Senior Principal Scientist, Discovery Chemistry

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Working with Us

Challenging. Meaningful. Life-changing. Those aren't words that are usually associated with a job. But working at Bristol Myers Squibb is anything but usual. Here, uniquely interesting work happens every day, in every department. From optimizing a production line to the latest breakthroughs in cell therapy, this is work that transforms the lives of patients, and the careers of those who do it. You'll get the chance to grow and thrive through opportunities uncommon in scale and scope, alongside high-achieving teams. Take your career farther than you thought possible.

Bristol Myers Squibb recognizes the importance of balance and flexibility in our work environment. We offer a wide variety of competitive benefits, services and programs that provide our employees with the resources to pursue their goals, both at work and in their personal lives. Read more: careers.bms.com/working-with-us .

Job Summary

Accomplished medicinal chemist aiming to lead and contribute to the BMS portfolio as an integral member of the Global Discovery Chemistry (GDC) organization, based in San Diego

We are seeking a talented and highly motivated individual with a strong background in medicinal chemistry to join our Discovery and Development Sciences (D&DS) team in San Diego. The successful candidate will contribute and lead a team of scientists that engage in rational design of new agents for the potential treatment of diverse oncology indications. The individual will apply modern drug design principles to solve medicinal chemistry problems relevant to the Protein Homeostasis Thematic Research Center project portfolio. Furthermore, you will also collaborate with a broad group of scientists within the BMS Discovery and Development Sciences group to advance the projects from inception to IND.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in synthetic organic chemistry with 6 years pharmaceutical medicinal chemistry industrial experience (8 years preferred) or
• M.S. in synthetic organic chemistry with 8 years pharmaceutical medicinal chemistry industrial experience (10 years preferred) or
• B.S. in synthetic organic chemistry with 10 years pharmaceutical medicinal chemistry industrial experience (12 years preferred)
• Previous experience supporting and advancing target protein degradation and/or antibody-drug conjugate programs is preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to contribute and advance drug discovery programs with strong proficiency in fundamental aspects of drug discovery are required
• Track record of innovation and impact on programs documented through co-inventorship on issued patents and authorship of publications in peer-reviewed journals is necessary (may include both successful advances and data-driven terminations)
• Strong working knowledge of protein-ligand interactions, ADME, conformational and structural analysis, experienced in partnering closely with computational chemists through appropriate use of AI/ML and computational predictive tools and models as well as visualization applications.
• High level of creativity and productivity with strong synthetic productivity, problem solving skills, synthetic methods, and reaction mechanisms are required
• Ability to champion chemistry efforts into new directions to achieve project milestones
• Strong skills in gathering, documenting, and analyzing information from competitive sources such as patents and meetings and using this information to guide program strategy
• Proven leadership capability in cross-functional teams, either as project team leader or co-leader
• Proven track record of mentoring PhD and/or MSc/BSc-level scientists to high levels of productivity, whilst improving the skills and knowledge of direct reports through mentorship and focused development activities
• Excellent communication skills and able to present the rationale, key data, issues and accomplishments of the chemistry efforts to other members of the R&ED organization
  
  

Fit with BMS Culture and Values

• Diversity and inclusion
• Strong team orientation; highly collaborative, both within internal San Diego group and across the broader GDC and D&DS organization.
• Solutions and results-oriented focus
• Hands-on approach; resourceful and open to diverse points of view
  
  

If you come across a role that intrigues you but doesn't perfectly line up with your resume, we encourage you to apply anyway. You could be one step away from work that will transform your life and career.

Compensation Overview

San Diego - CA - US: $182,250 - $220,842

The starting compensation range(s) for this role are listed above for a full-time employee (FTE) basis. Additional incentive cash and stock opportunities (based on eligibility) may be available. The starting pay rate takes into account characteristics of the job, such as required skills, where the job is performed, the employee's work schedule, job-related knowledge, and experience. Final, individual compensation will be decided based on demonstrated experience.

Eligibility for specific benefits listed on our careers site may vary based on the job and location. For more on benefits, please visit https://careers.bms.com/life-at-bms/.

Benefits

Benefit offerings are subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plans in effect at the time and may require enrollment. Our benefits include:

• Health Coverage: Medical, pharmacy, dental, and vision care.
• Wellbeing Support: Programs such as BMS Well-Being Account, BMS Living Life Better, and Employee Assistance Programs (EAP).
• Financial Well-being and Protection: 401(k) plan, short- and long-term disability, life insurance, accident insurance, supplemental health insurance, business travel protection, personal liability protection, identity theft benefit, legal support, and survivor support.
  
