Based: BioCity, Glasgow
£Competitive
About BioAscent
Are you looking for a career in a dynamic, fast-growing, science-led drug discovery company? A career where you will work with innovative research companies from across the globe, applying and developing your drug discovery skills, and helping our customers discover innovative medicines?
Founded in 2013, BioAscent is a leading provider of integrated drug discovery services based in state-of-the art labs at BioCity Glasgow in Newhouse, Scotland. Our integrated drug discovery services include de novo assay development, compound screening, medicinal and synthetic chemistry, computational chemistry and compound management.
You will join a team of expert scientists with experience of successfully working from hit identification through to preclinical and clinical candidates across all biological target classes and major therapeutic indications. We work closely with our clients who are looking for an expert, advisory CRO with a consultative and collaborative approach. We act as fully integrated drug discovery team members from the earliest stages of the process, allowing us to influence the project and help ensure the right decisions are made to maximise chances of success.
The Role
BioAscent is looking to recruit innovative and enthusiastic Medicinal Chemists to contribute to a fast-growing, people orientated services business.
The successful candidate will be an experienced scientist and will be able to demonstrate an outstanding track record of success in the laboratory preparing and analysing chemical compounds for biological testing and interpreting data from biological assays.
Main duties and responsibilities
- Designing, planning and the execution of complex synthetic routes.
- Contributing to the interpretation of biological data and making suggestions for future work.
- Following safe working practices, complying with appropriate legislation and keeping accurate laboratory records.
- Communication of your results both internally and externally and the ability to work in a multi-disciplinary team.
The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate or possess the following:
- Candidates must be professionally qualified with a PhD in a chemical science related discipline or a BSc in chemistry with significant experience of drug discovery either in industry or a not-for-profit setting.
- An outstanding synthetic chemist able to design and prepare drug-like molecules using all appropriate modern methods for synthesis, analysis and purification.
- The ability to analyse and run appropriate spectroscopic and chromatographic methods to demonstrate purity and identity of samples e.g. LC-MS, NMR.
- The ability to plan, troubleshoot and successfully execute synthetic routes to novel compounds in a timely manner.
- Experience of interpreting SAR and producing tractable and rational plans for optimisation of compounds across a selection of properties e.g. bioactivity, DMPK, physicochemical properties.
- A team player, an excellent communicator, enthusiastic, highly motivated, a committed laboratory worker with a passion for bench chemistry.
- Ability to use IT systems to support laboratory operations e.g. electronic lab notebook, literature searching.
- A flexible approach to their work and able to turn their hands to many activities in the lab with a commitment to quality and scientific excellence.
- Use of computational chemistry packages to aid in the design of ligands and the rationalisation of biological results.
Desirable individual characteristics should include
- Innovative and creative thinking.
- Strong problem-solving skills.
- A commitment to quality and scientific rigour.
- Enthusiasm for generating knowledge from data.
- Confidence to speak up, knows when to compromise, team player who is not afraid to take the lead.
You will have a flexible approach to your work, possess outstanding communication skills and be able to demonstrate your ability to work in multi-disciplinary teams.
If you are interested in hearing more about the opportunities that may be available at BioAscent send your CV and covering letter to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. citing job reference MC1220.
Please note you must be eligible and able to work in the UK. Please include details of your eligibility in your covering letter.
Closing date for applications Sunday 31st January 2021.
No agencies please.