For our partner, a pharmaceutical company located in the canton of Vaud, GI Life Sciences is looking for a:

Principal Innovation Research Scientist – Global OTC Category

Temporary position

Start date : ASAP

End of assignmen : 12/2026

Your Mission :

As a Principal Innovation Research Scientist, you play a key role in driving innovation within the Global OTC category.

Your main mission is to support the scientific leadership team by designing, leading, and executing innovation programs and strategies, while ensuring full alignment with consumer needs, regulatory requirements, and the company’s strategic vision.

You actively contribute to building a robust innovation pipeline by identifying new scientific and technological opportunities and transforming ideas into high‑value, actionable projects.

Your Responsibilities :

· Build and sustain a balanced global pipeline of early‑stage innovation projects.

· Create, lead, and drive innovation projects through their early development phases.

· Ensure that the consumer voice consistently guides the initiatives undertaken.

· Identify, assess, and advance key innovation opportunities aligned with brand strategies.

· Lead the discovery and implementation of promising new scientific or technological approaches.

· Maintain continuous monitoring of scientific literature, industry trends, and competitive intelligence.

· Collaborate with R&D, Commercial, and Supply Chain teams to structure strong, pipeline‑ready innovation projects.

· Provide technical leadership and support for the development of innovative products.

· Develop and manage external relationships, including conducting scientific due diligence on external innovation opportunities.

· Design research plans aligned with overall project objectives.

· Prepare technical documents and presentations to enhance the team’s internal and external visibility and credibility.

· Ensure successful transfer of qualified early‑stage projects into the exploratory pipeline.

Your Profile :

· Master’s degree or PhD in Chemistry, Pharmacy, Engineering, or a related scientific field.

· Proven experience in developing innovations within pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, or medical devices.

· Strong understanding of regulatory, quality, and safety implications in product development.

· Experience collaborating with Regulatory, Product Development, Medical Affairs, Supply Chain, and Clinical Development teams.

· At least 5 years of experience in a scientific role.

· Experience with consumer‑focused healthcare products and/or brand management.

· Ability to maintain external networks and represent the organization on innovation‑related topics.

· Experience evaluating external innovation opportunities.

· Comfortable working in complex matrix organizations and resolving cross‑functional challenges.

· Strong ability to manage sensitive situations with discretion and respect for confidentiality.

· Demonstrated ability to quickly solve complex technical and operational problems.