Chemical Biologist, Hit Finding

Orion Corporation; Espoo; On-site; EUR 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Orion Pharma in Espoo, Finland is seeking a curious chemical biologist to join the Hit Finding team within the Structural Biology and Discovery Technologies unit. You will apply chemical and biological thinking to early drug-discovery questions and grow alongside experienced colleagues, expanding into biochemistry, biophysics, and molecular pharmacology.

You will work with the Chemical Biology Lead and Chemistry Leads, shaping modality strategies and project-specific hit-finding plans,

Qualifications

• PhD in chemical biology, medicinal chemistry, biochemistry, or closely related field.
• Strong chemical literacy and understanding of how molecular structure relates to biological data.
• Clear written and oral English; ability to work in multidisciplinary teams.

Responsibilities

• Support modality and hit-finding strategies for early drug-discovery projects.
• Gather and integrate information on targets, ligands, tools, assays, and literature to inform decisions.
• Design biochemical/biophysical assay cascades for hit finding and mechanism studies.
• Define protein constructs, controls, and orthogonal methods with internal/external partners.
• Review study plans and data with CROs and partners; identify follow-up experiments.
• Select and apply chemical/biological tools to assess target engagement and modality feasibility.
• Help define structural biology questions required to define modality strategy and interpret assay data.

Skills

Chemical biology

Collaboration

Assay interpretation

Data analysis

Education

PhD in chemistry/biochemistry/chemical biology

Tools

SPR

NMR

DSF

ITC

Job description

Bring chemistry and biology together to support early modality choices and hit-finding strategies for Orion’s drug-discovery projects.

Your role

Orion is looking for a curious and collaborative chemical biologist to join the Hit Finding team in the Structural Biology and Discovery Technologies unit. The position is designed for a scientist who wants to apply chemical and biological thinking to practical drug-discovery questions and grow alongside experienced colleagues. Willingness to broaden your expertise into complementary sciences such as biochemistry, biophysics and molecular pharmacology is pivotal for this role.

You will work alongside our Chemical Biology Lead and Chemistry Leads, supporting the development of modality strategies and project-specific hit-finding strategies. The role combines scientific analysis, assay understanding, chemical-tool thinking, assay and compound data interpretation and collaboration with internal experts and external research partners.

Much of our experimental work, including protein production and biochemical, biophysical and structural-biology activities, is carried out through partner networks. You will therefore help translate scientific questions into well-designed experimental packages, follow their execution, review the resulting data and contribute to clear recommendations for project teams.

Responsibilities

• Support Chemical Biology and Chemistry Leads in developing target- and project-specific modality and hit-finding strategies.
• Gather and integrate information on target proteins, ligands, chemical tools, assay options, and relevant literature to support early project decisions.
• Contribute to the design of biochemical and biophysical assay cascades for hit finding, validation, and mechanism-of-action studies.
• Help define appropriate protein constructs, reference compounds, controls, orthogonal methods, and success criteria together with internal specialists and external partners.
• Participate in scientific discussions with CROs and other partners, review study plans and data, and help identify follow-up experiments.
• Contribute to the selection, design and use of chemical and biological tools for assessing target engagement, functional mechanisms and modality feasibility.
• Contribute to defining the structural biology questions that require answering for defining the modality strategy
• Help analyze assay data and make decisions on screening hits
• Help maintain shared project knowledge and ensure effective information flow between Hit Finding, therapy-area scientists, medicinal chemistry, structural biology, modeling and external partners.
  

The position is full-time and based in Espoo, Finland. Collaboration with colleagues at Orion’s other research sites, particularly Turku, and with external partners is an important part of the role. Travel between sites and to partner meetings may therefore be required. The role reports to the Head of Hit Finding.

What you can expect from us

You will join a highly collaborative scientific environment where your work supports real project decisions and the discovery of new therapeutic opportunities. You will work alongside experienced colleagues across chemistry, chemical biology, structural biology, protein science, modeling and therapeutic-area research, with room to develop your scientific breadth and take increasing ownership as your experience grows.

At Orion Pharma, your work creates true impact and well-being for our customers, patients and society at large. Our culture of friendliness, respect, mutual appreciation and diversity creates a safe working environment where you can strive for excellence. We offer a wealth of career paths and development opportunities that support the development of innovative solutions and improving the quality of life.

• A PhD in chemical biology, medicinal chemistry, biochemistry, or a closely related field.
• Strong chemical literacy and an understanding of how molecular structure connects with compound properties that influences biological experiments and data interpretation.
• Good understanding of biochemical and biophysical assay principles and their use in studying molecular interactions, target engagement, and mechanism of action.
• Ability to evaluate experimental design, controls, data quality and alternative explanations with scientific rigor.
• Clear written and oral communication skills in English and the ability to work constructively in multidisciplinary teams.
• A proactive learning mindset, attention to detail, and willingness to support shared team goals.

Experience that will be an asset

• Postdoctoral or industry experience that supports work at the chemistry-biology interface
• Experience in induced-proximity approaches or targeted protein degradation
• Experience in development or use of biochemical or biophysical methods such as SPR, BLI, MST, DSF, TR-FRET, AlphaLISA, ITC, native MS, or ligand-observed NMR.
• Experience working with modern cellular assay technologies, like NanoBRET and NanoBIT, HiBit or cellular protein stability shift assays
• Experience designing chemical probes, chemoproteomic experiments/tools, as well as interpreting the resulting data
• Understanding of protein construct design, protein quality, and structural biology
• Experience collaborating with external research partners or working in an outsourced discovery model.
• Data analysis or chemistry/structural biology visualization skills using suitable scientific software, scripting, or workflow tools.
  

Approved medical examination which also includes drug testing is required prior to the employment. We will also carry out a security clearance prior to the employment for the selected person.

Your new team

Orion’s pharmaceutical innovations are created within its R&D organization. We employ over 400 top professionals in the field of drug discovery and development. We work globally: in Espoo and Turku in Finland, in Nottingham and Cambridge in the UK, and in Cambridge, MA, USA. Orion R&D and the Innovative Medicines business division are dedicated to making a transformation to become a global player in the pain and oncology therapy areas.

The Medicine Design department contributes to or drives drug discovery from target validation through clinical candidate nomination and collaborates closely with other functions to translate new targets into suitable therapeutic modalities.

The Structural Biology and Discovery Technologies unit brings together capabilities that support early target assessment and drug discovery. Within the unit, the Hit Finding team develops and executes modality and hit-finding strategies for early ideas and research projects. The team works at the interface of chemistry, chemical biology, structural biology, biophysics, protein science, modelling and external discovery technologies.

About Us

Orion Pharma is a globally operating Nordic pharmaceutical company - a builder of well-being for over a hundred years.

We’re home to more than 4,000 Orionees around the world, and we’re proud to be known as a responsible employer and a great place to work. At Orion Pharma, people are truly valued and trusted, encouraged to grow, and supported by a culture where every voice is heard. We appreciate each other, strive for excellence, and build the future.

Together we develop, manufacture, and market human and veterinary pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients. Our extensive portfolio includes proprietary and generic medicines as well as consumer health products. The core therapy areas of our pharmaceutical R&D are oncology and pain. Proprietary products developed by Orion Pharma are used to treat cancer, neurological diseases, respiratory diseases, and more.

We offer careers with a clear purpose: empowering people to live their lives to the fullest.

• Locations Orionintie 1 A, Espoo, 02200, FI (On-site)