Associate Scientist, Discovery Chemistry (Medicinal/Organic Chemist)

We are seeking a talented synthetic, organic chemist with a track record of accomplishments to support the company’s research and development efforts to create high value therapeutics to address unmet medical needs.

Responsibilities

The successful candidate will:

• Independently design and safely synthesize, purify and characterize cleavable and non-cleavable linkers that will be integral to the preparation of novel therapeutics.
• Participate in the development of Nektar’s polymer conjugation technology and incorporate polymers into linker designs.

• Facilitate the design of new linkers by interacting with other chemists and interdisciplinary team members to optimize DMPK, in vitro, and in vivo pharmacology properties.
• Efficiently deliver compounds/polymer conjugates for biological testing or use in developing therapeutics.
• Carry out process development experiments to enable the technology transfer of new scalable and cost effective routes to linkers and intermediates.
• Monitor and evaluate tasks to meet project time frames.
• Define and work on problems in which analysis of data requires an in-depth evaluation of various factors.
• Independently develop approaches and experiments to address complex problems with sound judgment, using multiple data sources and drawing general, non-obvious conclusions.
• Plan and coordinate activities with other team members and actively participate in the implementation of change when required.
• Interface with various departments, customers and partners, putting work practices into context with larger teams.
• Write reports and protocols and participate in the development of patent applications.

The successful candidate may:

• Assist with implementing organizational systems, identifying capital equipment, and projecting near-term resource requirements.
• Manage and/or provide guidance to junior scientific staff, providing training as needed, and ensure adherence to company policies and quality requirements.
• Act as an internal spokesperson on corporate research/technology/development and advise senior management.  May independently represent the Company to outside organizations, when appropriate.

Minimum Qualification Requirements

• A PhD in a scientific discipline with 1 year of work experience is required. Post-doctoral work may serve as experience. Candidates with Bachelor’s or Master’s with demonstrated capabilities and/or equivalent experience are also strongly encouraged to apply.  

The successful candidate must be willing and able to:

• Demonstrate hands-on technical proficiency with a wide range of reactions, scientific creativity, collaboration with others and independent thought.
• Demonstrate independent problem-solving capabilities and sound judgment.
• Demonstrate strong organizational skills.
• Demonstrate expert knowledge in scientific principles and concepts with sustained performance and accomplishments.
• Work as part of an interdisciplinary team, demonstrating good interpersonal skills.
• Clearly communicate scientific information, both written and oral, with the ability to present technical information to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Demonstrate good computer skills; a working knowledge of ChemDraw, MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and CambridgeSoft ChemOffice is required.