Organic Chemist Intern

Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine•Spring House, PA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Discovery Process Research (DPR) group of Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine is seeking an outstanding and motivated graduate student for a summer internship, to be based in Spring House, PA. This internship is designed for advanced PhD candidates (students who have completed at least their third year of graduate research) with prior training in synthetic organic chemistry and a strong interest in reaction discovery and optimization. This role will provide the intern with exposure to the Johnson and Johnson Innovative Medicine research engine at the intersection between Discovery and Process chemistry. Interns will gain real-life training in the skills and tools relevant to employment within the broader area of drug discovery. Beyond gaining industrial experience and networking, the intern will contribute to the design and development of novel, robust, and scalable chemical transformations at the interface of small-molecule and peptide chemistry with an opportunity to present and publish their work.

Requirements

Current enrollment in an accredited college/university pursuing a Ph.D. degree in a field related to organic chemistry
Completion of at least three years of graduate research by the start of the internship with a strong foundation in synthetic organic chemistry
Familiarity with standard analytical techniques (NMR, MS, HPLC) and synthetic workflows (work-ups, isolations, recrystallization, column chromatography)
Availability to work full-time during the internship period
Strong organizational skills, rigor, and proven track record to balance multiple tasks
Capacity to work independently as well as on a team
Legal authorization to work in the United States and not require sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g. H1-B status) now or in the future
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Word, Excel, and Power Point, and have strong oral and written communication skills
A minimum G.P.A. of 3.2 is strongly preferred

Nice To Haves

Experience with any or all of the following synthetic paradigms: Solid Phase Peptide Synthesis, Photochemistry, Radical Chemistry, Cross-Coupling, Molecular Editing, Total Synthesis

Responsibilities

Design and execute exploratory experiments focused on reaction discovery and optimization
Develop and evaluate synthetic routes for small molecules and peptide intermediates
In the peptide space, the intern will perform solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) and explore on-resin and late-stage peptide functionalization, including side-chain modification, ligation, or conjugation strategies
In the small molecule space, the intern will leverage high throughput experimentation techniques and catalysis to enable address key synthetic challenges
Synthesize, purify, and characterize relevant organic compounds
Analyze products and intermediates using NMR, LC-MS, HPLC, and related techniques
Maintain thorough and compliant electronic laboratory notebook (ELN) documentation
Prepare technical reports and present findings to cross-functional project teams
Be exposed to various other functions within the drug discovery teams at Johnson & Johnson
Participate in campus-wide activities across the Spring House summer intern community
Be based in Spring House, PA (suburban Philadelphia area)