Principal Scientist - Induced Proximity Medicinal Chemistry

Amgen•Thousand Oaks, CA

18h•Onsite

About The Position

Amgen is hiring a Principal Scientist for its Medicinal Chemistry group to design and advance small-molecule induced-proximity medicines for potential clinical development. The role applies hands-on synthetic and medicinal chemistry expertise to PROTACs, molecular glue degraders, and other proximity-based modalities, integrating molecular design with knowledge of ternary-complex biology, target engagement, protein degradation or functional modulation, and drug-like properties. This is an onsite laboratory position at Amgen’s Thousand Oaks site. The scientist will develop and execute medicinal chemistry strategies for induced-proximity programs from hit finding through development-candidate nomination. They will lead hypothesis-driven SAR and interpret complex datasets in collaboration with teams across chemical biology, structural biology, biophysics, proteomics, cell biology, DMPK, safety, translational sciences, and computational chemistry. The role also includes mentoring colleagues and external partners, maintaining rigorous laboratory and data practices, and generating results that support publications, patents, presentations, and external collaborations.

Requirements

Doctorate degree and 2 years of scientific experience, or a master's degree and 5 years of scientific experience, or a bachelor's degree and 7 years of scientific experience.
Strong hands-on expertise in synthetic and medicinal chemistry.
Excellent written and oral communication skills, sound scientific judgment, a collaborative leadership style, and ability to mentor colleagues and influence decisions across a matrixed organization.

Nice To Haves

Doctorate degree in organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, chemical biology, or a closely related discipline, with 6 or more years of synthetic organic and medicinal chemistry experience.
Demonstrated experience designing, synthesizing, and optimizing induced-proximity medicines, particularly PROTACs and/or molecular glue degraders; experience with additional targeted-chimera modalities is highly desirable.
Strong command of modern medicinal and synthetic chemistry, including preparation of complex, highly functionalized small molecules and use of parallel synthesis, route design, purification, and analytical characterization to accelerate SAR.
Ability to translate integrated biology, biophysical, biochemical, proteomics, cellular, DMPK, and in vivo data into compound-design hypotheses; familiarity with degradation metrics such as DC50, Dmax, kinetics, selectivity, and exposure-response relationships.
Deep understanding of discovery disciplines relevant to induced proximity, including chemical biology, structural biology, biophysics, cellular pharmacology, DMPK, safety, and translational science.
Record of impactful drug-discovery accomplishments demonstrated through patent inventorship, peer-reviewed publications, scientific presentations, and successful cross-functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

Design, synthesize, purify, and characterize small molecules across proximity modalities, including heterobifunctional degraders, molecular glues, and emerging targeted-chimera approaches.
Apply medicinal chemistry strategy to target ligands, E3 ligase or recruiter ligands, linker architecture, attachment vectors, and property-modulating elements.
Devise and implement medicinal chemistry research plans, including experimental plans, decision criteria, and expected results, from hit finding through development-candidate nomination.
Lead hypothesis-driven SAR and structure-property-activity studies incorporating potency, degradation or functional response, selectivity, cooperativity, ternary-complex behavior, target engagement, permeability, solubility, metabolic stability, pharmacokinetics, and developability.
Collaborate with cross-functional colleagues to interpret complex datasets, resolve mechanism and selectivity questions, and guide molecular design.
Develop strategies for modality-specific challenges, including molecular weight and polarity, linker conformational control, permeability and efflux, oral exposure, tissue distribution, E3-ligase expression and engagement, neosubstrate risk, hook effect, and durable pharmacology.
Monitor developments in induced-proximity mechanisms, E3 ligases and other recruiters, chemical biology tools, assays, publications, and patent activity; identify opportunities for the portfolio and platform.
Provide technical guidance and mentorship to scientists, research associates, and external chemistry partners.
Ensure rigorous experimental design, data integrity, documentation, safe laboratory practice, and timely execution.
Generate scientific results supporting publications, patents, conference presentations, and external collaborations.