Research Scientist II/Senior Research Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry
San Diego, CAFull-time$125–172K/yrPosted todayStill listed today
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At a glance
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Job overview
Iambic Therapeutics seeks an experienced medicinal chemist for its Discovery team at its San Diego headquarters. The role manages external research support and coordinates medicinal chemistry and high-throughput experimentation teams on compound library campaigns and drug discovery. The scientist will oversee CRO teams and project execution while collaborating with internal teams and external partners in a multidisciplinary research environment.
Skills & qualifications
Skills
Qualifications
Benefits
Full job description
POSITION We seek a motivated, detail-oriented, experienced and creative chemist to join our Discovery team at Iambic Therapeutics in San Diego, CA. The role will entail managing external research support, coordinating with the medicinal chemistry and HTE team to facilitate compound library campaigns, and drug discovery efforts. Candidate should be motivated to work in an intensely collaborative, multidisciplinary, team-based setting. This position will be based in our San Diego Headquarters.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
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Manage a team of FTEs/FFS teams at external CROs to drive molecular discovery efforts aimed to deliver intermediates, final targets, and reference compounds.
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Support proposal development, scope definition, purchase orders, change orders, resource and FTE planning, budgeting, and commercial alignment throughout the project lifecycle.
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Develop and manage integrated project plans, timelines, milestones, priorities, resources, action items, and deliverables to ensure effective and on-time execution.
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Identify delivery risks, assess potential impacts, escalate critical issues, and drive resolution to maintain project momentum
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Act as a liaison between Iambic, CROs, and other external collaborators
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Communicate project updates clearly and effectively to the broader team and key stakeholders
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Work as a senior member of the Chemistry research group and foster a culture of scientific excellence, innovation, and teamwork
QUALIFICATIONS
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Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry with 3+ years of Pharma/bio-tech drug discovery experience.
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Strong foundation in modern organic synthetic methods as exemplified by peer-reviewed publication track record.
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Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, highly collaborative, and dynamic research environment.
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Strong written and verbal communication skills; able to clearly convey technical results to vendors, colleagues and cross-functional partners.
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Prior expertise in CRO management; demonstrated examples of problem solving within tight timelines.
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Experience in managing vendor relationships and performance, exemplified by eliminating obstacles to maximize the value of external workflows.
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Highly organized and detail-oriented.
ABOUT IAMBIC THERAPEUTICS Iambic is a clinical-stage life-science and technology company developing novel medicines using its AI-driven discovery and development platform. Based in San Diego and founded in 2020, Iambic has assembled a world-class team that unites pioneering AI experts and experienced drug hunters. The Iambic platform has demonstrated delivery of new drug candidates to human clinical trials with unprecedented speed and across multiple target classes and mechanisms of action. Iambic is advancing a pipeline of potential best-in-class and first-in-class clinical assets, both internally and in partnership, to address urgent unmet patient need. Learn more about the Iambic team, platform, pipeline, and partnerships at iambic.ai. MISSION & CORE VALUES Our mission is to deliver better medicines through innovations in AI-based discovery technologies. The culture and work at Iambic Therapeutics are profoundly strengthened by the diversity of our people and our differences in background, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, and life experiences. We are committed to building an inclusive environment where a diverse group of talented humans work together to discover therapeutics and create technologies. PAY AND BENEFITS We offer industry leading competitive pay, company paid healthcare, flexible spending accounts, voluntary life insurance, 401K matching, and uncapped vacation to our team. We are in a brand-new state-of-the art facility in beautiful San Diego with an onsite gym, dining, and easy access to great places to live and play.
How this job compares
Set against the 2,171 open Research Scientist jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 6, 2026.
- Pay
- This posting$125–172K/yr
- California median$180–273K/yr498 salary ranges
- US median$145–217K/yr1,431 salary ranges
This range's midpoint, $148K, is 34% below the California median midpoint ($226K) — in the lowest quarter of Research Scientist salary ranges in California.
- Openings
- Olive Jobs lists 738 open Research Scientist jobs in California and 2,171 across the US. 3% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
- Experience
- This posting asks for at least 3 years of experience; Research Scientist postings that state a minimum ask for 3 years at the median (1,119 postings).
- Education
- This posting asks for a doctorate or professional degree; 771 of the 2,171 open Research Scientist jobs (36%) ask for a doctorate or professional degree.
Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 6, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.
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