Principal Laboratory Research Scientist Medicinal Chemist

Job Title: Principal Laboratory Research Scientist Medicinal Chemist

Details of the role:

Reporting to: Joanna Redmond, Head of Chemical Biology STP

Working pattern
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This is a full-time, fixed term (18-month) position on Crick terms and conditions of employment

Salary: From £57,230 with benefits, subject to skills and experience.

Final date to receive applications: 26th of August 2026 m

The Francis Crick Institute is Europe’s largest biomedical research institute under one roof. Our world-class scientists and staff collaborate on vital research to help prevent, diagnose and treat illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, infectious diseases and neurodegenerative conditions.

The Crick is a place for collaboration, innovation and exploration across many disciplines. A space where the brightest minds can pursue big and bold ideas and discover answers to crucial scientific questions. We support them in a dynamic environment which fosters excellence with state-of-the-art infrastructure, cutting-edge facilities, and a creative and curious culture. We’ve removed traditional boundaries of departments, divisions and disciplines and instead have an open approach that supports every researcher.

This gives us the freedom to take risks and carry out high-quality, pioneering research. Creating a space for discovery without boundaries helps us to turn our science into benefits for human health and the economy.

This exciting research project is a cross–Francis Crick Institute collaboration focused on translating groundbreaking discoveries from Dr Simon Boulton's Double Strand Break (DSB) Metabolism Laboratory into new cancer therapies. The programme of work has since evolved into the Crick spin-out company ALTx.

This is a unique opportunity to join a pioneering drug discovery programme translating groundbreaking cancer research into potential new therapies. Working within a unique academia-industry collaboration, you will contribute to the development of novel treatments targeting Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres (ALT)-positive cancers, a particularly challenging group of cancers with significant unmet medical need.

Supported by substantial philanthropic and venture capital funding, the programme brings together world-leading experts in DNA damage repair, chemical biology and drug discovery to progress innovative science from target validation through to candidate selection.

This work is funded by a multi-million-pound translation grant from the Crick’s philanthropic Chris Banton fund, as well as seed-investment from a leading UK-based Venture Capital (VC) company.

We are recruiting for a Senior Medicinal Chemist to play a key role in leading the Medicinal Chemistry for a drug discovery program and to join the ALT project team at the Francis Crick Institute.

As part of a highly collaborative and multidisciplinary team, you will lead the medicinal chemistry strategy for a priority drug discovery programme, driving the design, optimisation and progression of compounds towards candidate selection.

Working closely with colleagues across biology, computational chemistry, pharmacology, DMPK and structural biology, you will use complex data sets to make informed scientific decisions and shape compound optimisation strategies.

This is an exciting opportunity for a collaborative, innovative medicinal chemist with a strong track record of drug discovery in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology sector. The ideal candidate will have proven experience in lead optimisation and the progression of small molecule discovery programmes towards candidate selection.

You will bring scientific expertise, commercial awareness and a hands-on approach, balancing compound design and external CRO management with practical laboratory contributions where needed. Thriving in a fast paced, dynamic environment, you will be a flexible and open-minded scientist who enjoys solving complex challenges and working as part of an integrated academia-industry team to deliver impactful drug discovery outcomes.

You will:

• Leadership of the medicinal chemistry for one of the two high priority ALT targets
• Driving the design, synthesis, and optimisation of small-molecule compounds from initial hits through lead optimisation to candidate-quality molecules
• Oversight and management of synthetic chemistry activities conducted at external CROs, including setting priorities, reviewing data and ensuring high-quality chemistry, combined with timely delivery
• Interpretation of SAR, structural, pharmacology, and DMPK data to guide compound design and prioritisation
• Working closely with biology, pharmacology, DMPK, computational and structural biology teams to ensure integrated decision-making
• Supporting compound selection for in vivo studies and candidate nomination decisions
• Extensive experience in small-molecule drug discovery, with a strong track record of progressing compounds from hit identification through lead optimisation to…