Director, Medicinal Chemistry — CNS Remote Leadership

Socket.dev; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) plan

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Generous paid time off

Wellness program

Job summary

Centessa Pharmaceuticals is seeking a Director of Medicinal Chemistry to lead the CNS-focused drug discovery effort. This hands-on leadership role guides a virtual, distributed team including CROs, staff, consultants, and partners from hit-to-lead to IND-ready status.

You will shape chemistry strategy, drive IP development, and oversee SAR-driven optimization while balancing timelines and scientific judgment across global collaborators. Remote-based with travel.

Qualifications

• 10+ years designing small molecules as a medicinal chemistry team leader within a biotech and/or pharmaceutical company.
• Expert, enthusiastic command of synthetic chemistry and medicinal chemistry principles, with pharmacology, ADME, IP protection, and candidate selection.
• Experience working on CNS targets across discovery stages (hit-to-lead to IND-ready).
• Proven ability to lead and motivate remote/virtual teams toward aggressive timelines.
• Experience managing outsourced chemistry teams.
• Adaptive problem solver who translates ideas into solutions.
• Growth-minded, curious about artificial intelligence and digital tools.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage internal chemistry resources and CRO-based teams to drive IND-ready candidate molecules.
• Serve as chemistry leader within the multi-disciplinary project team and communicate with partners and CROs.
• Design new molecules addressing the target product profile and establish new IP.
• Contribute to chemistry strategy to secure robust IP across areas of work.
• Analyse SAR with weekly pharmacology/ADME data to identify improved designs.
• Monitor competitor activities and current medicinal chemistry developments to advance programs.
• Coordinate with synthetic teams to maximize throughput of test compounds.
• Utilize in-house structure-based drug design knowledge and predictive property tools.
• Present data and articulate next steps at chemistry-focused and cross-functional meetings.
• Defend designs with SAR and literature precedent while remaining open to alternatives.

Skills

Medicinal chemistry

Small molecule design

Leadership

CNS drug discovery

Remote team management

Outsourcing management

Growth mindset

AI & digital tools

Education

PhD in Chemistry

MS in Chemistry

Biotech/Pharma experience

Tools

Structure-based drug design

Job description

Centessa Pharmaceuticals is seeking a Director of Medicinal Chemistry to lead the CNS-focused drug discovery effort. This hands-on leadership role guides a virtual, distributed team including CROs, staff, consultants, and partners from hit-to-lead to IND-ready status.

You will shape chemistry strategy, drive IP development, and oversee SAR-driven optimization while balancing timelines and scientific judgment across global collaborators. Remote-based with travel.