Senior Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry

Title: Senior Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry

Pay: $45.00- $57.00/hour

Location: Cambridge, MA

Schedule: Standard Office Hours

Duration: 7-Month Contract

Our client is a leading global biopharmaceutical company focused on developing therapies for serious neurologic diseases. The Medicinal Chemistry group is seeking a creative and self‑motivated organic chemist to join its antibody‑oligonucleotide conjugate (AOC) drug discovery platform. This is a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of synthetic chemistry and cutting‑edge biologic therapeutics, contributing to programs that have the potential to transform patient outcomes.

The successful candidate will collaborate across cross‑functional teams and leverage a strong chemistry background to advance novel conjugate designs from concept through characterization.

In this role, you will manage and support a variety of projects within the Medicinal Chemistry department.

Key responsibilities include:

• Joining the medicinal chemistry team and working within a cross‑functional, multidisciplinary environment to advance the antibody‑oligonucleotide conjugate (AOC) platform.
• Designing, synthesizing, and purifying functionalized oligonucleotides suitable for antibody bioconjugation.
• Proposing and optimizing novel synthetic and bioconjugation methodologies to support a fast‑evolving AOC discovery platform.
• Collaborating closely with colleagues across medicinal chemistry and other departments to solve complex scientific challenges, including reaction optimization, synthetic feasibility assessment, and generation of novel ideas and concepts.
• Actively participating in team discussions and presenting experimental results at internal team meetings.

• Design, plan, execute, and interpret experiments independently with minimal supervision.
• Run multiple reactions in parallel; manage competing priorities efficiently.
• Apply expertise in the synthesis, purification, and characterization of organic and oligonucleotide‑based compounds.
• Propose novel chemical strategies and contribute creative solutions to program challenges.
• Maintain thorough and accurate scientific documentation in compliance with laboratory standards.
• Present findings and progress clearly in both written and oral formats to internal stakeholders.

• Excellent knowledge of synthetic organic chemistry, including synthesis, purification (e.g., HPLC), and characterization (e.g., NMR, LC‑MS) of organic compounds.
• Strong problem‑solving skills with ability to adapt approaches based on experimental outcomes.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to present complex data clearly.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team in a fast‑paced research environment.
• Demonstrated track record of scientific contributions via publications and/or presentations.
• Experience with antibody‑drug conjugate (ADC) or antibody‑oligonucleotide conjugate (AOC) chemistry is a plus.
• Experience with bioconjugation chemistry is a plus.
• Familiarity with drug discovery workflows in an industrial or biotechnology setting is preferred.

• Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, Chemical Biology, or a closely related discipline with 1‑3 years of relevant postdoctoral or industry experience.
• M.Sc. in a relevant field with 8+ years of directly applicable industry experience will also be considered.
• A strong foundation in medicinal and/or synthetic organic chemistry is required.