Principal Scientist, Med Chem - Peptide & Macrocycle Expert

Psivant Therapeutics, Inc.; Watertown (MA); On-site; USD 179,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

401(k) matching

Healthcare benefits

Job summary

Psivant Therapeutics, Inc. is seeking a medicinal chemist to advance peptide therapeutics and small molecules from hits to development candidates. You will integrate synthetic and computational chemistry with cross-functional teams to optimize potency, stability, and PK properties for oral delivery.

The role emphasizes leadership in CRO collaboration, data-driven decision making, and rapid progression from hit to clinic within a dynamic, early-stage biotech.

Qualifications

• 5-10 years in biotech/pharma advancing molecules from hit to development candidate.
• Expertise in organic/medicinal chemistry and peptide synthesis.
• Experience leading CRO teams and cross-functional drug discovery efforts.
• Familiarity with computational drug design and AI-driven platforms.

Responsibilities

• Advance peptide therapeutics and small molecule programs from screening to development candidate selection.
• Lead cross-functional collaboration with CADD, biophysics, biology, and DMPK teams.
• Apply structure-based and computational design to optimize therapeutics and prioritize synthesis.
• Manage external chemist teams to ensure timely delivery of targets for testing.
• Interpret analytical results to confirm compound quality and data integrity.
• Guide teams through lead optimization toward clinical development.

Skills

Peptide therapeutics

Small molecule design

Macrocyclic peptides

Medicinal chemistry

Structure-based design

CRO management

Cross-functional collaboration

Computational modeling

ADME/PK considerations

Education

BS/MS/PhD in organic/medicinal chemistry

Tools

Automated solid-phase peptide synthesis

Solution-phase synthesis

Molecular modeling tools

Spotfire

Job description

Psivant Therapeutics, Inc. is seeking a medicinal chemist to advance peptide therapeutics and small molecules from hits to development candidates. You will integrate synthetic and computational chemistry with cross-functional teams to optimize potency, stability, and PK properties for oral delivery.

The role emphasizes leadership in CRO collaboration, data-driven decision making, and rapid progression from hit to clinic within a dynamic, early-stage biotech.