Senior Computational Chemist

Corteva Agriscience; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Development opportunities

Higher purpose

Health benefits

Paid time off

Parental leave

Retirement plan

Tuition reimbursement

Life at Corteva

Job summary

Corteva Agriscience is seeking a Senior Computational Chemist in Indianapolis to lead computational design and optimization of agrochemical ingredients. You will shape discovery strategies, build AI-enabled workflows, and collaborate with chemists, biologists, and data scientists.

Ideal candidates have 10+ years in computational chemistry, strong modeling skills, and experience with HPC and data-driven methods. This role emphasizes collaboration, IP generation, and scientific leadership.

Qualifications

• PhD in Computational Chemistry, Data Science, Chemical Informatics, Chemistry, or related field.
• 10+ years applying computational chemistry in pharma or agriculture.

Responsibilities

• Innovate, build and apply novel computational chemistry capabilities that accelerate design and optimization of agrochemical active ingredients.
• Develop and implement advanced molecular modeling, simulation, and AI-based workflows for discovery and pipelines.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to shape project strategy and design-build-test-learn cycles.
• Mentor and coach scientists across chemists, biologists, and data scientists.
• Communicate progress and findings to project leaders and R&D leadership.
• Keep pace with tech advances and contribute to IP, publications, and presentations.

Skills

Computational chemistry

Molecular modeling

Data science

Machine learning

Team mentoring

Communication skills

HPC computing

Education

PhD in Computational Chemistry or related field

Tools

Schrödinger Suite

MOE

AMBER

Gaussian

Python

Job description

Who are we, and what do we do?At Corteva Agriscience, you will help us grow what’s next. No matter your role, you will be part of a team that is building the future of agriculture – leading breakthroughs in the innovation and application of science and technology that will better the lives of people all over the world and fuel the progress of humankind.

Who are we, and what do we do?At Corteva Agriscience, you will help us grow what’s next. No matter your role, you will be part of a team that is building the future of agriculture – leading breakthroughs in the innovation and application of science and technology that will better the lives of people all over the world and fuel the progress of humankind. The computational chemistry team in Corteva Agriscience plays a critical role in the discovery and optimization of new active ingredients through advanced modeling, simulation, and data analysis. We are seeking a Senior Computational Chemist to help define and lead the future of molecule discovery and design at our Indianapolis Global Business Center. This is a unique opportunity to shape how computational chemistry drives innovation to enable resilient and sustainable agriculture.

What You’ll Do

• Innovate, build and apply novel computational chemistry capabilities that accelerate the design and optimization of novel agrochemical active ingredients for Crop Health R&D.
• Develop and implement advanced molecular modeling, simulation, and AI-based workflows for discovery and pipeline projects.
• Collaborate closely with multidisciplinary teams to shape project strategy and the design-build-test-learn cycle to integrate and improve computational predictions.
• Mentor and coach scientists, fostering a culture of scientific excellence, innovation and collaboration across teams including chemists, biologists, and data scientists.
• Communicate project progress and key findings to stakeholders, including project leaders and R&D leadership.
• Keep pace with technological advances and contribute to intellectual property generation, scientific publications, and presentations at internal and external meetings.

What Skills You Need

• Ph.D. in Computational Chemistry, Data Science, Chemical Informatics, Chemistry, or a related scientific field.
• 10+ years of experience applying computational chemistry in the pharmaceutical or agricultural industry.
• Demonstrated expertise in multiple computational approaches such as molecular modeling, virtual screening, homology modeling, pharmacophore elucidation, free energy perturbation, homology modeling, and/or structure-based drug design.
• Solid knowledge base and experience in the incorporation of data science methods (e.g., machine learning and generative AI) in molecule design and optimization.
• Proven experience working with large datasets, scientific computing and large-scale computing environments (e.g., HPC clusters, cloud computing).
• Excellent communication (written and verbal), interpersonal, and technical writing skills.

What Makes You Stand Out

• Strong background in cheminformatics, statistics, machine learning, and/or other data-driven modeling approaches.
• Experience combining chemistry-based mechanistic modeling with data-driven modeling in hybrid models for molecule design/optimization.
• Familiarity with modern software tools and programming languages used in computational chemistry (e.g., Schrödinger Suite, MOE, AMBER, Gaussian, Python).
• Track record of impactful publications or patents in computational chemistry or molecule design/optimization.
• Experience mentoring or leading technical teams.

Benefits – How We’ll Support You

• Numerous development opportunities offered to build your skills
• Be part of a company with a higher purpose and contribute to making the world a better place
• Health benefits for you and your family on your first day of employment
• Four weeks of paid time off and two weeks of well-being pay per year, plus paid holidays
• Excellent parental leave which includes a minimum of 16 weeks for mother and father
• Future planning with our competitive retirement savings plan and tuition reimbursement program
• Learn more about our total rewards package here - Corteva Benefits
• Check out life at Corteva! www.linkedin.com/company/corteva/life

We seek applicants from all backgrounds to ensure we get the best, most creative talent on our team.

Corteva Agriscience is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to embracing our differences to enrich lives, advance innovation, and boost company performance. Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, military or veteran status, pregnancy related conditions (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), disability or any other protected status in accordance with federal, state, or local laws.