Senior Scientist/Principal Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry

About the Role

Superluminal is seeking a creative, resourceful, and strategically minded Senior Scientist/Principal Scientist to play a critical scientific role within our Lead Generation department. This position will provide hit finding and lead generation chemistry expertise and cross-functional collaboration across small-molecule drug discovery programs targeting membrane receptors, with a particular focus on GPCRs.

The successful candidate will bring a strong track record of integrating computational methods into drug discovery workflows, enabling high-quality lead candidate series(s), accelerating the hit to lead and lead optimization efforts.  A deep understanding of the interdisciplinary drug discovery process—with a focus on hit/lead generation through lead optimization is essential. This role requires excellent analytical judgment, organizational skills, and scientific decision-making, along with demonstrated success advancing drug-like molecules toward the clinic.

This position is a key contributor within the Superluminal Medicinal Chemistry and Lead Generation teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as a project-level hit finding/lead generation chemistry lead, designing hit finding/validation/optimization workflows. Executing medicinal chemistry strategies to support early stage discovery through to  lead optimization programs, leveraging CRO FTEs for synthesis of small-molecule GPCR modulators.
• Collaborate closely with biology, biophysics, DMPK, structural biology, and computational chemistry teams to translate multidisciplinary data into effective compound design strategies.
• Establish hit validation and lead generation best practices to minimize uncertainty and ambiguity of chemical matter, ensuring quality chemical starting points thus reducing timelines from LO transition to DC nomination.
• Develop and apply multiparameter structure–activity relationships (SAR) to optimize compound potency, selectivity, and pharmacokinetic properties.
• Contribute scientific input to platform and technology development efforts that enhance discovery of next-generation GPCR-targeted therapeutics.
• Promote a culture of scientific rigor and excellence through active participation in project teams, internal scientific discussions, and external collaborations.
• Clearly communicate research strategy, data, and conclusions through internal meetings, project reviews, and contributions to publications and patent filings.

Qualifications

• B.S. in Organic/Medicinal Chemistry with approximately 8–12 years of industry experience or Ph.D. in Organic/Medicinal Chemistry with approximately 5–8 years of industry experience
• Strong track record of scientific contributions in small-molecule drug discovery programs.
• Demonstrated expertise in SAR development, ADME, PK/PD, and optimization of drug-like properties.
• Experience working closely with computational chemistry to design molecules, create screening hypotheses and analyze data.
• Experience leading or making significant contributions to programs advancing compounds toward lead optimization.
• Proven ability to work effectively in cross-disciplinary discovery teams and integrate complex datasets into clear, actionable plans.
• Strong communication and mentoring skills, with the ability to influence project direction and support the development of junior scientists.