Associate Principal Scientist, External Discovery Chemistry

Job Description

Our company has a rapidly growing interdisciplinary team of scientists in London and exciting plans to expand our presence, initially at the Francis Crick Institute as part of our 'Skylab' expansion in 2024, and from 2027 in our new 'state of the art' London Discovery Research Centre and UK headquarters at the hub of London's Knowledge Quarter. This will be home to approximately 180 scientists alongside other colleagues in clinical, regulatory and business roles, including marketing, finance and administration.

Our teams combine leading drug discovery capabilities and world-class R&D with the purpose of turning breakthrough science into life-changing medicines, applying cutting-edge medicinal, synthetic and computational chemistry to support target validation and identify high quality clinical candidates.

We are currently recruiting for an Associate Principal Scientist (Associate Director level) in External Discovery Chemistry to join our growing London Discovery Chemistry group.

Role Overview:

The Associate Principal Scientist will join several Discovery Chemistry programs as a team member/leader, responsible for the integration of external Contract Research Organization (CRO) group contributions to program objectives. You will have highly developed skills in medicinal and synthetic chemistry and in the efficient management of scientific resources. In this exciting role, you will be embedded with our company's internal programs teams, advancing program goals from identification of tool molecules to invention of novel clinical candidates. You will also play a critical role in building and developing our network of CRO partners in the UK and Europe.

What you will do:

• Collaborate with Discovery Chemistry project teams across our company's network in building structure-activity relationships
• Provide innovative design of therapeutic compounds
• Planning and oversight of synthetic chemistry routes
• Direct teams of contract research scientists toward meeting program objectives
• Collaborate via electronic communication with CRO groups in multiple international time zones
• Manage, nurture and build our relationships with key CRO partners in the UK and Europe, focusing on growth, skill and capability development, and technology sharing
• This role requires strong oversight skills to ensure business continuity while fostering a collaborative partnership that drives mutual success
• This position will require both Domestic and International travel for multi-day site visits and working sessions with CRO groups in our global CRO partner network

Education Minimum Requirement:

• Ph.D. preferred in Chemistry, Biochemistry or related field

Required Experience and Skills:

• Candidates will have significant industry experience (e.g. pharma, biotech, CRO).
• Industry experience in Organic Synthesis or Drug Discovery
• Proven record of accomplishments in synthetic organic chemistry and/or medicinal chemistry
• Expert proficiency in mining scientific literature and databases
• Effective communication and collaboration skills in a team environment

Authorization to travel outside the United Kingdom (including, US, EU, China, and India) is required.

Closing date for applications: 27th October 2024

We are a research-driven biopharmaceutical company. Our mission is built on the simple premise that if we "follow the science" that great medicines can make a significant impact to our world. We believe that a research-driven enterprise dedicated to world-class science can succeed by inventing medicine and vaccine innovations that make a difference for patients across the globe. We identify and target steps in disease mechanisms or pathways that could be inhibited or enhanced. Our goal is to identify a compound that is effective against a disease target. Using innovative thinking, state-of-the-art facilities and robust scientific methodology we collaborate to discover the next medical breakthrough.

We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing diverse, talented, and committed people together. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when diverse ideas come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another's thinking and approach problems collectively for the common good. We are an equal opportunity employer, committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace.

Employee Status: Regular

Relocation: Domestic

VISA Sponsorship: Yes

Travel Requirements: Flexible Work Arrangements: Hybrid

Requisition ID: R314947