  

Work-life Benefits Include

Paid Time Off

• US Exempt Employees: flexible time off (unlimited, with manager approval, 11 paid national holidays (not applicable to employees in Phoenix, AZ, Puerto Rico or Rayzebio employees)
• Phoenix, AZ, Puerto Rico and Rayzebio Exempt, Non-Exempt, Hourly Employees: 160 hours annual paid vacation for new hires with manager approval, 11 national holidays, and 3 optional holidays
  
  

Based on eligibility*, additional time off for employees may include unlimited paid sick time, up to 2 paid volunteer days per year, summer hours flexibility, leaves of absence for medical, personal, parental, caregiver, bereavement, and military needs and an annual Global Shutdown between Christmas and New Years Day.

All global employees full and part-time who are actively employed at and paid directly by BMS at the end of the calendar year are eligible to take advantage of the Global Shutdown.

• Eligibility Disclosure: T he summer hours program is for United States (U.S.) office-based employees due to the unique nature of their work. Summer hours are generally not available for field sales and manufacturing operations and may also be limited for the capability centers. Employees in remote-by-design or lab-based roles may be eligible for summer hours, depending on the nature of their work, and should discuss eligibility with their manager. Employees covered under a collective bargaining agreement should consult that document to determine if they are eligible. Contractors, leased workers and other service providers are not eligible to participate in the program.
  
  

Uniquely Interesting Work, Life-changing Careers

With a single vision as inspiring as Transforming patients' lives through science , every BMS employee plays an integral role in work that goes far beyond ordinary. Each of us is empowered to apply our individual talents and unique perspectives in a supportive culture, promoting global participation in clinical trials, while our shared values of passion, innovation, urgency, accountability, inclusion and integrity bring out the highest potential of each of our colleagues.

On-site Protocol

Responsibilities

BMS has an occupancy structure that determines where an employee is required to conduct their work. This structure includes site-essential, site-by-design, field-based and remote-by-design jobs. The occupancy type that you are assigned is determined by the nature and responsibilities of your role:

Site-essential roles require 100% of shifts onsite at your assigned facility. Site-by-design roles may be eligible for a hybrid work model with at least 50% onsite at your assigned facility. For these roles, onsite presence is considered an essential job function and is critical to collaboration, innovation, productivity, and a positive Company culture. For field-based and remote-by-design roles the ability to physically travel to visit customers, patients or business partners and to attend meetings on behalf of BMS as directed is an essential job function.

Supporting People With Disabilities

BMS is dedicated to ensuring that people with disabilities can excel through a transparent recruitment process, reasonable workplace accommodations/adjustments and ongoing support in their roles. Applicants can request a reasonable workplace accommodation/adjustment prior to accepting a job offer. If you require reasonable accommodations/adjustments in completing this application, or in any part of the recruitment process, direct your inquiries to adastaffingsupport@bms.com . Visit careers.bms.com/ (https://careers.bms.com/eeo-accessibility) eeo-accessibility to access our complete Equal Employment Opportunity statement.

Candidate Rights

BMS will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records, pursuant to applicable laws in your area.

If you live in or expect to work from Los Angeles County if hired for this position, please visit this page for important additional information: https://careers.bms.com/california-residents/

Data Protection

We will never request payments, financial information, or social security numbers during our application or recruitment process. Learn more about protecting yourself at https://careers.bms.com/fraud-protection .

Any data processed in connection with role applications will be treated in accordance with applicable data privacy policies and regulations.

If you believe that the job posting is missing information required by local law or incorrect in any way, please contact BMS at TAEnablement@bms.com . Please provide the Job Title and Requisition number so we can review. Communications related to your application should not be sent to this email and you will not receive a response. Inquiries related to the status of your application should be directed to Chat with Ripley.

R1596152 : Senior Principal Scientist, Discovery Chemistry Company: Bristol-Myers Squibb

Req Number: R1596152

Updated: 2026-03-21 04:29:28.877 UTC

Location: San Diego-CA

Bristol Myers Squibb is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, pregnancy, citizenship, marital status, gender expression, genetic information, political affiliation, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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