Associate Principal Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry

Associate Principal Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry

Pharmaron is a global CRO helping pharma and biotech companies bring new therapies to life. With over 25,000 employees worldwide across 23 locations in the US, UK and China, we support drug discovery through to manufacturing with fully integrated, high-quality services.

We’re proud of the impact we make and just last year, we supported over 780 discovery projects, 1,000+ CMC programmes, and 1,000+ clinical trials across all phases. Our teams are involved in everything from small molecules to biologics and gene therapies, and we work with more than 3,000 global customers. To learn more, visit

We have a new opportunity for an Associate Principal Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry to join the Integrated Drug Discovery (IDD) Services group at our Hoddesdon site. This role is responsible for providing medicinal chemistry expertise, leadership and project support for client projects.

The Integrated Drug Discovery (IDD) Services group at Pharmaron is responsible for leading and delivering drug discovery projects for our client partners. The team comprises scientific expertise and strategic leadership across medicinal chemistry, CADD, biology, DMPK and translational science. Combined with Pharmaron’s global research capabilities we design and deliver integrated programmes from target identification and hit finding through to IND filing.

Working closely with our partners we define strategy, coordinate execution across teams and with an AI enabled accelerated Design–Make–Test–Analyse cycle support the progression of projects and innovative medicines towards the clinic.

• Demonstrate expertise in the core medicinal chemistry skills required to support drug discovery projects with a high degree of independence, including development of structure activity relationships, analysis of data and design of compounds to probe clear hypotheses towards the identification of clinical candidates.
• Collaborate effectively with client and China-based experimental teams to enhance project delivery and efficiency, ensuring that scientific work is appropriately documented.
• Use expertise to troubleshoot synthetic chemistry challenges, interpret results and plan additional experiments in collaboration with China-based synthetic chemists.
• Provide scientific leadership and work with China-based experimental teams to advance drug discovery projects and the development of new capabilities.
• Communicate project strategy, plans, results and achievements to internal stakeholders in a timely and open manner.
• Keep abreast of scientific literature and the latest computational tools, contributing to the scientific and professional development of the IDD team.
• Represent Pharmaron with the highest professional standards as required, e.g. in client interactions and at scientific conferences.
• Support IP strategy development and patent application drafting for client projects.

• PhD in Chemistry or Medicinal Chemistry, or equivalent industrial experience.
• Significant experience in medicinal chemistry gained in academia, Pharma/Biotech and/or CROs.
• Experience of hit to lead and lead optimisation phases in drug discovery projects and/or experience of modalities beyond traditional small molecules such as: ADCs or related targeted approaches; oral peptides; and oligonucleotide therapeutics is highly desirable
• Excellent knowledge of medicinal and synthetic organic chemistry, and working knowledge of DMPK/ADME assays and parameters.
• Organises and directs own and supervises team efforts, where appropriate.
• Demonstrable knowledge and/or experience of the drug discovery process for small molecules, from hit…