Sign up to access all features of our service.
  • Job search
  • Favorites
  • Create a CV
    New
  • Salaries
  • Subscriptions

Medicinal Chemistry Senior Principal Research Scientist

$164.4k - $246.6k

Vertex Pharmaceuticals

Vertex Pharmaceuticals seeks a Senior Principal Research Scientist in Medicinal Chemistry to lead scientific strategy for small-molecule drug discovery programs. The role involves designing and optimizing therapeutic compounds across discovery initiatives while collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to advance candidates toward clinical development.

Responsibilities

  • Lead medicinal chemistry strategy for small-molecule discovery programs aligned with portfolio objectives
  • Design and prioritize compound synthesis to optimize potency, selectivity, pharmacokinetics, and developability
  • Interpret SAR, structural biology, DMPK, and pharmacology data to guide compound progression
  • Partner with biology, toxicology, and pharmaceutical sciences teams to advance program goals
  • Provide technical leadership, mentorship, and strategic communication to chemistry resources and senior leadership

Requirements

  • Ph.D. in Chemistry or related discipline with 6+ years postdoctoral industry experience
  • Medicinal chemistry expertise and small-molecule drug discovery experience
  • Demonstrated success advancing programs through candidate selection
  • Experience leading cross-functional teams in matrixed research environments
  • Strong SAR analysis, compound design, and lead optimization skills
  • DMPK/ADME collaboration and drug property optimization knowledge

Compensation: $164,400 - $246,600 base

Vacancy posted 1 day ago
Similar jobs that could be interesting for youBased on the Medicinal Chemistry Senior Principal Research Scientist in San Diego, CA vacancy
  •  ...Principal Scientist, Medicinal ChemistryWe are seeking a highly motivated and accomplished medicinal chemistry leader to drive drug discovery programs from Hit-to-Lead through Development...  ...recommendations to project teams and senior leadership.· Manage external chemistry... 
    Suggested
    Summer holiday
    Local area

    Neomorph

    San Diego, CA
    2 days ago
  • Associate Principal Scientist, Medicinal ChemistryWe are seeking an accomplished medicinal chemist and project...  ...will define and execute medicinal chemistry strategy, independently lead projects...  ...recommendations to project teams and senior leadership.· Contribute to... 
    Suggested
    Summer holiday
    Local area

    Neomorph

    San Diego, CA
    2 days ago
  • $152k - $190k

     ...an experienced and creative medicinal chemist with a proven track...  ...passionate about solving medicinal chemistry challenges, as well as...  ...as a member of the Chemistry research group and foster a culture...  ...timeDepartmentScienceChemistryCompensationPrincipal Scientist$152K - $190K
    Suggested
    Flexible hours

    Iambic Therapeutics

    San Diego, CA
    2 days ago
  •  ...driven, discovery-minded Senior Scientist / Principal Scientist to lead mRNA molecule...  ...breakthrough science into medicines. This person will partner...  ...RNA characterization at research scale. Establish and...  ...and implement new reagents, chemistries, and technologies that improve... 
    Senior
    Full time

    New Co

    San Diego, CA
    4 days ago
  • $96k - $120k

     ...seeking a highly skilled and motivated Senior Associate Scientist to join the Chemistry team at Iambic Therapeutics...  ...environment, collaborating closely with medicinal chemists, biologists, DMPK...  ...computational chemists, machine learning researchers, and software engineers... 
    Senior
    Flexible hours

    Iambic Therapeutics

    San Diego, CA
    2 days ago
  • $137k - $235.75k

     ...our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech we are...  ...more at Purpose: The Senior Principal Scientist will be a key member of discovery...  ...closely with biology chemistry and other drug metabolism...  ...Management Report Writing Researching Research Proposals Scientific... 
    Senior
    Full time
    Local area

    Johnson & Johnson

    San Diego, CA
    7 days ago
  • $175k - $200k

    ABOUT US:Scripps Research is a nonprofit biomedical institute...  ...Institute for Innovative Medicines and Scripps Research...  ...foundational studies in biology, chemistry and computer science with...  ...team.POSITION TITLE:Senior Director, Major & Principal GiftsPOSITION SUMMARY:Scripps... 
    Senior
    Full time
    Flexible hours

    Scripps Research

    San Diego, CA
    11 hours ago
  •  ...Job Title: Senior Scientist, Oligonucleotide  Chemistry Department: Chemistry Location: We are only considering...  ...technology into transformative medicine for the treatment of chronic diseases...  ...Chemistry to join our research team developing next-generation siRNA... 
    Senior
    Full time

    Sirius Therapeutics, Inc.

