Demo

Director or Associate Director, Medicinal Chemistry

Allen Spolden
La Jolla, CA Full Time
POSTED ON 3/14/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 5/14/2026

We seek an experienced and creative medicinal chemist with a proven track record of success in drug discovery. Candidates should be motivated to work in an intensely collaborative, multidisciplinary, team-based setting. The role will entail coordinating a medicinal chemistry team with internal and external experimental capabilities, as well as proactively interfacing with diverse teams working on automated experimentation, AI-driven molecular generation, property predictions, and bioassay data generation.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Lead a group of medicinal chemists and drive molecular discovery efforts to deliver development and clinical candidates

  • Devise strategies to identify lead molecules and optimize them for potency, selectivity, and ADME properties using multivariant SAR analysis and hypothesis driven design principles

  • Work closely with molecular and cellular biology, pharmacology, computational chemistry,

    ADME, and other key functions

  • Act as liaison between Entos, CROs, and other external partners

  • Influence the prospective use of computational methods and leverage automated synthesis

    and high-throughput experimentation capabilities

  • Work closely with AI/ML teams to develop and implement relevant predictive models to aid

    in the design of new molecules

  • Communicate project updates clearly and effectively to the broader team and key

    stakeholders

  • Work as a senior member of the Chemistry research group and foster a culture of scientific

    excellence, innovation, and teamwork



PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • A Ph.D./Postdoc in organic chemistry with 8 or more years of experience in Pharma/Bio-tech drug discovery



  • Expert in modern synthetic organic chemistry approaches and principles demonstrated through publications in journals and patents

  • Ability to integrate multiple R&D disciplines into a successful strategic project plan

  • Experience in leading projects and driving programs through the preclinical development

    process

  • Experience working with computational chemists as part of project team in design of drug targets is required

  • Strong interpersonal, communication, time management, and leadership skills

  • Experience mentoring or leading junior chemists

  • Creative problem solving and management of relationships with several stakeholders within

    and beyond the company




Requirements

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • A Ph.D./Postdoc in organic chemistry with 8 or more years of experience in Pharma/Bio-tech drug discovery




  • Expert in modern synthetic organic chemistry approaches and principles demonstrated through publications in journals and patents


  • Ability to integrate multiple R&D disciplines into a successful strategic project plan

  • Experience in leading projects and driving programs through the preclinical development

    process

  • Experience working with computational chemists as part of project team in design of drug targets is required

  • Strong interpersonal, communication, time management, and leadership skills

  • Experience mentoring or leading junior chemists

  • Creative problem solving and management of relationships with several stakeholders within

    and beyond the company




Benefits

Dental, Medical, Vision and 401K

Salary : $220

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