Principal Research Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry

BioSpace; South San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 177,000 - 218,000; Full time

Job summary

IDEAYA Biosciences in South San Francisco is seeking a discovery medicinal chemist to advance oncology programs. The successful candidate will contribute to target molecule design, oversee synthesis, and work within cross-functional teams to deliver clinical candidates.

The role requires a Ph.D. in synthetic organic chemistry with 3–8 years of pharma experience, strong expertise in asymmetric reactions and cross-coupling, and the ability to design scalable chemistry while mentoring others.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in synthetic organic chemistry with 3-8 years of pharmaceutical industry medicinal chemistry experience.
• Expertise in asymmetric reactions and modern cross-coupling techniques; knowledge of purification and spectroscopic characterization.
• Ability to develop practical, scalable chemistry and troubleshoot problems; strong record-keeping.
• Excellent oral and written communication; ability to mentor others.

Responsibilities

• Apply modern synthetic techniques to advance oncology programs and deliver high-quality molecules.
• Design high-confidence reaction sequences that avoid liabilities and simplify purifications.
• Plan ahead, multitask, and maintain high lab productivity.
• Deliver molecules from 10 mg to >25 g and manage external synthetic resources.
• Communicate results clearly and use structure-based design to improve affinity and selectivity.

Skills

Synthetic organic chemistry

Asymmetric reactions

Cross-coupling techniques

Structure-based design

Computational tools

SAR-driven target design

ADME concepts

Education

Ph.D. in synthetic organic chemistry

Job description

Non-Solicitation Policy And Notice To Agencies And Recruiters

IDEAYA's Non-Solicitation Policy strictly prohibits agencies and recruiters from any contact and communication with IDEAYA employees, managers, and leaders to submit unsolicited candidate resumes and/or to solicit business partnerships. Submission of unsolicited candidate resumes by agencies or recruiters with or without a contract in place with IDEAYA Biosciences Inc. will not create any implied obligation. Failure to comply with this policy will result in disqualification from current and future business opportunities with IDEAYA Biosciences. All recruiting and talent agency decisions are strictly managed by the internal IDEAYA Human Resources function. All communication by external agencies and recruiters must be directed to [e-mail]. We ask that you only email your interest once.

Job Summary

About IDEAYA Biosciences: IDEAYA is a precision medicine oncology company committed to the discovery, development, and commercialization of transformative therapies for cancer. Our approach integrates expertise in small-molecule drug discovery, structural biology and bioinformatics with robust internal capabilities in identifying and validating translational biomarkers to develop tailored, potentially first-in-class, targeted therapies aligned to the genetic drivers of disease. We have built a deep pipeline of product candidates focused on synthetic lethality and antibody-drug conjugates, or ADCs, for molecularly defined solid tumor indications. Our mission is to bring forth the next wave of precision oncology therapies that are more selective, more effective, and deeply personalized with the goal of altering the course of disease and improving clinical outcomes for patients with cancer.

Location: South San Francisco

Position Summary

We are seeking a talented and highly motivated individual with significant pharmaceutical industry experience to join our multidisciplinary team as a discovery medicinal chemist. The successful candidate will impact programs by being highly productive in lab and by rationally proposing target molecules that overcome liabilities to deliver clinical candidates molecules. You will be a part of dynamic, cross-functional teams that successfully deliver drug discovery pipeline goals. The responsibilities will include, but not be limited to, those listed below.

This position is based in our South San Francisco headquarter offices and required to be onsite five days per week per our company policy.

Reporting to: Vice President, Medicinal Chemistry

Job Description

What you’ll do:

• Apply modern synthetic techniques to prepare complex chemical targets to advance cutting-edge oncology programs and deliver high-quality molecules at a very productive rate
• Design high-confidence reaction sequences that avoid known liabilities and reduce difficult purifications
• Rapidly gather reaction information and troubleshoot problematic transformations
• Plan ahead and multitask in and out of the lab to maintain high productivity
• Deliver molecules on scales from 10 mg to > 25 g
• Help manage external synthetic chemistry resources to high productivity
• Follow SAR data and leverage medicinal chemistry knowledge to propose targets that address critical issues within a chemical series
• Champion design and synthesis efforts into new directions as needed to achieve goals
• Clearly and concisely communicate results and strategy to inform and influence others
• Use structure-based design skills and modern computational tools to design targets with improved affinity and selectivity profiles

Requirements

• Ph.D. in synthetic organic chemistry with 3-8 years of pharmaceutical industry medicinal chemistry experience
• Excellent scientific expertise in synthetic organic chemistry, including asymmetric reactions and modern cross-coupling techniques, strong knowledge of modern chemistry literature and in-depth knowledge of a wide range of purification and spectroscopic characterization techniques
• Demonstrated ability to maintain high productivity in the lab and synthesize complicated chemical structures at the pace required to impact medicinal chemistry programs while maintaining high safety standards
• Ability to develop new chemistry that is both practical and scalable
• Ability to regularly troubleshoot synthetic problems and provide practical and creative solutions
• Ability to keep good scientific records
• Ability to identify the most critical issues with the lead chemical matter for a project, associate those issues with chemical functionality or physicochemical properties within the series, and strategically focus most target design efforts toward fixing these issues
• Ability to multi-task and set priorities in a fast-paced and dynamic environment while demonstrating a positive attitude and superior work ethic
• Ability to work well in diverse, multi-disciplinary teams
• Demonstrate excellent oral and written communication skills
• Strong knowledge of medicinal chemistry concepts, including structure-based target design, SAR-driven target design, multi-parameter optimization, physicochemical properties of drugs, and ADME and pharmacological principles applied to drug discovery
• Ability to use modern computational tools to better understand trends in biological data found within a series of drug-like molecules and to understand the underlying principles governing ligand binding
• Desire to continually learn drug discovery concepts and structure-based design concepts and to stay current with the field while mentoring others
• All employees are expected to act with integrity and in full compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and IDEAYA policies, including IDEAYA’s Code of Conduct.
• Employees must demonstrate good judgement and ethical behavior in all business activities, maintain patient and product safety as a top priority, and report any suspected violations of law or Company policy through appropriate channels

Total Rewards

Along with our inspiring mission, and highly collaborative and inclusive environment, IDEAYA offers a competitive total rewards package that reflects our pay-for-performance philosophy where employees are eligible to be considered for merit-based salary increases, company discretionary short-term incentive plan participation, and company discretionary stock option awards (based on board approval). Our comprehensive benefits package includes, but is not limited to, medical/dental/vision coverage (100% company paid for employees and 90% company paid for dependents), 401k, ESPP, and wellness programs.

The expected salary range for the roleof Principal Research Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry is $177,000 - $218,000. The final salary offered to a successful candidate will depend on several factors that may include but are not limited to the office location where this open position is located, the final candidates’ experience within their profession, experience in the disease areas we are striving to make an impact in as a company, length of time within the industry, educational background, and performance during the interview process.

The Company complies with all laws respecting equal employment opportunities and does not discriminate against applicants with regard to any protected characteristic as defined by federal, state, and local law.

IDEAYA is an equal opportunity employer. In accordance with applicable law, IDEAYA does not discriminate in hiring or otherwise in employment based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital or veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status. EOE/AA/Vets.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please get in touch with us at [e-mail].