Senior Scientist (Synthetic / Organic)

Senior Scientist (Synthetic / Organic)

San Diego, CA 92121

Posted: 05/23/2025

Employment Type: Permanent

Industry: Engineering

Job Number: KB599925523

Job Description

SENIOR SCIENTIST (SYNTHETIC ORGANIC OR PROCESS DEVELOPMENT CHEMIST)

Our client has engaged the Qualified Professional Technical Group in its efforts to recruit a talented and experienced Synthetic Organic and/or Process Development R D Chemist. The candidate will spearhead chemical reaction discovery and chemical process development to convert biologically-derived intermediates into sustainable, industrial chemical products. The candidate will need to perform both in lab experiments and detailed dry-lab planning. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Design and demonstrate novel multistep chemical syntheses to produce target compounds.

Perform discovery reactions with full characterization of all byproducts to quantify reaction performance.

Implement HPLC, GC, MS, TGA, and other relevant analytical techniques to determine reaction products and byproducts.

Perform reaction optimization DBTL cycles to optimize: conversion, yield, solvent selection, operating conditions, and product recovery.

Identify and apply heterogeneous catalysts for diverse reactions.

Identify appropriate equipment needed to expand R D and Pilot Lab Chemistry footprint.

Perform heterogeneous hydrogenation and hydrodeoxygenation reaction discovery and process development.

Identify and evaluate appropriate industrial protection groups amendable to massive-scale production.

Perform aromatic modification reaction discovery and development.

Evaluate and implement chemical process product purification techniques including crystallization, liquid-liquid extraction, precipitation, filtration, and distillation.

Scale product recovery techniques to Pilot Lab unit operations.

Leverage knowledge of organic chemistry to design multistep synthetic routes that maintain carbon skeletons and stabilize molecules.

Apply knowledge of both batch and flow chemistry to develop novel reactions and optimize conditions.

Lead interactions with CROs, in parallel with in-house experiments, to rapidly develop

chemical processes and to gather additional analytical datasets.

Exemplify excellence in lab safety and chemical hygiene practices.

Strengthen and expand both chemistry data and project management to streamline

communication in R D team.

Organize, present, and share data, challenges, questions, and strategies with global team.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Minimum Bachelor's Degree in Chemistry, or equivalent area, from an accredited university. Master's or PhD Degree preferred.

Experience performing research discovery work to develop multi-step enzymatic

synthesis.

Experience optimizing yield, reaction time, selectivity, conversion, and solvent selection

for chemical reactions.

Experience with heterogeneous catalyst and product recovery.

Experience with hydrogenation, deoxygenation, protection/deprotection, and

ring-rearrangement chemistry.

Experience transferring/scaling multi-step synthesis to pilot scale.

Experience development analytical methods on GC, HPLC, MS, and/or TGA.

Experience developing product isolation/purification/crystallization/extraction methods.

Experiencing implementing, organizing, and executing project management strategies for communication and transfer of chemistry data and reaction conditions.

Additional experience to support key responsibilities above.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Able to work 5 days a week onsite.

Able to work in a BSL1 laboratory with hazardous materials including flammables, corrosives, and general health hazards.

Able to travel for work 0 - 10%.