Principal Medicinal Chemist

A company is looking for a Principal Medicinal Chemist to lead and advance small-molecule drug discovery programs. Key Responsibilities Propose and independently drive medicinal chemistry strategies from hit identification through lead optimization to development candidate selection Lead chemistry efforts within cross-functional project teams, including computational scientists, biologists, and ML engineers Design novel compounds using structure-based and ligand-based approaches to optimize potency, selectivity, and drug-like properties Required Qualifications PhD in Organic Chemistry or a related field with 3-8 years of industry experience (or MS with 5-10 years, BS with 8-15 years) in medicinal chemistry Proven track record of advancing drug discovery programs through key milestones (Hit-to-Lead and Lead Optimization) Deep expertise in synthetic organic chemistry, including modern methods and reaction mechanisms Strong experience in structure-based and ligand-based drug design Demonstrated ability to optimize compounds for potency, selectivity, and DMPK/safety properties