wide range of customer challenges in a commercial environment. You realize that guiding a therapy through clinical phases requires endurance and managing a full spectrum of aspects – which only succeeds if you combine result-orientation with patience.

Your responsibilities

• Fulfill an expert role in first contact with (potential) customers
• Develop customer-specific proposals that maximally leverage Pepscan’s capabilities and expertise to turn customers' projects into new, life-improving therapies for patients
• Proactive sales and marketing activities, analyses and customer satisfaction
• Ensure Pepscan’s capabilities are known and recognized throughout the various niche markets (therapeutic areas) and build rapport with contacts at potential key customers
• Bring business opportunities to fruition and develop long-term relationships by being transparent and reliable
• Ensure that project proposals and meeting updates are submitted in a timely manner
• Gather and communicate relevant market developments and customer feedback to management team

Your education/experience

• Entrepreneurial scientist with M.Sc. or Ph.D. in peptide (organic) chemistry
• Experience in pharma industry (GMP manufacturing)
• Commercial CDMO mindset and demonstrable experience in a commercial environment
• Proven success in building relationships on trust, engagement and long-term commitment

Your profile

• A (peptide) chemistry expert
• Experience in clinical/commercial pharma manufacturing
• Keen business interest and commercial drive
• Excellent interpersonal skills, teamwork, communication, customer service, technical abilities, problem-solving, analytical strengths and organizational skills
• Excellent oral and written communication skills (English)
• Able to work under pressure (workload peaks) and meet deadlines while maintaining a positive attitude

What we offer

The position offers an opportunity to work within an international team (47 FTE) of entrepreneurial, science-loving colleagues, all of whom are committed to improving the lives of patients through the potential of peptides.

Pepscan offers an informal working environment, with a great deal of room for personal development and to shape your role. Pepscan offers a competitive salary and a quality retirement plan.

The job offer is based on a one-year contract which, upon satisfactory performance, will be converted into an indefinite contract.

If you are interested in applying for this challenging position, please send a brief motivation letter and CV to:

Sylvia Boelens, HR-department
s.boelens@pepscan.com

 

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Company introduction

Pepscan is globally renowned as an all-in-one partner in peptides that enables life-improving breakthroughs. It is building on 25 years of experience in advancing and applying peptide expertise to assist customers in the discovery, development and production of peptides.

Pepscan has recently become part of the Biosynth Group, an innovative life sciences reagents, custom synthesis and manufacturing services company headquartered in Staad, Switzerland. Together with US-based vivitide a peptide division is formed with 150 peptide chemists that offers a complete range of peptide products and services.

The opportunity

Pepscan has built a strong position in the synthesis of the most complex peptides for a large variety of customers, from academia to big pharma. Its team of scientists and technicians has a strong track record in the delivery of high-quality, complex peptides by applying smart science and using Pepscan’s flexible manufacturing capabilities in the Netherlands.

Pepscan is rapidly building a track record in assisting customers in the development of their peptide NCEs. In Lelystad, processes are tailored to the peptide(s), optimized and scaled up. The resulting drug substances are fully suitable for use in clinical trials (according to EudraLex, volume 4, part II). For commercial supply, Pepscan produces in an FDA/Swissmedic-inspected plant in Switzerland. Its portfolio of clients ranges from new innovative scale-up companies to established big pharma companies. Pepscan’s proven track record in the fields of radiopharmaceuticals/theranostics, lipidated peptides and antimicrobials includes:

• Production ranging from mg-scale up to (multi)gram-scale
• Step-wise multiple disulfide bond formation
• Incorporation of non-natural building blocks
• Peptide (fluorescent) labeling

Within the sales team, Pepscan is looking for a Sales account manager to act as first contact and sparring partner for customers. The role is focused on finding and defining solutions for customers that combine peptide chemistry with quality, analytical and regulatory requirements, and this within a commercial setting, where pricing should not be an obstacle to the new therapies.

Your profile

The ideal candidate is entrepreneurial, loves interacting with (potential) customers, and enjoys solving customer’s challenges. You have a good knowledge of peptide chemistry, combined with a broad interest in the critical factors that determine success in pharma development (incl. quality and regulatory affairs), which you like to apply to a wide range of customer challenges in a commercial environment. You realize that guiding a therapy through clinical phases requires endurance and managing a full spectrum of aspects – which only succeeds if you combine result-orientation with patience.

