Medicinal Chemist – Drug Discovery Antiinfectives | Medicinal Chemist (m/f/div) – Drug Discovery Antiinfectives

Job Summary

The Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology is seeking a highly qualified Medicinal Chemist to drive their antiinfectives pipeline, focusing on the discovery and development of novel small molecule therapeutics and biologics. This role involves actively advancing medicinal chemistry strategies from hit identification through to clinical candidate selection within an interdisciplinary team. Day-to-day responsibilities include the synthesis, optimization, and structural characterization of biologically active small molecules, focusing on antimicrobial agents (antibiotics, antifungals, antivirals). The ideal candidate will analyze complex data sets to establish Structure-Activity Relationships (SAR) and Structure-Property Relationships (SPR), apply data-driven insights to improve molecular properties, and explore new chemical modalities. Key requirements include an advanced degree and doctorate in a relevant chemical field, at least two years of project management experience in medicinal chemistry, and expertise in biophysical assays (SPR, fluorescence, NMR, X-ray) for characterizing drug-target interactions. This position offers a challenging, application-oriented role with high personal responsibility and access to excellent laboratory infrastructure in Jena, Germany.