Senior Scientist/Director – Chemist

Turn Biotechnologies is seeking an excellent synthetic senior chemist at PhD/MS level in our lipid synthesis group.

COMPANY

Based in Mountain View, California, Turn Biotechnologies, Inc. is a development-stage company focused on restoring cells’ youthful vigor to repair damage caused by the aging process. Using a proprietary ERA™ Platform, we develop mRNA medicines that are specially formulated to instruct specific cells in the body to fight disease or repair damaged tissue. We do this by reprogramming the epigenome to restore cell function that people often lose as they age. This approach can be used to revitalize different cells throughout the body. We are researching its applicability across multiple therapeutic areas, including dermatologic conditions, pulmonary disease, osteoarthritis and ophthalmology.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Essential duties include but are not limited to:
• Leading the design and execution of development projects, and integrate functional activities with global development plans.
• Utilizing cutting-edge synthetic methodologies and techniques to design and execute efficient syntheses of target compounds for existing chemical series and novel series.
• Independently conducting multi-step synthesis and optimization through effective reaction planning, troubleshooting and systematic analysis.
• Purifying and characterizing compounds using a variety of techniques, including column chromatography, crystallization, trituration, LCMS, NMR, HPLC, etc.
• Enabling chemistry via new technologies.
• Potentially, helping to set up and manage a synthetic chemistry lab and maintaining the lab instruments.
• Maintaining all appropriate corporate standards for lab safety and hazardous material management.
• Executing daily chemistry operations with an approach designed to minimize risks and hazard waste streams.
• Maintaining a lab notebook, instrument and inventory records in accord with department guidance and regulatory requirements.
• Drafting reports and preparing and presenting summaries of work for the department and projects. Writing regulatory submissions.
• Ideally, training, leading and directly managing staff as the company grows.
• Functioning as a company representative to Contract Research/Manufacturing Organizations.

QUALIFICATIONS

General

• Extensive experience in organic synthesis and mechanism, analytical methods, and physical organic chemistry.
• Prior experience with natural products chemistry, protein chemistry, lipid chemistry, analytical chemistry, physical chemistry, and organic reaction chemistry.
• Record of excellence in chemistry research with innovative contributions.
• A technical expert in their function, with knowledge of application to product development.
• Strong and independent problem-solving and troubleshooting abilities.
• Experience in the preparation of regulatory submissions.
• Experience with outsourcing work to CMOs or CROs, tech transfer, and the ability to supervise projects.
• Knowledge of GLP/GMP and other regulatory guidelines
• Hands-on GMP experience would be an asset.
• 3-5+ years of supervisory experience desirable.
• Chemical Development
• Expert chemist, medicinal/process chemist. Strong experience in lipids synthesis is a must.
• Experience using and developing protocols for chemistry-related analytical instrumentation, such as HPLC, FTIR, LC/MS and NMR.
• Thorough experience in handling, synthesizing, purifying and characterizing complex organic molecules using the latest techniques is required.
• Experience in utilizing DOE for process characterization and optimization is a plus.
• Preparative chromatography and LCMS experience a plus.
• Customer & Industry Knowledge
• Experienced in pharmaceutical manufacturing and operations and the application of CGMP and GLP principles.

Education/Experience

• BS/MS with 10+ years -- or PhD with 4-to-8 years -- of experience with lipid synthesis and process development. At minimum MS in technical field.
• Google Suite and/or MSOffice skills (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project).
• Desirable Characteristics
• A good team player who is able to work well within and across teams to achieve goals.
• Proficient in presenting data and results in group settings.
• Flexible and can prioritize/accommodate demanding work schedules as required.
• Experienced writing scientific reports.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and in a team environment.
• Emotionally intelligent; a “whatever it takes” attitude.

Turn Biotechnologies is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.