Associate Director, Peptide Medicinal Chemistry

Role Summary: The Individualwillleadthe design, synthesis, and optimization of novel peptide  addition to technical leadership, the successful candidate mustpossessprofessional level fluency in English and Mandarin Chinesetofacilitateseamless communication withour team in China.

This role is pivotal in advancing a company’s peptide pipeline from early-stage hit identification through to IND-enabling studies. As a key scientific leader, you will mentor a team of internal chemists and manage external CRO partnerships to achieve project milestones.

This role is either remote or hybrid out of our NYC office.

Key Responsibilities

Scientific Leadership & Strategy

• Design & Optimization:
  Lead the Computational AI-driven peptide design, macrocyclic peptides, and Peptide-Antibody Conjugationof complex peptides and peptidomimetics (e.g.,macrocycles, andconjugated systems) to achieve target product profiles.
• Pipeline Advancement:
  Oversee project progression from hit-to-lead through lead optimization, ensuring high-quality candidates are selected for preclinical development.

Team & Project Management

• Mentorship:
  Directly manage and develop a team of Ph.D. and MS-level medicinal chemists, fostering a culture of scientific excellence and professional growth.
• Collaborations:
  Manage relationships withthe internal
  
  Computational AI team;external research collaboration partnersandCROs.

Required Qualifications

• Education:
  
  Ph.D. Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, or related fields.
• Experience:
  
  3-5years of experience in the pharmaceutical or biotech industry, with a proven track recordof advancing peptide-based drug candidates.
• Technical Expertise:
  Expert knowledge of non-canonicalamino acids,macrocyclic Peptide SAR,understanding of ADME/PK challenges unique to peptides.
• Language:
  Must be fluent in Mandarin Chinese.

Preferred Skills

• Platform
  
  Experience:
  
  Familiarity with display technologies (e.g., mRNA, Phage, or DNA-encoded libraries). Peptide SAR and Antibody –peptide Conjugation
• Digital Chemistry:
  Experience integrating AI/ML workflows into peptide optimization