Scientist I or II in Medicinal Chemistry

OliX Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 95,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Paid year-end shutdown and holidays

Job summary

OliX Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in San Diego, CA, seeks a Scientist I or II in Medicinal Chemistry to design, synthesize, purify, and characterize small molecules, nucleosides, nucleotides, and conjugation partners for RNAi programs.

You will collaborate with oligonucleotide chemistry and biology teams to translate synthetic insights into RNA therapeutics. You will optimize routes, analyze data (NMR/LC-MS), and contribute to method development, documentation, and training in a fast-paced,

Qualifications

• PhD in Organic or Medicinal Chemistry or related field with 0–3 years postdoc/industry experience; or an MS with 5+ years of relevant industry experience in small-molecule synthesis.
• Strong hands-on experience in synthetic organic chemistry, including retrosynthetic analysis and multistep synthesis.
• Ability to work independently at the bench, troubleshoot syntheses, and assess compound identity and purity using NMR and chromatographic methods.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute multistep syntheses of small molecules, modified nucleosides and nucleotides, linkers, and conjugation partners.
• Develop and optimize synthetic routes, protecting-group strategies, reaction conditions, and purification methods.
• Develop and perform conjugation reactions linking oligonucleotides with small molecules, delivery ligands, or peptides.
• Confirm compound identity and purity using NMR, LC-MS, and HPLC/UHPLC; interpret data and troubleshoot synthesis.
• Collaborate with oligonucleotide chemistry and biology teams to guide compound design and synthesis priorities.
• Maintain clear experimental records and prepare technical reports, SOPs, and batch records; contribute to lab safety and instrument maintenance.

Skills

Synthetic organic chemistry

Retrosynthetic analysis

Multistep synthesis

Reaction optimization

Purification

Analytical data interpretation

Education

PhD in Organic Chemistry or Medicinal Chemistry

MS in a related field with 5+ years industry experience

Tools

NMR

LC-MS

HPLC/UHPLC

Job description

Scientist I or II in Medicinal Chemistry

• Organic Synthesis
• Nucleosides and Nucleotides
• Conjugation

About OliX

OliX Pharmaceuticals develops RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics. Our San Diego chemistry team supports this work by developing molecular building blocks and conjugation approaches for siRNA medicines.

The opportunity

OliX US is seeking a Scientist I/II in Medicinal Chemistry with strong expertise in synthetic organic chemistry. In this laboratory role, you will design, synthesize, purify, and characterize small molecules, nucleosides, nucleotides, and conjugation partners that support our RNAi research.

The role offers the opportunity to solve challenging synthetic problems and connect your chemistry to the development of RNA therapeutics. You will work with colleagues in oligonucleotide chemistry and biology to develop compounds and conjugates, interpret results, and plan the next synthesis round.

Key responsibilities

• Design and execute multistep syntheses of small molecules, modified nucleosides and nucleotides, linkers, and conjugation partners.
• Develop and optimize synthetic routes, protecting-group strategies, reaction conditions, and purification methods to obtain well-characterized compounds.
• Develop and perform conjugation reactions linking oligonucleotides with small molecules, delivery ligands, or peptides.
• Confirm compound identity and purity using NMR, LC-MS, and HPLC/UHPLC; interpret analytical data and troubleshoot synthesis and purification challenges.
• Collaborate with oligonucleotide chemistry and biology colleagues to evaluate results and guide compound design and synthesis priorities.
• Maintain clear experimental records and prepare technical reports, presentations, SOPs, and batch records as appropriate.
• Contribute to laboratory safety and the operation, maintenance, and troubleshooting of relevant instruments.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, or a related field with 0-3 years of postdoctoral or industry experience; or an M.S. with 5+ years of relevant industry experience in small-molecule synthesis.
• Strong practical experience in synthetic organic chemistry, including retrosynthetic analysis, multistep synthesis, reaction optimization, and purification.
• Ability to work independently at the bench, solve synthetic problems, and assess compound identity and purity using NMR and chromatographic methods.
• Clear scientific communication, careful record-keeping, and a collaborative research approach.

Appointment at Scientist I or Scientist II will depend on relevant experience and qualifications.

Preferred experience

• Nucleoside or nucleotide synthesis, including protecting-group chemistry and modified building blocks for oligonucleotide synthesis.
• Bioconjugation, linker design, or synthesis of ligands used in oligonucleotide delivery.
• Application of structure-activity relationships or physicochemical property considerations to compound design.
• Preparation of SOPs, batch records, or reproducible procedures for scale-up or transfer.

Apply your organic synthesis expertise to the chemistry behind RNA medicines. This role combines small-molecule and nucleoside chemistry with conjugation, giving you opportunities to broaden your scientific experience while contributing directly to a collaborative research team.

Compensation and benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid year-end company shutdown and holiday time off