Synthetic Organic Chemist in Cambridge

Are you a talented Synthetic Organic Chemist looking to contribute to the discovery of next-generation medicines? Proclinical is partnering with an innovative pharmaceutical organisation in Cambridge seeking a scientist to join their growing discovery chemistry team. You'll play a key role in designing, synthesising and optimising novel molecules that support cutting-edge drug discovery programmes. Working within state-of-the-art laboratories, you'll contribute to medicinal chemistry projects from route design through to compound delivery, collaborating closely with multidisciplinary research teams.

Location: Cambridge, UK

Sector: Pharmaceutical | Drug Discovery | Small Molecule Research

Working Pattern: Laboratory-based (5 days per week)

Contract: 12 Months

Key Responsibilities:

• Design and optimise synthetic routes to novel target molecules.
• Execute organic synthesis, purification and characterisation activities.
• Troubleshoot synthetic and analytical challenges.
• Interpret analytical data, including NMR and LC-MS.
• Contribute to Design-Make-Test-Analyse cycles across drug discovery projects.
• Maintain accurate experimental records and communicate results effectively.
• Present scientific findings to project teams.
• Support laboratory equipment, safety initiatives and continuous improvement.
• Contribute to publications, patents and scientific presentations where appropriate.

Requirements:

• PhD in Synthetic Organic Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry or a related discipline, plus industry experience, or MSc with significant pharmaceutical or biotech experience.
• Strong practical and theoretical knowledge of modern organic synthesis.
• Experience designing and optimising synthetic routes.
• Broad hands-on experience across organic synthesis, purification and analytical techniques.
• Ability to interpret compound characterisation data.
• Strong problem-solving skills and a results-focused approach.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work within multidisciplinary teams.

Desirable Experience:

• Experience in any of the following would be advantageous:
• Photochemistry or high-throughput experimentation
• Oligonucleotide chemistry
• HPLC, LC-MS or NMR
• Electronic laboratory notebooks and scientific data management
• KNIME, Dotmatics, Spotfire or related software
• Computational chemistry tools such as Schrödinger, MOE or PyMOL
• Publications, patents or intellectual property support

The Opportunity:

This is an excellent opportunity to join a growing research organisation developing innovative small-molecule therapeutics. You'll work alongside experienced scientists in a collaborative environment that encourages scientific creativity, innovation and professional development.

Apply: If you're a motivated Synthetic Organic Chemist with experience in drug discovery, medicinal chemistry or small molecule synthesis, we'd welcome your application.

If you are having difficulty in applying or if you have any questions, please contact Neil Walton at (url removed).

If you are interested in applying to this exciting opportunity, then please click 'Apply' or to speak to one of our specialists please request a call back at the top of this page.

Proclinical is a leading life sciences recruiter focused on finding exceptional people and matching them with the finest positions across the globe. Proclinical is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.

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