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Senior / Principal Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry

Altos Labs · San Francisco Bay Area, CA;San Diego, CA · $166.1k–$316.1k

Posted by Altos Labs on their careers site · View the original posting

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The posting, as Altos Labs wrote it

Our Mission

Our mission is to restore cell health and resilience through cell rejuvenation to reverse disease, injury, and the disabilities that can occur throughout life.

For more information, see our website at altoslabs.com.

Our Value

Our Single Altos Value: Everyone Owns Achieving Our Inspiring Mission .

Diversity at Altos

Altos Labs has been named one of the Top 3 Biotech Companies and ranked for the second year on the Forbes 2026 Best Startups in America list. At Altos, exceptional scientists and industry leaders from around the world work together to advance a shared mission. Our intentional focus is on Belonging, so that all employees know that they are valued for their unique perspectives. We are all accountable for sustaining a diverse and inclusive environment.

What You Will Contribute To Altos

We are seeking a talented and passionate Medicinal Chemist to join our small-molecule drug discovery team. In this role, you will advance science and develop life-changing medicines. You will impact all stages of drug discovery, from hit identification to lead optimization, within a collaborative and fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities Include

  • Drive Drug Discovery Programs: Contribute to the chemistry efforts for one or more drug discovery programs, focusing on designing drug-like molecules and optimizing compounds towards drug development candidate selection.
  • Collaborate Cross-Functionally: Work closely with a diverse range of functions, including Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Structural Biology, Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology, Machine Learning, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Safety, and disease area Biology.
  • Design and Synthesize Novel Compounds: Apply innovative structure-based, computational, and property-based design tools and methods, and/or synthesize analogs for molecular targets. This includes conducting multi-step syntheses, retrosynthetic analysis of complex molecules, and troubleshooting synthetic issues internally or with CRO partners.
  • Analyze and Interpret Data: Utilize strong analytical thinking skills to organize, analyze and communicate structure-activity relationship (SAR) data sets to drive design ideas and impact program direction.
  • Solve Complex Problems: Design compounds that effectively address challenges related to potency, physical properties, and ADMET (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion, and Toxicity).
  • Support Chemistry Operations: Execute synthesis within internal laboratories, collaborate with Contract Research Organizations (CROs), and provide broad general chemistry support to all functions within Altos Labs.
  • Communicate and Present: Deliver effective presentations and articulate scientific findings clearly to both internal and external stakeholders.
  • Potential for Leadership: Demonstrate leadership potential towards leading chemistry programs, including managing external CRO chemistry FTEs.

Who You Are

  • Education and Experience: You possess a Ph.D.

[…]
entist I, Medicinal Chemistry: $243,600 - $312,300

Exact compensation may vary based on skills, experience, and location.

#LI-NN1

For UK applicants, before submitting your application

  • Please click here to read the Altos Labs EU and UK Applicant Privacy Notice ( bit.ly/eu_uk_privacy_notice )
  • This Privacy Notice is not a contract, express or implied and it does not set terms or conditions of employment.

Equal Opportunity Employment

We value collaboration and scientific excellence.

We believe that a culture of belonging are foundational to scientific innovation and inquiry. At Altos Labs, exceptional scientists and industry leaders from around the world work together to advance a shared mission. Our intentional focus is on Belonging, so that all employees know that they are valued for their unique perspectives. We are all accountable for sustaining an inclusive environment.

Altos Labs provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment, without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. Altos prohibits unlawful discrimination and harassment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

Thank you for your interest in Altos Labs where we strive for a culture of scientific excellence, learning, and belonging.

Note: Altos Labs will not ask you to download a messaging app for an interview or outlay your own money to get started as an employee. If this sounds like your interaction with people claiming to be with Altos, it is not legitimate and has nothing to do with Altos. Learn more about a common job scam at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-spot-avoid-online-job-scams-biron-clark/