Principal New Product Development (NPD) Scientist, OTC

The APAC Principal NPD Scientist for OTC sits within APAC OU OTC R&D and reports to the APAC OTC OU R&D and Regulatory Innovation Lead.

The APAC OU OTC Principal Scientist plays a key role in delivering Haleon's OTC innovation pipeline across APAC.

Operating as a senior individual contributor, you will lead complex development programmes from idea to launch. You will be accountable for technical delivery within agreed project scope and will shape outcomes through scientific expertise, sound judgement, and close collaboration across functions and markets.

This role is suited to someone looking to broaden impact across APAC, deepen exposure to priority OTC categories, and build scale‑ready development capability.

Role Responsibilities

End‑to‑end development ownership

• Lead assigned OTC development projects from concept through launch, delivering against agreed scope, timelines, and quality expectations.

• Define and execute formulation, process, and scale‑up strategies appropriate for APAC market deployment.

• Own technical decisions within projects and clearly articulate risks, trade‑offs, and recommendations to stakeholders.

Idea‑to‑product execution

• Translate product concepts into development plans, prototypes, and launch‑ready solutions using efficient experimentation and structured problem‑solving.

• Apply an agile mindset to adapt plans as data, risks, or constraints evolve.

• Proactively address technical, manufacturing, or supply challenges to protect delivery timelines.

Scalability and platform thinking

• Design products and development approaches with reuse and scalability in mind across APAC markets.

• Conduct early scalability assessments (e.g. formulation complexity, manufacturing capability, CMO readiness) and support mitigation planning.

• Contribute to APAC acceleration priorities by delivering technically robust and scalable solutions.

• Drive technical solutions to support risk management programs (e.g., PE/PSE, nitrosamine, emerging ingredient risk) to protect business portfolio.

Cross‑functional collaboration

• Work closely with Regulatory, Quality, Supply Chain, Packaging, Consumer Insights, Medical, and Commercial partners throughout development.

• Incorporate consumer and usage insights to ensure products perform well in real‑world contexts.

• Support evidence generation required for compliant, credible launches.

Technical leadership and capability building

• Act as a technical expert within project teams, influencing through data, experience, and judgement.

• Share best practices and lessons learned across APAC development teams.

• Mentor junior scientists on development approaches and scientific problem‑solving.

Why you

Basic Qualifications:

• A Bachelor's degree (minimum) in pharmaceutical sciences, chemistry, chemical engineering, or a related discipline (Master's or PhD preferred).

• Significant experience (typically 8-10 years) in product development within OTC, consumer healthcare, or other regulated product environments.

• Excellent analytical skills, including strategic thinking, ability to frame problems and opportunities using supporting data, problem solving and measuring impact.

• Strong technical understanding on the requirements to deliver OTC innovation to the marketplace is necessary along with a good grasp of the challenges associated with the other core areas in order for the incumbent to deal with the technical complexity inherent in the role and to understand the regulatory, quality and safety implications of any decisions made.

• History of successful formulation and/or product development to launch.

• Experience of partnering with Regulatory, Product Development, Packaging, Consumer Understanding, Medical Affairs, Supply Chain and Clinical Development on the requirements for product development and an understanding of the approval processes.

• Experience in consumer-focused global healthcare related products / brand management.

• Experience of working with External Innovation and the evaluation of external opportunities, including due diligence

• The incumbent should demonstrate proven creative ability and an innate passion to proactively identify and deliver new innovation into the pipeline and excellence in achieving results.

• Proven demonstration to take initiative, think and work independently, problem-solve, work effectively in teams and multitask.