Senior Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry, ADC Technology

About the role

We are seeking a highly motivated Senior Scientist to join our growing Medicinal Chemistry and Bioconjugation Drug Discovery team. This laboratory-based role will drive the design and synthesis of novel small molecules, payloads, and linker technologies to support antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) and targeted therapeutic discovery programs.

Responsibilities

• Design, synthesize, and characterize novel drug-like molecules, payloads, and linker technologies to support ADC and targeted therapeutic discovery programs.
• Design and optimize conditional release linkers, payload-linker constructs, and other conjugation chemistries for bioconjugate development.
• Apply medicinal chemistry principles, including structure-activity relationships (SAR), structure-property relationships (SPR), ADME, pharmacokinetics, and physicochemical property optimization, to guide compound design.
• Utilize computational chemistry, structure-based drug design, molecular modeling, and AI/ML-enabled predictive tools to prioritize compounds and synthetic strategies.
• Analyze biological, pharmacological, and ADME data to drive lead optimization and support compound progression toward in vitro and in vivo evaluation.
• Design synthetic routes, troubleshoot challenging reactions, optimize synthetic processes, and provide technical guidance to internal and external chemistry teams.
• Manage and collaborate with external contract research organizations (CROs) to plan, execute, and deliver synthetic chemistry activities, ensuring high-quality results, timely execution, and alignment with project objectives.
• Select and apply appropriate purification and analytical methods, including flash chromatography, preparative HPLC, SFC, LC-MS, and NMR, to characterize synthetic compounds.
• Conduct literature reviews and incorporate scientific insights into project strategy and medicinal chemistry planning.
• Present scientific findings and project updates to multidisciplinary teams and external collaborators, contributing to project strategy and R&D decision-making.
• Contribute to intellectual property generation through invention disclosures, patent applications, and scientific publications.
• Maintain accurate experimental records using electronic laboratory notebooks (ELNs) and ensure proper compound and sample management.
• Support laboratory operations by maintaining shared equipment, improving workflows, and fostering an organized, efficient laboratory environment.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, or a related discipline with a minimum of 5 years of relevant industry experience; or M.S. with 8+ years; or B.S. with 11+ years of relevant industry experience.
• Industry experience in medicinal chemistry, synthetic chemistry, or small molecule drug discovery within the biopharmaceutical or pharmaceutical industry.
• Demonstrated expertise in the synthesis of complex molecules and modern synthetic methodology, including reaction design, optimization, and troubleshooting.
• Strong knowledge of medicinal chemistry principles, including SAR, SPR, physicochemical property optimization, pharmacology, drug metabolism, pharmacokinetics, and ADME.
• Hands-on experience with compound purification and analytical characterization techniques, including flash chromatography, preparative HPLC, SFC/SFE, LC-MS, and NMR.
• Experience with computational chemistry, molecular modeling, structure-based drug design, and AI/ML-enabled drug discovery tools is desirable.
• Experience designing conditional release linkers, prodrugs, payload-linker constructs, or other bioconjugation technologies is a plus.
• Proven scientific accomplishments demonstrated through publications, patents, presentations, or other significant research contributions.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to effectively collaborate across multidisciplinary and global teams.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently while contributing to a collaborative, team-oriented research environment.