Scientist/Sr. Scientist, High-Throughput Chemistry

tl;dr

General Proximity is a seed-stage startup developing the next generation of induced proximity medicines (IPMs). Our OmniTAC drug discovery engine furnishes molecules that co-opt existing cellular machinery to overcome therapeutic challenges, which have remained unapproachable to other modalities for decades.

We are seeking first-rate high-throughput chemists to help us pioneer this uncharted frontier of drug discovery.

Our Story

A long-standing challenge in drug discovery is the development of molecules capable of modulating difficult or "undruggable" targets. Disease-causing proteins can be dysfunctional in many different ways, but our armamentarium for fixing them is quite limited. The most common mechanism of action for FDA-approved drugs is inhibition[1], but there are many other possible perturbation types whose potential remains unrealized.

General Proximity is a seed-stage drug discovery company developing a novel platform technology to solve this problem. We make bifunctional drugs that induce the modification of drug targets by existing cellular machinery (rather than through direct modulation by the drug, the classical approach).

Historically, the development of technologies that allow one to push new buttons in biology has been an incredibly fertile field for the discovery of new medicines [2, 3, 4], and our technology holds the same promise.

 

The Position

We are seeking an experienced high-throughput chemist to be a founding member of our High-Throughput Chemistry Team. In this position, you will work in close conjunction with our Platform/Drug Discovery Team in the development of our core drug discovery technology and the generation of a completely novel class of therapeutics.

Your responsibilities will include designing, developing, and executing high-throughput chemistry workflows for small molecule synthesis, utilizing state-of-the-art automation tools and robotics to enhance reaction screening and parallel synthesis efficiency, supervising synthetic efforts with our CROs, managing compound libraries, and other aspects associated with generating high-throughput direct-to-biology chemical libraries for screening.

 

About You

High Agency. Initiative, independence, and self-accountability are some of our most valued traits.

Enthusiastic. We love people who are excited about what they are doing and are generally attempting to build a high-energy team.

Intensity and Grit. Early-stage startups are hard. Drug discovery is doubly so. We are looking for candidates who have a demonstrated ability to stick with complex problems for the long haul, with a team that has your back along the way.

Prosocial. We are here to create life-saving medicines for the patients who need it most. You should be, too.

 

Qualifications & Nice-To-Haves

• PhD in Chemistry, Chemical Biology, Medicinal Chemistry, or related field.
• Industry experience is desirable, but the ability to work hard and learn fast is more important to us.
• Deep understanding of small-molecule drug discovery and its relationship to human disease.
• Top-notch written and oral communication skills.
  
  
• Strong experience with:
  • Organic synthesis, reaction optimization, and parallel chemistry workflows
  • Designing, developing, and executing high-throughput chemistry workflows for small molecule synthesis
  • Hands-on experience with high-throughput synthesis technologies and automation platforms (e.g., Chemspeed, Biotage, Tecan, or similar tools) for the rapid assembly and testing of compound libraries (direct-to-biology)
  • Analytical techniques such as LC/MS, NMR, and HPLC for reaction monitoring and characterization

• Proficiency in:
  • Compound management
  • CRO management
  • Maintaining and enhancing high-throughput instrumentati