Senior Research Scientist - Medicinal Chemist

Overview

Senior Research Scientist in Medicinal Chemistry on Elanco's small molecule drug discovery team, designing, synthesizing and optimizing novel medicines for animal health.

What you'll do

• Guide the design of novel small molecules and propel Structure-Activity Relationship (SAR) studies by integrating biological, pharmacological, and ADME/PK data into iterative design strategies.
• Manage and coordinate the synthesis, purification, and characterization of compounds with external Contract Research Organizations (CROs) and internal partners to ensure timely project delivery.
• Apply advanced drug discovery technologies, including DNA-Encoded Libraries (DEL) and AI/ML-enabled molecular design tools, to accelerate hit identification and lead optimization.
• Collaborate as a key member of multidisciplinary project teams, partnering with scientists in Biology, Pharmacology, DMPK, Toxicology, and Computational Sciences to advance discovery programs.
• Maintain high standards of experimental design, data integrity, and scientific documentation to support data-driven judgments across the discovery portfolio.

What you'll need

• PhD in Medicinal Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, or a related discipline.
• A minimum of 3 years of industry experience in medicinal chemistry within a pharmaceutical, animal health, or crop science research environment.
• Demonstrated expertise in complex multi-step organic synthesis and modern medicinal chemistry, with a strong understanding of pharmacology and pharmacokinetics.
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams and manage external CRO partnerships to advance discovery projects.

Nice to have

• Postdoctoral experience.
• Experience with, or a strong interest in learning, advanced discovery technologies such as DNA-Encoded Libraries (DEL) and AI/ML applications.
• A track record of contributing to small-molecule programs that have advanced into preclinical development.
• Prior experience in the animal health industry.
• Expertise in peptide chemistry and optimization.