Synthetic Medicinal Chemistry Intern

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. 

You can view our latest corporate deck and other presentations here.

As the Synthetic Medicinal Chemistry Intern reporting to the Principal Research Associate, you will gain hands-on organic chemistry laboratory experience within a biotechnology environment working alongside our Medicinal Chemistry team. This role offers the opportunity to learn how to conduct organic chemistry experiments to synthesize compounds that will be evaluated in biological assays, contributing directly to ongoing research efforts. 

This position is a 10-week paid summer internship $22/hour working 40 hours a week onsite at our San Francisco facility. The internship dates are June 8 through August 14.  

Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.

Your work will primarily encompass: 

• Synthesizing, purifying, and characterizing small molecules in support of Olema drug discovery programs 
• Conducting laboratory experiments in consultation with Chemistry team members 
• Utilizing databases such as Reaxys or SciFinder to design and plan your experiments 
• Acquiring and interpreting analytical data (eg. HPLC, LCMS, and NMR) 
• Keeping excellent records of experimental procedures and acquired data in lab notebook 
• Summarizing and presenting your experimental findings in group meetings 

Ideal Candidate Profile >>> Highly Motivated Student Studying Synthetic Organic Chemistry (or Closely Related Field) 

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. 

Qualifications:

• Currently enrolled in a 4-year undergraduate program or 2026 graduate, required 
• Currently a standing junior or senior, required 
• Currently majoring in and/or taking Chemistry classes or closely related field of study, required 
• Taken undergraduate-level Organic Chemistry; 2 semesters prior to the start of the internship, required 
• Previous hands-on laboratory experience in Organic Chemistry, strongly preferred 
• Currently working in a research lab, strongly preferred 

Attributes: 

• Organized and detail-oriented 
• Highly self-motivated with a strong desire to learn 
• Strong interest in medicinal chemistry and drug discovery

The base pay for this position is $22/hour. 

#LI-SF1

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.

Fraud Alert:  We are aware of employment scams where individuals pose as representatives of Olema Oncology and make false use of our company name to defraud job seekers. To protect yourself, please note that Olema’s official email addresses end in @olema.com. Our official corporate website is olema.com; our careers page is olema.com/careers; our LinkedIn page is linkedin.com/company/olema-oncology. Please visit these links for official information from Olema. Communication from any other variant is fraudulent. Olema does not conduct interviews via text message/messaging platforms, will not ask you to download anything as part of your interview, will never request any form of payment, provide upfront payments of any kind, and does not make job offers without an in-person interview.