Principal Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry
On-siteWatertown, Massachusetts, United States
Job Summary
Lead research teams from concept through lead optimization, advancing peptide therapeutics and small molecule programs from screening to development candidate selection. Champion cross-functional collaboration with CADD, biophysics, and structural biology to design molecules, implement structure-based computational drug design, and prioritize synthesis. Manage external synthetic chemists to ensure timely delivery of complex targets while interpreting analytical results to confirm compound quality. Stay current with relevant literature and patent filings to drive oral delivery optimization and structure-based ligand design. This Principal Scientist role requires a 5-10 year track record in biotechnology, proficiency in automated solid-phase peptide synthesis, and expertise in machine learning platforms.
Required Qualifications
- BS, MS or PhD in organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry or a closely related field
- 5-10 years of experience in the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry
- proven track record of advancing molecules from hit to development candidate selection
- Demonstrated expertise in organic chemistry
- proficiencies in both automated solid-phase peptide synthesis
- solution-phase small molecule synthesis
- Demonstrated expertise in medicinal chemistry
- analyzing data
- designing molecules
- implementing synthesis
- optimizing both peptides and small molecules for oral delivery
- Deep knowledge of macrocyclic peptides optimization
- properties required for oral administration
- Proficient in structure-based ligand design
- guide peptide and small molecule optimization
- Experience with computational modeling and simulation
- design and optimization of peptides and small molecules
- Experience utilizing peptide informatics tools
- SAR
- Familiarity with machine learning and AI-driven platforms
- in drug discovery
- Experience leading and managing teams of external chemists
- Experience in a leadership role
- as a project lead or co-lead
- as well as functional area lead for medicinal chemistry
- Hands-on and collaborative attitude
- proven ability to work across drug discovery disciplines
- including biology, structural biology, computational chemistry and biophysics
- Excellent communication skills
- ability to inspire, collaborate and lead
- in a multidisciplinary environment
- Excellent organizational skills
- attention to detail
- strong passion for learning new concepts and technologies
Desired Qualifications
- Experience leading and managing teams of external chemists
- Experience in a leadership role is preferred
- as a project lead or co-lead
- as well as functional area lead for medicinal chemistry
- Familiarity with library-based screening technologies
- DEL
- mRNA display
- phage display
- direct experience with screen follow-up
- fragment-based drug discovery
- Experience with progressing programs through lead optimization
- for immunology targets
- Familiarity with molecular modeling tools
- Proficiency with data analysis tools
- such as Spotfire
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