Senior Process Chemist, Drug Substance Development

Crinetics is a pharmaceutical company based in San Diego, California, developing much-needed therapies for people with endocrine diseases and endocrine-related tumors. We were founded by a dedicated team of scientists with the simple belief that better therapies developed from rigorous innovation can lead to better lives. Our work continues to make a real difference in the lives of patients. We have a prolific discovery engine and a robust preclinical and clinical development pipeline. We are driven by science with a patient-centric and team-oriented culture. This is an exciting time to join Crinetics as we shape our organization into the worlds premier fully-integrated endocrine company from discovery to patients. Join our team as we transform the lives of others.

Position Summary:

The Senior Process Chemist 1, Drug Substance Development, will be responsible for designing, optimizing, and scaling synthetic chemical processes for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). This role will work closely with cross-functional teams to ensure that new processes are efficient, cost-effective, safe, and compliant with regulatory standards for large-scale manufacturing. This position will report to the Director, Drug Substance Development CMC. The Technical Operations team is highly collaborative and operates with a global network of highly qualified Contract-Research Organizations (CROs) and Contract Development and Manufacturing Organizations (CDMOs). This position will be an integral part of the companys effort to discover and develop small molecule therapeutics for rare endocrine disorders. This is a unique opportunity to work with a proven and well-funded drug discovery and development company in the heart of San Diegos biotechnology community. This position will be located in San Diego.

Essential Job Functions and Responsibilities:

These may include but are not limited to:

• Develop and optimize synthetic routes for APIs from lab to pilot-plant scale.

• Collaborate with analytical chemistry and formulation teams to characterize intermediates and final products.

• Conduct risk assessments to ensure safety and environmental compliance.

• Generate process documentation, including batch records, SOPs, and technical reports.

• Evaluate scalability and robustness of chemical processes using Design of Experiments (DoE).

• Support technology transfer of processes to manufacturing and contract development organizations (CDMOs).

• Troubleshoot process issues and implement improvements for cost, yield, and quality.

• Stay up-to-date on regulatory requirements, including cGMP and ICH guidelines.

• Support regulatory filings (INDs, IMPDs, NDAs, briefing packages, and other regulatory dossier) as needed.

• Other duties as assigned.

Education and Experience:

Required:

• Ph.D. in organic chemistry or related field, with a minimum of 3 years of relevant hands-on experience in pharmaceutical, biotech laboratory, or CDMOs. (Masters with 11 years of experience or Bachelors with 13 years of experience may be considered).

• Strong background in organic synthesis, reaction mechanisms, and crystallization techniques.

• Familiarity with scale-up principles and pilot-plant operations.

• Knowledge of process analytical technology (PAT) and Quality by Design (QbD).

• Proficient in scientific software (e.g., ChemDraw, MATLAB, or similar).

• Significant and direct work experience with instruments used in laboratories in analytical techniques such as HPLC/UPLC, and solid-state characterization tools, including DSC, TGA, DVS, XRPD, microscopy, etc.

• Knowledge of cGMP requirements and regulatory guidance (FDA, ICH).

• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including drafting and reviewing technical documents, and the ability to effectively and accurately present data to peers, management, and external partners.

• Excellent ability to work in a goal and team-oriented setting and handle competing priorities.

• Flexibility within a rapidly changing environment and high attention to detail.

• Well-developed organizational skills and the ability to thrive under pressure.

• Intermediate to advanced software skills (e.g., Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, MS Project).

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

Physical Activities: On a continuous basis, sit at a desk for a long period of time; intermittently answer the telephone and write or use a keyboard to communicate through written means. Some walking and lifting up to 25 lbs. may be required. The noise level in the work environment is typically low to moderate. The physical demands described above are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions and responsibilities of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions and responsibilities.

Travel:

You may be required to travel for up to 10% of your time.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

Crinetics is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and employment applicants without regard to unlawful considerations of sex, sexual orientation, gender (including gender identity and/or expression), pregnancy, race, color, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, religion or similar philosophical beliefs, disability, marital and civil union status, age, genetic information, veteran status or any personal attribute or characteristic that is protected by applicable local, state or federal laws.

Total Compensation:

The final salary offered to a successful candidate will be dependent on several factors that may include but are not limited to the type and length of experience and education. Crinetics Pharmaceuticals is a multi-state employer, and this salary range may not reflect positions that work in other states. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range during the hiring process.

Salary Range

In addition to your base pay, our total rewards program consists of a discretionary annual target bonus, stock options, ESPP, and 401k match. We also provide top-notch health insurance plans for employees (and their families) to include medical, dental, vision and basic life insurance, 20 days of PTO, 10 paid holidays, and a winter company shutdown.