Essential duties and responsibilities:

• Prospect for new customers and continue lead generation activities to identify new opportunities within the Biotech/Diagnostics/Pharmaceutical industry.
• Grow and drive sales of the peptide services to achieve sales goals for the assigned territory.
• Act as first contact and sparring partner for customers.
• Responsible for selling the peptide portfolio within existing and new customers.
• Bring business opportunities to fruition and develop long-term relationships by focusing on the unique key success factors of each customer.
• Negotiate and close business opportunities.
• Gather and communicate relevant market information to management team.
• Maintain compliance with all company policies and procedures, including ISO and GMP as needed.

Education and/or Work Experience Requirements:

Employee possesses the following knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to perform the daily tasks and job duties:

• Higher level of education (M.Sc./Ph.D.) in a relevant discipline such as chemistry or biochemistry
• (Hands-on) experience in peptide chemistry is a plus
• 3 – 5 years of experience in a commercial environment
• Experience with(in) the pharmaceutical industry is a prerequisite
• Demonstrated success in account management based on building relationships on trust, engagement and long-term commitment
• Commercial mind-set
• Fluent English

Leadership & Personal:

• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Results driven
• Commercial drive
• Stress resistant – able to work under pressure (workload peaks) and meet deadlines while maintaining a positive attitude

What we offer

The position offers an opportunity to work within an international team of entrepreneurial, science-loving colleagues, all of whom are committed to improving the lives of patients through the potential of peptides.

Pepscan offers an informal working environment, with a great deal of room for personal development and to shape your role. Pepscan offers a competitive salary and a quality retirement plan.

The job offer is based on a one-year contract which, upon satisfactory performance, will be converted into an indefinite contract.

If you are interested in applying for this challenging position, please send a brief motivation letter and CV to:

Sylvia Boelens, HR-department
s.boelens@pepscan.com

Application deadline: September 15th, 2022

 

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Pepscan is an all-in-one partner in peptides, building on 25 years of experience in advancing and applying peptide expertise to facilitate customers in the discovery, development and production of peptides under ISO9001 certification. At its end-to-end facility in Lelystad, the Netherlands, Pepscan offers a range of patented technologies, high-diversity screening capabilities, a lead-optimization array platform, and production facilities for R&D- to GMP grade peptides, including libraries and neoantigen vaccines. Among its patents is the CLIPS™ technology, which can be used to lock peptides into their active, binding conformations.

With its epitope mapping service platform, Pepscan also supports biotech companies in developing their antibody pipelines. The underlying protein mimicry platform delivers binding insights, even in cases where other technologies, such as linear, fall short.

Pepscan’s GMP offering is fast growing, for the supply of both therapeutic peptides as well as personalized peptides for neoantigen (cancer) vaccines. In addition, this growth drives the continuous improvement of the internal quality standards. As a result, we are looking for support for our QA lead.

The opportunity

The position QA officer reports to the QA lead – and together the two will be the QA team at Pepscan.

The activities consist of:

• Reviewing production documentation to check completeness, correctness and conformity to quality management system
• Management and monitoring (independently) of quality systems activities (documentation, qualifications, deviations, changes)
• Executing internal audits
• Participating in external audits (as co-auditor)
• Releasing raw/starting materials
• Archiving according to procedure
• Supporting the QA lead in product batch release
• Initiating, facilitating and, when necessary, realizing quality improvement projects
• Admin-role for e-QMS application

Your education/experience

• Higher level of education (B.Sc./M.Sc.) in a relevant discipline such as life sciences or (bio)chemistry
• Experience with working in conformance with a quality management system, highly preferably GMP
• Experience with(in) the pharmaceutical industry is an advantage
• Knowledge and good understanding of lean mechanisms

Your profile

• Good interpersonal and communication skills
• Excellent oral and written communication skills (Dutch/English)
• Quality character: accurate, thorough, resolute
• Able to work under pressure (workload peaks) and meet deadlines while maintaining a positive attitude

What we offer

The position offers an opportunity to work within a team (~47 FTE) of entrepreneurial, science-loving colleagues, all of whom are committed to improving the lives of patients through the potential of peptides.

Our mission is to enable breakthroughs for life by mastering peptides. Pepscan is characterized by our core values; dedication, impact driven, ingenuity and personal touch.

Pepscan offers an informal working environment, with ample room for personal development, growth and opportunities to shape your personal contribution. We offer a market conform salary and a good pension plan. The right candidate will be welcomed enthusiastically. The job offer is based on a start with a one-year contract.

If you are interested in this challenging position, do not hesitate to apply and send a short motivation letter with CV to:

Sylvia Boelens, HR dept.
s.boelens@pepscan.com

 

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