    San Diego, CA
    1 day ago
  •  ...platform combines precision conjugation chemistry with advanced polymer engineering to...  ...the intersection of materials science, medicinal chemistry, and pharmaceutical...  ...and moving fast. Role Description The Senior Scientist, Formulation & Process Development is... 
    Senior
    Full time

    SpiderX Bio

    San Diego, CA
    3 days ago
  • $120k - $198k

     ...Title: Senior Scientist / Principal Scientist, Bioprocess Sciences Location: San Diego Job Type:...  ...protein production programs that support research and development. The successful...  ...Qualifications: ~ D. or M.S. in Chemistry, Biology, Biochemistry, Biomedical Engineering... 
    Senior
    Full time

    Pivotal

    San Diego, CA
    4 days ago
  •  ...Neurocrine Biosciences seeks a Senior Principal Scientist to lead peptide chemistry and API development strategy across the company's pipeline. This role requires deep expertise in peptide synthesis and process chemistry combined with CMC leadership to establish scalable... 
    Senior
    For contractors

    Neurocrine Biosciences

    San Diego, CA
    14 days ago
  • $105k - $120k

     ...biopharmaceutical company that develops medicines that treat intractable diseases by...  ...cause them. Using a broad portfolio of RNA chemistries and efficient modes of delivery, Arrowhead...  ...headquarters is in Pasadena, CA with research and development teams in Madison, WI &... 
    Senior

    Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals

    San Diego, CA
    1 day ago
  • JOB SUMMARYWe are seeking skilled scientists to join our Discovery Machine Learning group...  ...performancePartner with computational chemists, medicinal chemists and biologists to leverage ML...  ...:PhD or equivalent degree in chemistry or another physical science with 3+ years... 
    Senior
    Flexible hours

    Iambic Therapeutics

    San Diego, CA
    11 hours ago
  •  ...Research Chemistry Services (RCS), with a R&D base worldwide, supports the...  ...for organic synthesis, medicinal chemical synthesis, natural...  ...Academic report: world-renowned scientists including Nobel laureates...  ...training: Invite the company's senior management and famous... 
    Senior
    Full time
    Worldwide
    Flexible hours

    WuXi AppTec

    San Diego, CA
    1 day ago
  •  ...join the Biology group as Director or Senior Director. This individual will define...  ...in vivo evidence packages that guide medicinal chemistry from hit identification through development...  ...will also partner with Iambic's AI/ML scientists to apply computational approaches that... 
    Senior
    Flexible hours

    Iambic Therapeutics

    San Diego, CA
    1 day ago
  • $185k - $210k

     ...biopharmaceutical company that develops medicines that treat intractable...  ...a broad portfolio of RNA chemistries and efficient modes of...  ...is in Pasadena, CA with research and development teams in...  ...in need. The Position The Senior Medical Scientist, Drug Safety will provide... 
    Senior

    Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals

    San Diego, CA
    11 hours ago
  • $40 - $50 per hour

    Yoh Life Sciences is hiring a for Senior Research Associate, Neuroscience / Cell-Based Screening in San Diego, CA. We are seeking a...  ...experimental data to project teams Collaborate closely with medicinal chemistry, biology, and pharmacology teams to advance programs... 
    Senior

    Yoh, A Day & Zimmermann Company

    San Diego, CA
    11 hours ago
  • $102k - $128k

     ...are seeking a motivated and hands-on Senior Associate Scientist I/II, Purification Sciences to...  ...LC and preparative SFC, supporting medicinal chemistry and high-throughput chemistry efforts...  ...effectively in a fast-paced, collaborative research environment.PREFERRED... 
    Senior
    Flexible hours

    Iambic Therapeutics

    San Diego, CA
    4 days ago
  • $40 - $50 per hour

    Yoh Life Sciences is hiring a for Senior Research Associate, Neuroscience / Cell-Based Screening in San Diego, CA. We are seeking a...  ...experimental data to project teamsCollaborate closely with medicinal chemistry, biology, and pharmacology teams to advance programsMaintain... 
    Senior

    Yoh

    San Diego, CA
    11 hours ago
  • $60k - $95k

     ...collaborative team developing DNA-based medicines that will be first-in-class...  ...Role We are seeking a Research Associate/Sr. Research...  ...Collaborate with a team of scientists to creatively solve problems...  ...and Experience ~ BS/MS in chemistry, chemical engineering,... 
    Senior
    Full time

    Seawolf Therapeutics, Inc.

