Principal Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry

Neomorph; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Industry-competitive compensation

Annual target bonus

Stock options

401K plan

Career advancement opportunities

Monthly town halls

Job summary

Neomorph is seeking a Principal Scientist in Medicinal Chemistry to lead drug discovery programs from Hit-to-Lead through Development Candidate nomination. The role includes mentoring project leaders, shaping chemistry strategy across programs, and advancing the company’s targeted protein degradation platform.

You will collaborate across biology, pharmacology, DMPK, and toxicology to drive optimized, developable candidates.

Qualifications

• PhD in Organic or Medicinal Chemistry with 8+ years of industry experience (MS 11+ years; BS 14+ years).
• Proven track record leading medicinal chemistry programs through hit-to-lead and development decisions.
• Mentor scientists and project leaders; influence portfolio decisions across multiple programs.

Responsibilities

• Independently lead medicinal chemistry programs from Hit-to-Lead through Development Candidate nomination.
• Mentor project leaders and scientists to develop scientific judgment and leadership capabilities.
• Guide teams in designing experiments, interpreting data, and making progression decisions.
• Develop strategies balancing potency, selectivity, ADME/DMPK, safety, and developability.
• Collaborate with biology, pharmacology, analytics, DMPK, toxicology, and CMC to execute plans.
• Manage external CROs and chemistry partners, ensuring timely, high-quality deliverables.
• Contribute to IP strategy, publications, and external scientific communications.

Skills

Medicinal chemistry leadership

Drug discovery strategy

Mentoring & coaching

Cross-functional leadership

Education

PhD in Organic/Medicinal Chemistry

MS with 11+ years of experience

BS with 14+ years of experience

Job description

Principal Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry

We are seeking a highly motivated and accomplished medicinal chemistry leader to drive drug discovery programs from Hit-to-Lead through Development Candidate nomination. This individual will not only independently lead medicinal chemistry strategy for one or more programs but also provide scientific and strategic leadership to one or more project leaders in their reporting line, demonstrating impact through advancing Neomorph’s targeted protein degradation (TPD) platform and pipeline.

The successful candidate will influence scientific direction beyond their directly led programs, mentor and develop scientists and project leaders, and help strengthen scientific decision-making and medicinal chemistry capabilities across the organization. They will bring strong strategic judgment and communication skills to multidisciplinary drug discovery teams spanning chemistry, biology, analytical sciences, pharmacology, DMPK, and toxicology.

Role and Responsibilities

• Independently lead medicinal chemistry programs from Hit-to-Lead through Lead Optimization and Development Candidate nomination, while concurrently mentoring direct-report project leaders to achieve key milestones and deliver on drug discovery programs.
• Influence and advise other project leaders and apply learnings across programs to improve scientific strategy and portfolio decisions.
• Guide project teams in defining key scientific questions, critical experiments, interpreting multidisciplinary data, assessing risk, and making clear progression decisions.
• Develop medicinal chemistry strategies to balance potency, selectivity, physicochemical properties, ADME/DMPK, safety, and developability.
• Contribute directly to compound design, experimental planning, data analysis, and synthetic problem-solving.
• Partner with biology, pharmacology, analytical sciences, DMPK, toxicology, CMC, and other functions to execute integrated project plans.
• Mentor medicinal chemists and project leaders to develop scientific judgment, strategic thinking, and project leadership capabilities.
• Communicate strategies, results, risks, and recommendations to project teams and senior leadership.
• Manage external chemistry CROs and other external partners, including defining project scope, communicating scientific objectives, prioritizing activities, evaluating deliverables, and ensuring high-quality and timely execution.
• Contribute to intellectual property, publications, and external scientific communications while upholding rigorous scientific and safety standards.
• Maintain high standards of scientific rigor, laboratory safety, and documentation.

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, or a related field with 8+ years of relevant industry experience; M.S. with 11+ years; or B.S. with 14+ years of relevant experience.
• Track record of independently leading medicinal chemistry programs through major drug discovery decisions, including Development Candidate nomination.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor and develop scientists to achieve key project milestones.
• Strong command of medicinal chemistry, synthetic organic chemistry, and structure-based and ligand-based drug design.
• Demonstrated success in multiparameter optimization and in translating complex data into actionable project strategies.
• Demonstrated scientific creativity, sound judgment, and a strong track record of solving complex chemistry challenges.
• Ability to influence programs beyond those directly led and to mentor scientists and project leaders across the organization.
• Effective collaboration across disciplines and with senior leadership, with excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience managing external CROs and chemistry partners, and contributing to intellectual property strategy.

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong passion for innovative drug discovery and emerging therapeutic modalities, particularly targeted protein degradation.
• Experience advancing small-molecule programs from Hit Identification through Development Candidate nomination.
• Experience across multiple programs or novel biological mechanisms, including contributions to patents or scientific publications.

What we offer:

• Industry-competitive compensation
• Annual target bonus
• Stock options
• 401K plan
• Career advancement opportunities
• Monthly town halls to share business and scientific updates

Work Hard, Stay Well

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans for employees and their dependents
• Health and Dependent Care FSA and HSA Plan with a monthly Neomorph contribution
• Employee Assistance Program
• 10 holidays + Winter Shutdown + 3 weeks of vacation time with additional accruals after 2nd year of employment, separate sick leave.
• Supplemental pay for Pregnancy Disability Leave
• Paid Parental Leave for employees with a newborn child or a child placed with them for adoption or foster care

Lifestyle

• Casual work environment
• Volunteer days off each year to spend time contributing to causes you care about
• Flexible work schedule
• Access to a state-of-the-art gym

Have Fun!

We believe in work/life balance, and Fun is at the core of our Core Values. In addition to department and company happy hours, we have regular company-wide and department lunches and social events (e.g., Padres games, summer picnic, holiday party, bring-your-kids-to-work day).

About Us:

Neomorph is a venture-backed biotechnology company solving critical problems in human health through the discovery and development of innovative new medicines against “undruggable targets”. Our team is comprised of industry-leading experts in protein degradation and molecular glues who have a track record of ground-breaking discoveries in the field. We are committed to leadership in advancing the science and technology of molecular glue drug discovery, while prosecuting a pipeline of projects through clinical development. Our patient-first, science-driven approach is complemented by our dedication to a supportive and collaborative work environment.

Neomorph is headquartered in San Diego, California.

Neomorph is committed to pursuing and hiring a diverse workforce and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of any characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Notice to agencies: Neomorph will not accept unsolicited assistance from recruiting/search agencies for this employment opportunity. Please, no phone calls or emails. All resumes submitted by recruiting or search agencies to any employee at Neomorph via email, the Internet, or in any form and/or method without a valid written search/recruitment agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of Neomorph. No fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by Neomorph as a result of the referral or through other means.