Senior Scientist, Chemistry

Our company has a rapidly growing interdisciplinary team of scientists in London and exciting plans to expand our presence, initially at the Francis Crick Institute as part of our ‘Skylab’ expansion in 2024, and from 2027 in our new ‘state of the art’ London Discovery Research Centre and UK headquarters at the hub of London’s Knowledge Quarter. This will be home to approximately 180 scientists alongside other colleagues in clinical, regulatory, and business roles, including marketing, finance and administration.

Our teams combine leading drug discovery capabilities and world-class R&D with the purpose of turning breakthrough science into life-changing medicines, applying cutting-edge medicinal, synthetic and computational chemistry to support target validation and identify high quality clinical candidates.

We are currently recruiting for multiple SeniorScientists in Chemistry to join our growing London Discovery Chemistry and Discovery Process Chemistry groups. These exciting laboratory-based roles are integral to our mission to use the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world. Successful candidates will actively participate in a vibrant culture as part of a diverse and collaborative multidisciplinary team. They will be key to driving our programs forward through chemical synthesis as well as data analysis and new target design. Research activities may be supplemented by taking advantage of the extensive technologies and capabilities of the wider network of company sites.

The candidate must be highly self-motivated, possess strong experimental skills, have excellent written and oral communication abilities, collaborate effectively on multidisciplinary teams and across geographies, and be able to demonstrate flexibility in adapting to change in a fast-paced, dynamic research environment. In addition, the candidate will be expected to remain current with the latest synthetic methodologies, drive innovation, apply new concepts to continuously improve group capabilities, and be active in the external scientific community via publications and presentations.

Start dates are flexible over the coming year and we would welcome applications from both newly qualified PhDs and candidates with significant previous industrial experience.

Education Minimum Requirement:

• Ph.D. in Chemistry (achieved or expected in 2024), which may be accompanied by time spent in the pharmaceutical or biotech industry; or MSc/BSc in Chemistry with experience in the pharmaceutical or biotech industry

Required Experience and Skills:

• Must have conducted outstanding research in field of expertise exemplifying excellence in theoretical and practical Synthetic Chemistry
• Advanced knowledge of modern chemical literature and good appreciation of the latest innovations and Synthetic Chemistry technologies
• Demonstrate creativity and ingenuity in problem-solving by applying scientific knowledge and through the ability to mine literature and databases
• High laboratory productivity and efficiency achieved through planning and prioritisation
• Excellent interpersonal skills including: communication (written and verbal), attention to detail, collaborative team-working mentality
• Established scientific reputation supported by publications and/or external presentations
• Ability to work flexibly across the portfolio and adapt to new priorities/emerging data while thriving on increasing levels of responsibility
• Open mind-set with a proactive outlook to personal development through learning new skills and growing knowledge and expertise
• A diverse and inclusive attitude, seeking to champion a varied outlook to identify novel solutions

Experience in any of the following would be advantageous:

• Reaction optimisation through high-throughput experimentation (HTE) and design of experiments (DoE)
• Large-scale chemical synthesis
• Emerging knowledge of Medicinal Chemistry design principles (e.g., structure-based drug design and the influence of physiochemical properties) and related scientific disciplines (e.g., pharmacology, ADME, drug safety/toxicology, IP)
• Use of computational tools, for example to analyse data and design molecules/synthetic routes
• Training and mentoring team members in chemical synthesis
• Knowledge of the technology and latest innovations in chemical biology

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully
Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company. No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails.

Employee Status:

Regular

Relocation:

Domestic/International

VISA Sponsorship:

Travel Requirements:

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Not Applicable

Shift:

Valid Driving License:

Hazardous Material(s):

Requisition ID:R285059