Associate Director, Medicinal Chemistry, Targeted Protein Degradation

Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced medicinal chemist to lead our Targeted Protein Degradation (TPD) chemistry strategy. This individual will bring prior leadership experience advancing TPD programs and will be responsible for shaping and executing the company’s degradation platform.

This role combines scientific leadership and strategic direction with the opportunity to both guide multiple programs and directly lead a TPD project. Importantly, this individual will play a foundational role in expanding the company’s capabilities into next-generation degradation modalities (e.g. extracellular proteins), helping define platform direction from the ground up.

Key Responsibilities:

Scientific & Strategic Leadership:

• Define and implement the company’s TPD chemistry strategy, including degrader design principles, toolbox development, and platform evolution.

• Work with chemistry leads and project teams to lead TPD chemistry efforts on assigned programs, contributing to platform strategy and advancing molecules toward development candidate selection..

• Establish linker and building block strategies, including guiding sourcing and synthesis of E3 ligase ligands and linkers.

• Partner with ADME/DMPK teams to shape property and developability strategies specific to TPD molecules.

• Help define and initiate new heterobifunctional modalities beyond CRBN/VHLbased degraders, including ongoing efforts in extracellular protein degradation.

Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Mentor and oversee a scientist responsible for establishing a parallel synthesis capability to accelerate lead discovery.

• Collaborate closely with medicinal chemistry, computational chemistry and ADME leads across programs.

• Serve as the internal TPD expert, influencing multi-project direction and decision-making.

Execution & Innovation:

• Drive rapid iteration cycles through efficient synthetic design and prioritization.

• Incorporate emerging advances in TPD modalities, linker chemistry, and E3 biology.

• Play a key role in building the next-generation degradation platform, including evaluating and implementing novel modalities (e.g., extracellular protein degradation, molecular glues, and beyond).

• Help build scalable workflows and infrastructure to support platform productivity.

Qualifications:

Required:

• Ph.D. in Chemistry or related field with extensive industry experience in medicinal chemistry with 8+ years of industry

• Demonstrated success leading one or more targeted protein degradation programs with heterobifunctional molecules through to a development candidate.

• Deep understanding of SAR, linker design, and bifunctional molecule optimization.

• Strong knowledge of E3 ligase biology and degrader mechanisms

• Experience working cross-functionally with ADME/DMPK, biology, and computational chemistry.

Leadership Profile:

• Track record of scientific leadership and program ownership.

• Ability to operate at both strategic and hands-on levels.

• Strong collaborator capable of influencing across disciplines.

• Experience mentoring scientists and building capabilities.

Preferred:

• Experience establishing or scaling a TPD or proximity-based pharmacology platform.

• Familiarity with emerging heterobifunctional modalities.

• Familiarity with parallel synthesis and direct-to-biology chemistry workflows.

Company benefits:  Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, prescription drug coverage, company provided basic life, accidental death & dismemberment, short-term and long-term disability insurance, tuition reimbursement, student loan assistance, a generous 401(k) match, flexible time off, paid holidays, and paid leave programs as well as other company provided benefits.

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