Principal Scientist in Chemical Induced Proximity

Thecentermemphis; Memphis (TN); On-site; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical premiums for employees

Dental and vision plans

Financial security

Retirement plan

Educational benefits

Job summary

Thecentermemphis is looking for an experienced leader in drug discovery to drive strategic decisions and manage research projects. The role requires a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field, and a PhD is preferred.

You will lead and mentor a team while collaborating cross-functionally to advance drug discovery programs and evaluate new technologies. The ideal candidate should have significant experience in the pharma/biotech industry, with a focus on drug discovery.

Qualifications

• Experience in drug discovery within the pharma/biotech industry.
• Management experience preferred.
• 15 years of relevant experience required with a Bachelor's degree.

Responsibilities

• Drive strategic decisions in small molecule drug discovery.
• Set up chemistry strategies for projects.
• Lead and manage teams through research collaborations.

Skills

Drug discovery experience

Computational design

AI/ML knowledge

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant scientific area

PhD

Job description

Responsibilities

• Drive strategic decisions throughout various stages of the small molecule drug discovery process focusing on chemically induced proximity platforms.
• Set up the chemistry strategy for projects and advance drug discovery programs by collaborating cross‑functionally within departmental centers and various institutional departments.
• Lead and manage a team of scientists and large‑scale, multidisciplinary projects through proactive research collaboration, providing direction in a specific area of expertise.
• Recruit, grow, guide, and mentor junior staff.
• Remain at the forefront of induced proximity platforms, including PROTACs, molecular glues, and other biphenolic or allosteric modulators.
• Evaluate new technologies, chemical tools, and screening platforms that accelerate the development of proximity‑based therapeutics.
• Design and optimize focused chemical libraries to identify hits, leads, and drug candidates that induce selective protein interactions and cellular phenotypic changes.
• Maintain collaborative partnerships while ensuring recognition on collaborating publications and patents.
• Lead and manage contract research organizations and external chemistry partners worldwide.
• Oversee structure‑activity relationship studies to enhance potency, selectivity, and drug‑like properties of candidate molecules; improve pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and toxicological profiles in collaboration with ADMET and DMPK teams.
• Serve as functional expert in due diligence for assets in‑licensing and discovery partnerships.
• Lead publication efforts in high‑impact scientific journals.

Qualifications

• Experience in drug discovery within the pharma/biotech industry highly preferred.
• Experience with computational design or AI/ML preferred.
• PhD with management experience preferred.

Minimum Education and/or Training

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant scientific area is required.
• PhD preferred.

Minimum Experience

• Fifteen (15) years of relevant work experience required with a Bachelor’s degree.
• Thirteen (13) years of relevant work experience required with a Master’s degree.
• Ten (10) years of relevant work experience required with a PhD.

Benefits

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital provides employees with high‑quality benefits choices, covering medical premiums for employees with low additional costs for dependents. Benefits include medical & prescription drug plans, dental plan, vision plan, financial security, retirement plan, living‑well employee wellness program, time‑off programs, educational benefits and family friendly benefits.

Equal Opportunity Employer

St. Jude is an Equal Opportunity Employer.