    San Diego, CA
    2 days ago
  • $58k - $80k

     ...Research Associate / Senior Research Associate – Oligonucleotide Chemistry Location: San Diego, CA — Onsite Employment Type:...  ...innovative nucleic acid-based medicines. Role Summary We are...  ...workflows in consultation with scientists. Troubleshoot synthesis, purification... 
    Senior
    Full time
    Internship

    OliX Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

    San Diego, CA
    2 days ago
  • $127k - $159k

     ...collaborative team developing DNA-based medicines that will be first-in-class...  ..., and detail-oriented Senior Scientist to join our Payload...  ...extensive experience working in a Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls...  ...train junior scientists and research associates Analytical... 
    Senior
    Full time

    Seawolf Therapeutics, Inc.

    San Diego, CA
    2 days ago
  •  .... You will play an active role in the research teams pursuing important therapeutics...  ...collaborating closely with machine learning scientists, medicinal chemists and biologists to apply...  ...technical expertise in computational chemistry, experience with or strong interest in... 
    Senior
    Remote work
    Flexible hours

    Iambic Therapeutics

    San Diego, CA
    11 hours ago
  •  ...materials and precursors for advanced semiconductor manufacturing. We are hiring two computational scientists to leverage our physics-based simulation stack — from atomistic chemistry through process-scale behavior — to fuse it with machine-learned models in a way that... 
    Senior

    Xora Innovation

    San Diego, CA
    13 days ago
  • $140k - $180k

     ...biopharmaceutical company that develops medicines that treat intractable...  ...a broad portfolio of RNA chemistries and efficient modes of delivery...  ...is in Pasadena, CA with research and development teams in Madison...  ...PositionArrowhead is seeking a Senior Manager, ERP Finance Systems... 
    Senior

    Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals

    San Diego, CA
    1 day ago
  •  ...Job Title: Principal Scientist, In Vitro Pharmacology Department...  ...Reporting to: Senior Director, Pharmacology...  ...into transformative medicine for the treatment of...  ...in collaboration with Chemistry and Project Management...  ...support preclinical research programs. This role involves... 
    Full time

    Sirius Therapeutics, Inc.

    San Diego, CA
    4 days ago
  • $165.07k - $204.23k

     ...biopharmaceutical company applying an intentional, chemistry-based approach to develop innovative small molecule medicines which address significant unmet medical needs...  ...treatment of diverse KRAS-mutant tumors. The Senior Manager, Drug Safety will play a key role in supporting... 
    Senior
    Work at office
    Local area

    BlossomHill Therapeutics, Inc.

    San Diego, CA
    4 days ago
  •  ...advancing transformative RNA medicines using best-in-class...  ...in RNA biology, medicinal chemistry, and translational development...  ...seeking a highly motivated Research Associate or Senior Research Associate (...  ...Collaborate closely with scientists from biology, pharmacology... 
    Senior
    Contract work
    Flexible hours

    Arnatar Therapeutics

    San Diego, CA
    15 days ago
  •  ...Job Title: Principal Scientist, In Vivo Pharmacology Department...  ...Reporting to: Senior Director, Pharmacology...  ...into transformative medicine for the treatment of...  ...support preclinical research programs. This role involves...  ...collaboration with Chemistry and Project Management... 
    Full time

    Sirius Therapeutics, Inc.

    San Diego, CA
    4 days ago
  • $200k - $275k

     ...Institute for Innovative Medicines was founded on the...  ...world-class biomedical research with state-of-the-art...  ...postdocs into leading-edge scientists. Leveraging the unique...  ...TITLE: Director or Senior Director, CMC Protein...  ...Preclinical Development to lead Chemistry, Manufacturing, and... 
    Senior
    Full time
    Flexible hours

    Scripps Research

    San Diego, CA
    11 hours ago

Do you want to receive more vacancies?

Subscribe and receive similar vacancies to Medicinal Chemistry Senior Principal Research Scientist. Be the first to apply!