The Medicinal Chemistry Group Leader will be based at their site in Essex and be part of their growing Medicinal Chemistry Team. The successful candidate will maintain close interactions with key scientists such as biologists and pharmacologists across organisation. Strong people and mentoring skills with the ability to thrive in a team and goal driven, time-sensitive environment are key attributes.
Responsibilities for the Group Leader will include:
- As a dynamic scientific project and group leader, direct medicinal chemistry functions for one or more client’s drug discovery projects working in concert with internal and external partners in molecular and cellular biology, pharmacology, computational chemistry, ADME, structural biology and other key functions.
- Developing and directing clear synthetic strategies towards complex molecules using state-of-the-art synthetic methodologies in a time-sensitive manner.
- To liaise and work with colleagues throughout the global organization to meet company goals
- To lead a group of scientists in terms of its scientific direction, training and motivation
- Maintaining a significant level of knowledge of emerging Organic Chemistry and management of laboratory research.
- Analyze screening data, perform literature reviews, design, propose, and execute medicinal chemistry plans, coordinate chemistry and biology data to support compound progression and project advancement.
- Utilizing structure-based design principles to impact rational design of molecules.
- Generating novel, testable hypotheses to enable clear decision making.
- Provide scientific direction and leadership for medicinal chemistry activities.
- Independently designing drug-like molecules utilizing current medicinal chemistry knowledge, including property-based optimization, and an understanding of ADME, pharmacokinetics and optimal physicochemical properties.
- Participate in shaping and implementing strategies that support medicinal chemistry, organic chemistry and company growth.
- Ensure optimal interaction/communication and provide updates on project status to clients.
- Conduct performance review of staff and help them set-up and achieve performance goals.
- Collaborates with one or more teams of synthetic Chemists to maximize efficiency and productivity to meet client’s needs.
- Actively getting customer feedback and translating it into solutions, improvements and new requirements to enhance overall productivity.
- Set up customer centric Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) goals to monitor costs, quality, turnaround time, and other pertinent metrics to aid the progress and success of the chemistry operations and client’s projects.
On offer for the Medicinal Chemistry Group Leader is a competitive salary up to £80,000 and a benefits package which includes a bonus. There will be career progression opportunities available as they look to grow the team over the next 18 months. This individual could also work a hybrid pattern with flexibility over the on-site work.
The required skillset for the Medicinal Chemistry Group Leader:
- PhD in synthetic organic or medicinal chemistry ideally with post-doctoral experience and a minimum of 8 years’ experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, with proven track record in medicinal chemistry.
- Expert knowledge of modern methods of synthetic and medicinal chemistry
- Experience as a project leader in the biopharmaceutical industry
- Experience in leading teams of medicinal chemists
- Experience in managing cross functional discovery teams