Make your mark for patients.

We're here because we want to build the future and transform patients' lives for the better. At UCB, our people are our experiences and achievements, our passion and drive. That's why we're looking for talented individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences - not just the best and brightest, but those who care about making a meaningful difference in the lives of patients. We promote an environment of diversity, openness, and respect where people can make valuable contributions.

An exciting journey lies ahead. Will you join us in pushing the boundaries of what's possible?

We are seeking a motivated Senior Scientist I - Medicinal Chemistry to join our Cambridge Medicinal Chemistry group. Reporting to the US Head of Medicinal Chemistry, the successful candidate will be a skilled experimentalist with deep knowledge of organic synthesis and medicinal chemistry. The scientist will be working with multidisciplinary preclinical discovery and development teams at all stages of the discovery process, including Exploratory Chemistry (target validation, hit to lead) and lead optimization to identify clinical candidates. Specifically, the scientist will be working with our DNA encoded library (DEL) team for hit to lead follow-up, with our targeted protein degradation group to develop orally bioavailable PROTACs or glues for the treatment of human diseases with unmet medicinal needs. Experiences in protein degrader design in an academic or industrial setting is highly desirable. The successful candidate will also be working with external CROs to augment our internal research.

Responsibilities:

• The candidate will work as an integral member of a broad team of scientists (including chemistry, biology, CADD, DMPK) to develop degrader drugs as part of our discovery programs.
• Independently design and synthesize compounds utilizing medicinal chemistry knowledge, including property-based optimization, and an understanding of ADME, pharmacokinetics and optimal physicochemical properties.
• Manage the organic synthesis efforts carried out at our CRO partners
• Conceiving and executing medicinal chemistry initiatives across multiple project phases including hit generation, lead identification and optimization, and ADMET property optimization, all within the context of a target pharmaceutical product profile
• Working with our DEL team to triage hits and follow up for lead identification
• Participate in new target identification and validation, and identify and obtain chemical tools for target validation
• Ensure optimal interaction, communication and provide regular updates on project status to the program leads and leadership team.

Required Skills:

• Ph.D. in synthetic organic or medicinal chemistry
• 0-10 years of industrial experience in drug discovery and development, including both small molecule and targeted protein degradation strategies
• Strong track record of scientific publications and patent applications.
• Proficient in multistep organic synthesis
• Experience functioning within a strong multi-disciplinary team and utilizing cross-functional information, such as ADME, DMPK, in vitro and in vivo data to drive drug design strategies
• Strong written and interpersonal communication skills
• Ability to define practical solutions to make go/no-go decisions and effectively communicate program progress within chemistry as well as at larger project team meetings
• Ability to co-ordinate efforts with CROs as well as internal multi-disciplinary teams
• Demonstrated creativity and innovation in solving problems related to potency, safety and draggability of candidate molecules.

About us:

At UCB, we come together every day to work, laser-focused, on a simple question: How will this create value for people living with severe diseases? By putting patients at the heart of everything we do, our approach - from discovery to development to delivery - is continuously transformed and designed around patient needs and their journey.

With a team of approximately 7,600 employees and worldwide operations in more than 40 countries, we are a global biopharmaceutical company investing more than a quarter of our revenue in cutting-edge scientific research. We are focused on addressing chronic, neurological, immunological, and bone diseases. We are looking for people with passion and empathy who develop a real understanding of patient's needs and can deliver thoughtful solutions to decisionmakers across the heath care ecosystem.

Curious to know more? Please visit our website .

The Company is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Where permitted, applicants for employment in the United States must either have received or been willing to receive a full COVID-19 vaccination by the date of hire; or, alternatively, agree to be subject to weekly COVID-19 testing, subject to religious and medical exemptions and in accordance with applicable law.