Senior Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry

Olema Oncology is dedicated to developing better medicines for breast cancer and beyond. Our lead program, palazestrant (OP-1250), is a complete estrogen receptor antagonist (CERAN) currently in development for metastatic breast cancer with blockbuster potential as a monotherapy and in combination in ER+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer. Our follow-on product candidate, OP-3136, is a potent KAT6 inhibitor with best-in-class potential.  

Our scientific breakthroughs are accelerated through the ways in which we fearlessly support, motivate, and challenge one another. At Olema, we know that when we put people first, our work becomes second to none. If you’re ready to join us at the edge of something unstoppable, let’s make a profound impact together for our patients, for your career, for what’s beyond. 

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About the Role >>> Senior Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry 

As the Senior Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry reporting to the Associate Director of Medicinal Chemistry, you will design and synthesize novel small molecules as part of ongoing research program hit-to-lead and lead optimization efforts. You will have the opportunity for strong scientific collaboration with the internal medicinal chemistry team and will provide scientific oversight of external resources involved in the design and synthesis of novel small molecule drug candidates.  You may lead the organic chemistry function within multidisciplinary project teams to help advance drug discovery projects from inception to the clinic in support of our mission to deliver novel medicines to the cancer patients who need them.  

 This role is based out of our San Francisco Bay Area Laboratory and will require 5% travel. 

 Your work will primarily encompass: 

• Performing hit-to-lead and lead optimization by designing and synthesizing novel small molecules. 
• Supporting and guiding external chemistry resources by designing synthetic strategies, prioritizing targets, and proposing creative solutions to chemistry problems. 
• Advancing novel small molecule hits and lead compounds into clinical candidates by leveraging structure-based drug design, and/or multi-parameter lead optimization. 
• Effectively communicating scientific results and progress. 

And will also include: 

• Collaborating with internal biology and pharmacology teams, CROs, and consultants, including DMPK scientists and CADD experts. 
• Communicating project results and progress to key internal stakeholders. 
• Developing internal talent by providing positive mentorship while fostering a culture of collegiality, accountability, and scientific rigor. 
• Partnering with internal colleagues and external collaborators in cross-functional teams to ensure efficient progression of new compounds through assay workflows. 
• Assisting in writing scientific manuscripts/posters in support of Olema’s publication strategy. 
• Active participation in laboratory safety and environmental initiatives. 

Ideal Candidate Profile >>>  

A love of challenging, important work. We are a pragmatic team, driven to imagine and develop meaningful therapies for improving lives. All employees within our company play a unique and crucial role in our success, both in accomplishing our mission and building a positive company culture. As such, we are looking for someone with the right combination of knowledge, experience, and attributes for this role. 

Knowledge: 

• Ph.D. in Organic or Medicinal Chemistry. 
• Strong knowledge of state-of-the-art synthetic organic chemistry methodology and possess outstanding synthetic trouble-shooting skills. 
• Working knowledge of structure-based drug design as demonstrated by publications or patents. 

Experience: 

• Minimum of 5 years as a medicinal chemist in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry. 
• Proven experience collaboration with and supporting external medicinal chemistry FTEs. 
• Demonstrated proficiency in computational modeling software and cheminformatics tools (e.g., Maestro, MOE) 
• Experience with chemical databases such as Dotmatics a plus. 
• Protein Degrader experience a plus. 

Attributes: 

• Have impeccable professional ethics, integrity, and judgment. 
• Self-motivated and enthusiastic; fast learner who can identify project challenges and expeditiously change course as required in a fast-paced organization.  
• Teamwork and collaboration; balances team and individual responsibilities; gives and welcomes feedback; puts success of team above own interests; supports everyone's efforts to succeed; shares expertise with others. 
• Be a “difference maker” in terms of ones’ professionalism and contributions. 
• Strong verbal and scientific writing skills to effectively share information with a wide range of internal and external audiences.

The base pay range for this position is expected to be $160,000-$170,000 annually, however the base pay offered may vary depending on location, market, job related knowledge, skills and capabilities, and experience. The total compensation package for this position also includes equity, bonus, and benefits.

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Important Information >>>

We provide equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment and believe that great ideas and discoveries come from a mix of expertise, background, and experience. Olema is building a culture where the value of difference is celebrated.

We offer a competitive compensation and benefits package, seeking to provide an open, flexible, and friendly work environment to empower employees and provide them with a platform to develop their long-term careers. A Summary of Benefits is available for all applicants.

Please note: Olema doesn’t accept agency resumes and is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes. Thank you.

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