Principal Scientist - Induced Proximity Medicinal Chemistry

Responsibilities

• Design, synthesize, purify, and characterize high-quality small molecules across relevant proximity modalities, including heterobifunctional degraders, molecular glues, and emerging targeted-chimera approaches; apply sound strategy to target ligands, E3 ligase or recruiter ligands, linker architecture, attachment vectors, and property-modulating elements.
• Devise and implement state-of-the-art medicinal chemistry research for induced-proximity programs, including detailed experimental plans, decision criteria, and expected results, from hit finding through development-candidate nomination.
• Lead hypothesis-driven SAR and structure-property-activity relationships that integrate potency, degradation or functional response, selectivity, cooperativity, ternary-complex behavior, target engagement, permeability, solubility, metabolic stability, pharmacokinetics, and developability.
• Collaborate closely with chemical biology, structural biology, biophysics, proteomics, cell biology, DMPK, safety, translational sciences, and computational chemistry colleagues to interpret complex datasets, resolve mechanism and selectivity questions, and guide molecular design.
• Develop practical strategies to address modality-specific medicinal chemistry challenges, including molecular weight and polarity, linker conformational control, permeability and efflux, oral exposure, tissue distribution, E3-ligase expression and engagement, neosubstrate risk, hook effect, and durable pharmacology.
• Maintain awareness of the induced-proximity landscape, including emerging proximity mechanisms, E3 ligases and other recruiters, chemical biology tools, assays, relevant publications, and patent activity; identify opportunities that strengthen the portfolio and platform.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to scientists, research associates, and external chemistry partners; ensure rigorous experimental design, data integrity, documentation, safe laboratory practice, and timely execution.
• Generate scientific results that support high-impact publications, patents, conference presentations, and productive external collaborations.

Basic Qualifications

• Doctorate degree and 2 years of scientific experience, or Master's degree and 5 years of scientific experience, or Bachelor's degree and 7 years of scientific experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Doctorate degree in organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, chemical biology, or a closely related discipline, with 6+ years of experience in synthetic organic and medicinal chemistry.
• Demonstrated experience designing, synthesizing, and optimizing induced-proximity medicines, particularly PROTACs and/or molecular glue degraders; experience with additional targeted-chimera modalities is highly desirable.
• Strong command of modern medicinal and synthetic chemistry approaches, including the efficient preparation of complex, highly functionalized small molecules and the use of parallel synthesis, route design, purification, and analytical characterization to accelerate SAR.
• Ability to translate integrated biology, biophysical, biochemical, proteomics, cellular, DMPK, and in vivo data into actionable compound-design hypotheses; familiarity with degradation metrics such as DC50, Dmax, kinetics, selectivity, and exposure-response relationships.
• Deep understanding of discovery disciplines relevant to induced proximity, including chemical biology, structural biology, biophysics, cellular pharmacology, DMPK, safety, and translational science.
• Extensive record of impactful drug-discovery accomplishments, demonstrated through patent inventorship, peer-reviewed publications, scientific presentations, and successful cross-functional collaboration.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, sound scientific judgment, a collaborative leadership style, and the ability to mentor colleagues and influence decisions across a matrixed organization.