Scientist/Sr. Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry San ...

Scientist/Sr. Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry Overview General Proximity is a seed-stage startup developing the next generation of induced proximity medicines (IPMs). Our OmniTAC drug discovery engine furnishes molecules that co-opt existing cellular machinery to overcome therapeutic challenges, which have remained unapproachable to other modalities for decades. We are seeking first-rate medicinal chemists to help us pioneer this uncharted frontier of drug discovery. The Position We are seeking an experienced medicinal chemist to be a founding member of our Chemistry/Drug Discovery Team. In this position, you will work in close conjunction with our Biology/Platform Teams in the development of our core drug discovery technology and the generation of a completely novel class of therapeutics. Your responsibilities will include: Supervising synthetic efforts with our CROs Designing and optimizing first-in-class bifunctional molecules Collaborating with our Drug Discovery and IP team on patent applications Providing input for mechanistic studies on lead drug molecules Spearheading forays into new disease areas About You High Agency. Initiative, independence, and self-accountability are some of our most valued traits. Enthusiastic. We love people who are excited about what they are doing and are generally attempting to build a high-energy team. Intensity and Grit. Early-stage startups are hard. Drug discovery is doubly so. We are looking for candidates who have a demonstrated ability to stick with complex problems for the long haul, with a team that has your back along the way. Prosocial. We are here to create life-saving medicines for the patients who need it most. You should be, too. Qualifications & Nice-To-Haves PhD in Medicinal Chemistry, Chemical Biology, Pharmacology, or related field. Industry experience is desirable, but the ability to work hard and learn fast is more important to us. Deep understanding of small-molecule drug discovery and its relationship to human disease. Top-notch written and oral communication skills. Strong experience with: Designing, synthesizing, and optimizing induced proximity medicines (e.g. PROTACs or other IPMs) Contributing to hit-to-lead and lead optimization studies Med-chem optimizations: SAR, PK/PD, strong understanding of DMPK Experience with some chemical biology or structural biology laboratory techniques (assay set up, compound testing, pulldown, protein purification, SPR, crystallography etc.) or strong experience in computational chemistry Nice to have: Proficiency in HTS and phenotypic assay development Proteomics experience: PTM analysis, chemo-proteomic target deconvolution, etc. Computational or molecular dynamics drug discovery experience DEL experience Experience managing others, especially synthetic chemistry CRO teams Prior experience on teams that have successfully advanced research to the clinic Strong equity incentives. We are looking for candidates who will bring a strong sense of ownership to drive their project areas forward, and we believe that you deserve to be compensated accordingly. Top tier medical, dental, and vision coverage + One Medical membership. Education and health/fitness incentive programs. Meditation retreats—do a ten-day Vipassana retreat without counting towards vacation days. Reading budget! We will buy you books. Located in the MBC BioLabs at 135 Mississippi Street, an entrepreneurial hub full of the best scientists and operators the Bay Area has to offer. Our lab is a very short walk from the 22nd St Caltrain Station and a number of wonderful restaurants and cafés. About Us Work Hard/Play Hard. We believe time is our most valuable commodity, so we strive to create a culture that reflects this. We won’t drag you through unnecessary meetings or email you at 7 PM on a Saturday. When we're at work, we're there to get things done, and when we're off, we're really off. Strong Communication. We like well-written documents over PowerPoints, OKRs over vague mission statements, and weekly one-on-ones over yearly reviews. Writing First. We have a "writing-first" culture. We believe that clarity of writing reflects clarity of thinking and that the benefits of well-written documentation in a scientific environment are innumerable: democratization of ideation and decision-making, increased reproducibility, quicker scaling and onboarding, and better company-wide alignment, to name a few. Growth. As an early-stage startup, we value scientists with an independent, can-do attitude. The more hats you can wear, the better. Our job as employers is to put you in positive feedback loops so you can grow in the direction of your choosing. #J-18808-Ljbffr

Created: 2025-09-24