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Director of Discovery Chemistry

Lila SciencesCambridge, MA USA
On-site Full-time $184K/yr - $246K/yr

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Experience Level

Senior Level Manager

Qualifications

Qualifications for this role include a PhD in Chemistry or a related field, with extensive experience in synthetic organic chemistry and molecular design. Proven leadership skills with a track record of building and managing successful teams in a laboratory environment are essential. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, as well as experience with AI integration in chemistry, are highly desirable.

About the job

Your Impact at Lila Sciences

The Director of Discovery Chemistry will spearhead the design, synthesis, and optimization of small molecules across Lila’s discovery platform, emphasizing organic synthesis, molecular design, and scalable chemistry execution. This pivotal role will cultivate and expand a premier molecular chemistry program that translates AI-generated molecular hypotheses into high-quality, synthetically viable, and functionally validated chemical entities.

Collaboration is key, as you will work closely with Lila’s AI, automation, computational biology, and platform teams to establish the chemistry infrastructure necessary to swiftly advance novel molecules from conception to validated candidates across diverse discovery initiatives. You will drive synthetic strategy, route design, analog generation, molecular property optimization, and chemistry-enabled innovation while ensuring seamless integration with robotic synthesis and platform-based experimentation.

This leadership position is crucial in shaping Lila’s molecular discovery engine by leveraging deep expertise in synthetic organic chemistry, molecular design, and data-driven experimentation to expedite the discovery of high-value molecules for therapeutic and broader platform applications.

What You Will Be Building

  • Lead the discovery chemistry strategy across programs, focusing on small molecule design, synthetic innovation, analog generation, and optimization of chemical matter.
  • Oversee the design and implementation of synthetic routes for novel small molecules, prioritizing speed, robustness, scalability, and compatibility with automated synthesis platforms.
  • Develop and enhance efficient workflows for molecular design, compound prioritization, analog generation, and iterative design–make–test cycles in partnership with AI and computational teams.
  • Collaborate closely with automation and platform teams to establish robotic and high-throughput chemistry capabilities that expand accessible chemical space and accelerate molecule generation.
  • Guide the selection of reagents, reaction modalities, and synthetic methodologies to facilitate rapid exploration of structurally diverse and functionally relevant chemical entities.

About Lila Sciences

Lila Sciences is at the forefront of integrating AI with chemistry to revolutionize the discovery of novel therapeutics. Our mission is to harness cutting-edge technology to drive innovation in molecular design and synthesis, providing a platform for transformative advancements in drug discovery.

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