Senior Medicinal Chemist — AI-Driven Drug Discovery

Aqemia; Paris; Hybrid; EUR 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work

Up to two remote days per week

Job summary

AQEMIA is a drug invention company with a strong focus on AI-assisted design and first-principles chemistry. We seek a Medicinal Chemist to drive lead optimization and creativity in early drug discovery, working at the interface of chemistry and biology.

You will collaborate across disciplines in Paris and London, leveraging QEMI technology to design novel molecules and advance them toward preclinical candidates, while contributing to patents and project planning.

Qualifications

• PhD in synthetic or organic chemistry completed.
• 10 years of industrial drug discovery experience.
• Strong track record in organic synthesis and compound design.
• Interest in AI-driven drug design.
• Ability to work with interdisciplinary teams.
• Familiarity with molecular modeling and ADME optimization.
• Excellent problem-solving and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate closely with the technology platform to challenge and improve it and to design innovative molecules.
• Optimize lead compounds and transform them into drug candidates using our technology.
• Autonomously execute and interpret complex activities to identify pharmaceutical candidates.
• Prepare and follow tasks given to CROs, including synthesis of novel small molecules and generation of biological data.
• Follow and drive programs in medicinal chemistry.
• Contribute to patent filings.
• Maintain clear, accurate written records of decisions and progress.
• Collaborate with project managers to establish timelines and costs.

Skills

Organic synthesis

Drug design

AI-driven design

Interdisciplinary teamwork

SAR analysis

ADME optimization

Scientific communication

Education

PhD in synthetic or organic chemistry

Job description

Applications are no longer being accepted for this role. You can still review the details below or browse open jobs .

Aqemia

Senior Medicinal Chemist

Hybrid - Paris, Ile-de-France, France · London, England, United Kingdom

Feb 10, 2026

About AQEMIA

AQEMIA is a drug invention company dedicated to creating entirely new medicines to address major unmet medical needs. At the core of our mission is QEMI , our proprietary molecule-invention platform, which uniquely combines cutting-edge science with advanced technology. Powered by physics-based modeling, statistical mechanics, and generative AI, QEMI allows our teams to design novel drug candidates from first principles.

What makes AQEMIA different is our commitment to true innovation: our research is dedicated to the invention of new molecular entities, not the refinement of existing ones. We focus on inventing never-before-seen molecules , without relying on experimental data, and advancing them into a growing pipeline of proprietary programs and strategic partnerships with leading pharmaceutical companies.

Our most advanced preclinical programs are currently in vivo optimization , targeting diseases still waiting for effective treatments, offering our teams the opportunity to work on science that can make a real difference in people’s lives.

AQEMIA brings together a diverse, multidisciplinary team of 80+ professionals based in Paris and London. Our scientists and engineers, including chemists, physicists, machine learning experts, and software engineers, work side by side to push the boundaries of early-stage drug discovery.

This close collaboration across disciplines is central to our approach, enabling us to tackle complex scientific challenges from first principles and translate cutting-edge ideas into novel therapeutic candidates. At AQEMIA, team members are encouraged to contribute their expertise, learn from one another, and play an active role in shaping the future of drug invention.

As a Medicinal Chemist you will work at the interface of chemistry and biology, designing and optimizing compounds that drive our projects from hit generation through to preclinical candidates. If you’re excited to leverage your scientific expertise to help build the future of therapeutics, we’d love to hear from you!

Your Mission

• Of primary importance at AQEMIA : closely collaborate with our technological platform, including atomistic calculations and generative AI, with the goals of (i) challenging and improving the platform, and (ii) designing innovative molecules,
• Optimize lead compounds and transform them into drug candidates, pragmatically applying our technology,
• Autonomously execute, and interpret complex activities to identify pharmaceutical candidates,
• Prepare and follow tasks given to our CROs to support drug discovery projects, including the synthesis of novel small molecules and the generation of biological data,
• Follow and drive one or several programs simultaneously in medicinal chemistry,
• Contribute to patent filings,
• Maintain clear, accurate, written records of decisions and progresses,
• Collaborate with our project managers to establish clear projections in terms of timelines and costs.

Your Qualifications

• PhD in synthetic or organic chemistry, academic post-doc is a plus,
• 10 years of experience in industrial drug discovery with similar role,
• Strong track record in organic synthesis and compound design for drug discovery,
• Strong interest in AI-driven and computer-assisted drug design,
• Proven ability to work with interdisciplinary teams and effectively communicate complex data,
• Familiarity with molecular modeling, SAR analysis, and ADME optimization,
• Excellent problem-solving skills and a track record of scientific innovation,
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment,
• Autonomous, curious, creative, strong analytical skills,
• Can explain complex topics with simple words.

Why Join Us ?

At AQEMIA, we work for a mission: joining us means having your own impact on changing the way drugs are discovered, and helping to shape thedirectionof our fast-growing company and team.

Expanding Drug Discovery Pipeline : Focused on critical therapeutic areas like Oncology, CNS, Immuno-inflammation... with in vivo proof of concept/patent stage programs. Collaborations with top Pharma, including a $140M Sanofi deal.

World-Class Interdisciplinary Team : work alongside exceptional talent at the intersection of technology and life sciences. Our teams combine deep expertise in AI, physics-based modeling, biology, and medicinal chemistry to push the boundaries of innovation.

DeepTech Recognition : AQEMIA is proud to be part of the French Tech 120 and France 2030 , highlighting our role as a key player in Europe’s DeepTech ecosystem.

Prime Location with Flexibility : Our offices are located in the heart of Paris and London (King’s Cross), with flexible work arrangements including up to two remote days per week.

Strong Financial Backing : $100M raised from leading European and International investors

Aqemia

Scale drug discovery with quantum-inspired physics and generative AI

AQEMIA is an innovative pharmatech company harnessing quantum-inspired algorithms and generative AI to rapidly design novel drug candidates for critical diseases.

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