Senior Scientist Chemistry (PhD)

AstraZeneca plc; Amsterdam; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Holiday allowance 8%

27 holidays

Pension plan

Bonus scheme

Bike plan

Relocation support

Job summary

Acerta Pharma, part of the AstraZeneca group, is seeking a Senior Scientist Chemistry (PhD) to build our small molecule portfolio in haematological oncology. Based in Oss with relocation to Amsterdam, you will join a dynamic, international team and contribute from hit identification to lead optimisation and candidate selection.

Your expertise in organic and medicinal chemistry, postdoc or pharma experience, and excellent English will enable you to progress projects through milestones while

Qualifications

• Master in Chemistry or related field, followed by a PhD in Organic/Medicinal Chemistry.
• Postdoc experience or pharma industry experience desirable.
• Fluent in English; willing to relocate near Amsterdam.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to design and execution of synthetic routes to optimise hit/lead series.
• Troubleshoot synthetic challenges in the lab and implement new technologies.
• Present results clearly in meetings and drive collaborative discussions.
• Grow into AI/Computational Chemistry–assisted design and data analysis.

Skills

Organic chemistry

Medicinal chemistry

English fluency

Education

PhD in Organic/Medicinal Chemistry

Job description

Are you a passionate and experienced Organic/Medicinal Chemist who holds a PhD and has gained additional experience during a post doc or within the pharmaceutical industry? To strengthen our Medicinal Chemistry team, we are looking for a Senior Scientist Chemistry to help identify novel therapies against haematological cancers.

Acerta Pharma is fully integrated in the AstraZeneca group and dedicated to the discovery and development of novel therapies against haematological malignancies. Senior Scientist Chemistry (PhD)

Pivot Park Oss | Amsterdam UMC campus

Fulltime

Acerta Pharma will be relocating to Amsterdam, with the current move planned for March/April 2027. Until that time, you will be working from our facilities in Oss. After the move, you will be based at our new site in Amsterdam.

Our preference is for the new Senior Scientist to join in January 2027; however, we can be flexible on the starting date depending on the candidate's availability.

Your challenge:

As a Senior Scientist Chemistry you will help to build our small molecule project portfolio in haematological oncology. This will involve working on projects spanning the full spectrum of small‑molecule modalities and R&D stages, from hit identification to lead optimisation and candidate drug selection. Acerta Pharma’s drug discovery research is fully integrated in the AstraZeneca organisation and there will be multiple interactions with colleagues from AstraZeneca.With your advanced knowledge and experience in organic chemistry and possibly medicinal chemistry, you will be asked to provide your critical contribution to progressing our projects through key milestones. We will enable you to grow into all aspects of modern medicinal chemistry and drug discovery.

What will you be doing?

• Based on your experience and skills, you will contribute to the design and execution of synthetic routes to drive the optimisation of hit/lead series.
• With creativity and troubleshooting mentality, you will effectively help to overcome synthetic difficulties in the laboratory.
• You will be seeking opportunities to apply new technologies and ways of working to increase synthesis efficiency. We have instrumentation in place for advanced organic synthesis like electrochemistry, photochemistry, and flow chemistry.
• You will effectively and concisely present your results in meetings and contribute to fruitful discussions.
• Take ownership of a series of compounds under optimisation and grow over time into AI/Computational Chemistry-supported Medicinal Chemistry design principles and data analyses.

What do you bring?

• You have completed a Master program in Chemistry, (bio)Pharmaceutical Sciences, or related, followed by a PhD in Organic/Medicinal Chemistry.
• Working experience in the pharmaceutical industry and/or a post doc in Organic or Medicinal Chemistry is highly desirable.
• Experience working in a team-based matrixed environment with a proactive and collaborative approach to drive progress.
• Scientific publications in peer-reviewed chemistry-related journals are desirable.
• You are fluent in English.
• You live in Europe, are willing to relocate within commuting distance of Amsterdam, and are open to commute to Oss for the first months.

What do we offer you?

• A dynamic, innovative, international working environment, where you can be part of the development of new medicines that can make a difference to patients' lives
• The opportunity to work in a highly professional, diverse, close-knit team, where you can learn a lot from each other and count on one another
• The opportunity to further develop yourself, for example, into a position offering even more responsibility
• Competitive salary and secondary benefits including 8% holiday allowance, 27 holidays on a full-time basis. Additional: office closure between Christmas and New Year + Good Friday
• Collective pension with a fixed percentage personal contribution
• Bonus scheme
• Vitality of our colleagues is important to us, which is why you can exercise at a discount or make use of our bicycle plan.
• Support for potential extra travelling costs during the transition period when working at the Oss site

About AstraZeneca Oncology R&D, Amsterdam

At AstraZeneca Amsterdam, we bring together two research groups, in haemato-oncology and next-generation cell therapy research. Together, they form our Oncology R&D hub in the Netherlands, working closely with colleagues in the US, Canada, Spain and the UK, to develop innovative treatments for patients with cancer.

Our haematology R&D group was born as Acerta Pharma, one of the Netherlands’ greatest biotech success stories. Our small-molecule BTK inhibitor has been approved by both the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for the treatment of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL) and Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL). In Amsterdam approximately 100 colleagues continue the development of new therapies for haematological malignancies under the AstraZeneca brand name.

AstraZeneca’s Cell Therapy R&D team focuses on developing next-generation T-cell receptor (TCR) therapies targeting neoantigens in solid tumours. With a team of around 75 scientists, we work on both fully individualised and shared neo-antigen approaches, with the aim of improving outcomes for patients with cancer.

Our oncology research and development hub is anchored by our new state-of-the‑art laboratories in OneHelix and the adjacent Plus Ultra Amsterdam building, both located on the Amsterdam University Medical Centre (Amsterdam UMC) campus. Our hub is firmly positioned at the heart of the Dutch research community network, creating new opportunities for our people, our science, and the patients we work to transform outcomes for.

Date Posted

02-okt.-2026

Closing Date

06-dec.-2026

AstraZeneca embraces diversity and equality of opportunity. We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse team representing all backgrounds, with as wide a range of perspectives as possible, and harnessing industry-leading skills. We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be. We welcome and consider applications to join our team from all qualified candidates, regardless of their characteristics. We comply with all applicable laws and regulations on non-discrimination in employment (and recruitment), as well as work authorization and employment eligibility verification requirements.