Pharmaceutical scientists perform a variety of tasks on a day-to-day basis to support research for discovering new drugs. This work often takes place in a laboratory setting and is largely focused on experimentation.

These professionals are often employed by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, but there are also employment opportunities in contract research organizations (CROs), academic institutions, and manufacturing facilities. They may also function as consultants to businesses and government agencies by advising on issues related to the pharmaceutical development process.

Below is a closer look at the common roles and responsibilities of pharmaceutical scientists. 

Roles and Responsibilities

According to Janero, “the principal focus [of most pharmaceutical scientists] would be on wet-lab research, looking at how potential drugs work and how they might be developed for clinical use.”

Some of the specific tasks involved in the role include:

• Collecting and analyzing data
• Collaborating with interdisciplinary team members
• Testing and optimizing compounds for safety and efficacy
• Running experiments to determine how a drug functions