Senior Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry
Drive medicinal chemistry strategy for Nurix's discovery programs, from hit optimization through development candidate nomination. You'll design novel compounds, interpret complex SAR across multidisciplinary datasets, and help set new scientific directions, with opportunities to lead chemistry workstreams and mentor colleagues.
Position Description
The Opportunity
- Design novel chemical entities and medicinal chemistry strategies, applying structure-based drug design to optimize potency, selectivity, physicochemical properties, ADME/PK, safety, and in vivo efficacy
- Design synthetic strategies for complex molecules using modern and creative synthetic methods
- Develop and interpret SAR by integrating chemical, structural, computational, biochemical, cellular, pharmacological, and ADME/PK data; independently identify key questions, design experiments, and recommend compound or series advancement, redesign, or termination
- Partner closely with computational chemists, structural biologists, and colleagues across biology, pharmacology, and DMPK to advance project objectives
- Develop innovative concepts that establish new directions and address complex challenges, drawing on emerging literature, patents, and competitive intelligence to inform compound design and strategy
- Lead chemistry workstreams within multidisciplinary teams, independently manage priorities and external collaborations, and contribute to project strategy and key scientific decisions
- Provide scientific guidance, coaching, and mentorship to other scientists
- Communicate scientific rationale, data, and recommendations clearly to project teams, leadership, and broader scientific audiences
- Contribute to intellectual property generation, patent preparation, and scientific publications; represent assigned projects at external forums; and lead improvements in laboratory practices and workflows
What You’ll Bring
- BS or MS with 14+ years of relevant experience, or PhD with 8+ years of relevant experience
- Strong expertise in medicinal chemistry and synthetic organic chemistry, with demonstrated ability to apply synthetic strategies to complex discovery challenges, including compound design, SAR development, multiparameter optimization, and structure-based drug design in close collaboration with computational chemistry and structural biology
- Ability to integrate potency, selectivity, structural, physicochemical, ADME/PK, and pharmacology data, with a solid understanding of biology and pharmacology, to guide compound design and project strategy
- Scientific creativity and a track record of innovation, including advancement of chemical series, advanced leads, or development candidates
- Strong problem-solving and project management skills: identifying critical questions, forming hypotheses, designing experiments, and translating results into actionable strategies across projects of significant scope and complexity
- Ability to establish new chemical, scientific, or strategic directions from experimental data, structural insights, literature, patents, and emerging science, and to influence decisions within multidisciplinary teams
- Experience providing scientific guidance, coaching, or mentorship, with strong skills in applying literature, patent, and competitive intelligence to program strategy
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills for multidisciplinary teams, senior leadership, and external audiences
Salary Range: $147,500 - $157,500
The posted range applies to roles based in The Woodlands, TX area and reflects local market conditions. Where an offer lands within that range depends on the candidate’s relevant experience, technical expertise, and how their background aligns with the role’s requirements.
Location: Onsite – The Woodlands, TX
Fit with Nurix Culture and Values
- Strong team orientation; highly collaborative
- Solutions and results-oriented focus
- Hands-on approach; resourceful and open to diverse points of view
About Nurix Therapeutics
Nurix Therapeutics is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of targeted protein degradation medicines, the next frontier in innovative drug design aimed at improving treatment options for patients with cancer and inflammatory diseases. Powered by a fully AI-integrated discovery engine capable of tackling any protein class, and coupled with unparalleled ligase expertise, Nurix’s dedicated team has built a formidable advantage in translating the science of targeted protein degradation into clinical advancements. Nurix aims to establish degrader-based treatments at the forefront of patient care, writing medicine’s next chapter with a new script to outmatch disease.
