Lead Medicinal Chemist, AI-Driven Drug Discovery

Deep Origin Inc.; South San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Equity participation

Remote-friendly culture

Flexible hours

Job summary

Deep Origin Inc. is seeking a Principal/AD Medicinal Chemist to lead small molecule drug discovery from hit identification through IND-enabling studies.

This senior, hands-on role requires deep expertise in medicinal chemistry and cross-functional leadership, directing work to CROs as needed. The candidate will integrate AI-driven approaches into workflows, guide internal teams and external partners, and help shape strategy for advancing programs toward development candidates in a

Qualifications

• PhD in Organic Chemistry or related field with 3–8 years of medicinal chemistry experience.
• Proven track record advancing drug discovery to Hit-to-Lead and Lead Optimization milestones.
• Expertise in synthetic organic chemistry including modern methods and mechanisms.
• Strong experience in structure-based and ligand-based drug design.
• Ability to optimize compounds for potency, selectivity, and DMPK/safety.
• Experience managing external CROs and collaborating across disciplines.
• Excellent communication of complex scientific concepts.

Responsibilities

• Propose and independently drive medicinal chemistry strategies from hit ID to lead optimization.
• Lead chemistry efforts within cross-functional teams with biology, DMPK, tox, and computational science.
• Guide synthesis of novel compounds using structure- and ligand-based approaches to optimize potency and developability.
• Interpret SAR and integrative data to drive design and progression.
• Incorporate AI-driven and computational insights into design strategies.
• Mentor internal chemists and external partners.
• Manage external CRO partnerships to ensure high-quality delivery of chemistry objectives.
• Communicate program status, risks, and recommendations to senior leadership.
• Contribute to patent strategies, publications, and internal reports.

Skills

Synthetic organic chemistry

Structure-based design

Ligand-based design

DMPK/safety optimization

CRO management

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Scientific communication

Independent problem-solving

Education

PhD in Organic Chemistry

Tools

Computational chemistry tools

Job description

Deep Origin Inc. is seeking a Principal/AD Medicinal Chemist to lead small molecule drug discovery from hit identification through IND-enabling studies.

This senior, hands-on role requires deep expertise in medicinal chemistry and cross-functional leadership, directing work to CROs as needed. The candidate will integrate AI-driven approaches into workflows, guide internal teams and external partners, and help shape strategy for advancing programs toward development candidates in a