Medicinal Chemist (Drug Hunter)

Job Title: Medicinal Chemist (Drug Hunter)

Job Type: Contract

Location: Remote

Job Summary:

Join our customer's team as a Medicinal Chemist (Drug Hunter) and take the lead in designing and synthesizing novel small molecules that could become tomorrow’s breakthrough therapies. You will wield your expertise in Structure-Activity Relationships (SAR) and lead optimization to drive the journey from hit identification to preclinical candidates, all while influencing project strategy through data-driven and intuitive decision-making.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Design and synthesize focused libraries of compounds to enhance potency, selectivity, and drug-like characteristics using advanced SAR strategies.
2. Balance multi-parameter optimization of efficacy, oral bioavailability, and metabolic stability to ensure robust lead progression.
3. Critically analyze biological and physicochemical data to determine which chemical series to prioritize or deprioritize, maximizing project resources.
4. Collaborate closely with pharmacology and toxicology teams to ensure in vitro findings translate into in vivo success and downstream development.
5. Leverage cutting-edge computational tools and your scientific intuition to identify promising molecular scaffolds.
6. Devise and implement intellectual property strategies, focusing on the generation of novel composition-of-matter patents for lead compounds.
7. Communicate complex scientific concepts clearly and effectively, both in writing and verbally, within cross-functional teams and to stakeholders.

Required Skills and Qualifications:

1. PhD in Organic Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, or closely related discipline, with a strong publication or patent record.
2. Mastery of contemporary synthetic organic chemistry and purification techniques, including HPLC, Flash Chromatography, NMR, and LC-MS.
3. Extensive experience in SAR-driven lead optimization and troubleshooting DMPK and toxicity bottlenecks.
4. Deep understanding of ADME principles and the ability to connect molecular structure to pharmacokinetic outcomes.
5. Proficiency with Computer-Aided Drug Design (CADD) platforms for modeling protein-ligand interactions.
6. Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, demonstrated in team settings and scientific reporting.

Preferred Qualifications:

1. Track record of successfully advancing small molecule programs into preclinical or clinical development.
2. Experience working in an early-stage or virtual biotech environment, managing multiple priorities remotely.
3. Proven ability to secure intellectual property through composition-of-matter or method-of-use patents.