Senior Medicinal Chemist - Small Molecule Discovery

Indiana Ag Connection; Indianapolis (IN); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation packages

Shutdown weeks

Parental leave

Employee Resource Groups

Annual bonus

Flexible work arrangements

401K matching

Job summary

Elanco, a global leader in animal health, seeks a Principal Research Scientist in Medicinal Chemistry to guide small-molecule drug discovery. You will influence lead generation, development candidate selection, and collaborate with a cross-functional team across Biology, DMPK, Toxicology, and Computational Sciences in Indianapolis.

You will apply cutting-edge technologies such as DNA-Encoded Libraries, AI-enabled design, and computational chemistry to design and synthesize innovative compounds,

Qualifications

• PhD in Medicinal Chemistry or Organic Chemistry or related field.
• 8–10 years of industry experience in medicinal chemistry.
• Strong SAR, pharmacology, and ADME/PK understanding.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and optimization of novel small molecules using SAR data.
• Head medicinal chemistry initiatives within cross-functional teams.
• Collaborate with Biology, DMPK, Toxicology, and Computational Sciences.
• Direct synthesis efforts with CROs and internal partners.
• Leverage DEL, computational tools, and AI/ML to accelerate discovery.
• Contribute to IP strategy and patent filings.
• Mentor junior scientists and promote data integrity.

Skills

Modern medicinal chemistry

SAR (Structure-Activity Relationships)

ADME/PK principles

External CRO management

Education

PhD in Medicinal Chemistry

Tools

DNA-Encoded Libraries (DEL)

Computational chemistry

AI/ML-enabled molecular design

Job description

Elanco, a global leader in animal health, seeks a Principal Research Scientist in Medicinal Chemistry to guide small-molecule drug discovery. You will influence lead generation, development candidate selection, and collaborate with a cross-functional team across Biology, DMPK, Toxicology, and Computational Sciences in Indianapolis.

You will apply cutting-edge technologies such as DNA-Encoded Libraries, AI-enabled design, and computational chemistry to design and synthesize innovative compounds,