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Senior Scientist to Principal Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry
Silver Spring, MDMarch 25th, 2026
Job DescriptionWe are seeking a highly motivated Medicinal Chemistry Team Leader to provide scientific leadership and project management for small molecule drug discovery programs. In this role, you will lead and manage off-site chemistry resources to drive projects from hit identification to preclinical candidate nomination.Key ResponsibilitiesScientific Leadership: Design targets involving complex multi-step organic syntheses and optimize SAR to improve potency, selectivity, and DMPK profiles.Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with biology, pharmacology, and computational chemistry teams to integrate data into actionable drug design strategies.Project Oversight: Manage timelines and deliverables for assigned programs, including overseeing external synthesis activities and troubleshooting synthetic challenges.Communication: Present research findings to senior management and contribute to patent filings and scientific publications.Required QualificationsEducation: Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry or Medicinal Chemistry.Experience: Minimum of 3+ years of industrial experience in small molecule drug discovery within a biotech or pharmaceutical setting.Technical Expertise: Proven track record in lead optimization, structure-based drug design, and modern synthetic methodologies. Experience progressing programs through literature and patent data mining. Familiarity with molecular modeling and visualization toolsSoft Skills: Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, multidisciplinary environment.