Senior Laboratory Research Scientist - Medicinal Chemist/Chemical Biologist

Salary for this Role: From £45,700 with benefits, subject to skills & experience.

Reports to: Christelle Soudy - Principal Laboratory Research Scientist Medicinal Chemistry.

Contact term: This is a full-time, permanent position on Crick terms and conditions of employment.

About us: The Francis Crick Institute is Europe’s largest biomedical research institute under one roof. Our world-class scientists and staff collaborate on vital research to help prevent, diagnose and treat illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, infectious diseases and neurodegenerative conditions. The Crick is a place for collaboration, innovation and exploration across many disciplines. A space where the brightest minds can pursue big and bold ideas and discover answers to crucial scientific questions. We support them in a dynamic environment which fosters excellence with state-of-the-art infrastructure, cutting-edge facilities, and a creative and curious culture. We’ve removed traditional boundaries of departments, divisions and disciplines and instead have an open approach that supports every researcher. This gives us the freedom to take risks and carry out high-quality, pioneering research. Creating a space for discovery without boundaries helps us to turn our science into benefits for human health and the economy.

About the role: We are looking for a Senior Laboratory Research Scientist to join the Chemical Biology Science Technology Platform (STP). The STP collaborates with researchers at the Crick to apply chemistry to explore biological questions, working at the forefront of biomedical science in areas such as cancer, infectious diseases, immunology, neurology, and developmental biology. We are seeking a creative and driven Medicinal Chemist/Chemical Biologist to contribute to broadening the scientific capability of the STP, identifying unmet needs in chemical biology and leading projects to address them. You will be working across various research groups, other STPs, being able to juggle multiple projects, ranging from lab-based projects as well as collaborative projects across the Science Technology Platform. Some of the projects you will be working on will have a particular focus on projects involving the design, synthesis and application of small molecule-based chemical tools to address complex biological questions. If you can demonstrate independence of thought and a strong ability to develop novel protocols and methodologies, employing advanced chemical strategies to investigate fundamental biological questions, we’d love to hear from you.

What you will be doing: Some of your key responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Identification and evaluation of opportunities for collaboration in support of work carried out within Crick-based research groups.
• Working independently, actively and creatively to design and execute strategies to address them.
• Provision of advice and practical input on the selection, design, synthesis and application of chemical probes.
• Design and prosecution of synthetic routes to access small molecule target compounds.
• Medicinal chemistry optimisation of hits to generate high-quality tool compounds (using physicochemical properties, generation and analysis of on-target SAR in biochemical and cell-based assays, selectivity profiling, structure-based design, etc).
• Provision of chemistry input to target-based and phenotypic screens; library design, screening strategy and evaluation and validation of hits.

About you: You will have:

• PhD (or equivalent experience level) in a relevant discipline such as synthetic organic chemistry, chemical biology or medicinal chemistry. Applicants with additional postdoctoral experience (or equivalent experience) are encouraged to apply.
• A strong track record of developing innovative solutions to chemical biology or medicinal chemistry questions in academic or industrial research, supported by publications in peer-reviewed journals.
• A deep knowledge of Medicinal Chemistry principles for the selection and design of small molecule chemical probes.
• Excellent knowledge of theoretical and practical synthetic chemistry, combined with a track record of high laboratory productivity.
• Broad knowledge of contemporary chemical biology techniques in relation to small molecule drug discovery or tool compounds, including their application in target identification, engagement, validation and tractability.

About Working at the Crick: Our values: Everyone who works at the Crick has a valuable role to play in advancing the Crick’s mission and shaping our culture! We are bold. We make space for creative, dynamic and imaginative ideas and approaches. We’re not afraid to do things differently. We are open. We’re highly collaborative and interactive, and make sure our activities are visible to the outside world. We are collegial. We show respect for one another, work cooperatively and support the wider community. At the Francis Crick Institute, we believe that diversity and inclusion are essential to driving innovation and scientific discovery. We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to succeed, regardless of their background, identity, or personal circumstances. We actively encourage applications from individuals of all genders, ethnicities, abilities, and experiences. We are a Disability Confident: Committed employer and want to ensure that everyone can apply and be part of our recruitment processes and so we’ll make reasonable adjustments if you need them - just let us know when you apply. If you need assistance with applying (i.e., would like to apply by phone or post) please email: weronika.kucala@crick.ac.uk.

What will you receive? At the Francis Crick Institute, we value our team members and are proud to offer an extensive range of benefits to support their well-being and development:

• Generous Leave: 28 days of annual leave, plus three additional days over Christmas and bank holidays.
• Pension Scheme: Defined contribution pension with employer contributions of up to 16%.
• Health & Well-being: 24/7 GP consultation services. Occupational health services and mental health support programs. Eye care vouchers and discounted healthcare plans.
• Work-Life Balance: Back-up care for dependents. Childcare support allowance. Annual leave purchase options. Crick Networks offering diverse groups’ support, community and inclusive social events.
• Perks: Discounted gym memberships, bike-to-work scheme, and shopping discounts. Subsidised on-site restaurant and social spaces for team interaction.

Please note you must meet the essential criteria listed within the Role Profile, to have your application reviewed. We reserve the right to withdraw this advert at any given time due to the number of applications received.