Ask yourself:
- Are you eager to build the best department for Medicinal and Computational Chemistry in an environment of growth and high expectations for the future?
- Would you like to be a key player in advancing novel peptide therapies that can change the future of healthcare?
- Are you someone who enjoys empowering People and Teams and see others grow under your guidance?
- Are you enthusiastic about working in an agile environment with great colleagues?
If the answer to the above is yes, please reach out to us and take the next step in your career!
Currently, we are looking for a new Senior Director of Medicinal and Computational Chemistry within Research and non-clinical Development to support our growth journey. Research and Non-clinical Development is responsible for all early discovery project from Innovation to lead compound selection and preparation for phase 1 as well as support to Development Project on several aspects. We are building the future projects to serve the need of patients.
We are a medium-sized biotech with a short chain of command.
The department currently consist of 5 Peptide Chemist, 2 Computational Chemists, 5 Lab technicians and 2 Student helpers.
The department is responsible for supporting ideas and projects with chemistry input, for the design of high-quality drug candidates with desired biological activities and stability, and the delivery of differentiated clinical candidates to the development pipeline. The Computational Team secures support to design with highly complex AI/ML capabilities. In-house production secures fast small-scale production in combination with external resources.
Responsibilities
- Leadership of employee in the department. Empowerment and growth of both employees and department to ensure that expectations are met in a fast-developing area of the company.
- Secure budget for in-house as well as external activities. Currently the setup is a hybrid model between outsourced production small scale and inhouse production and characterization.
- Oversee multiple peptide research projects, ensuring adherence to timelines and budgets requirements, efficiently allocating resources to achieve key milestones and meet project objectives.
- Set direction, form department strategy including annual goals for the Department.
- Contribute to Research over-all strategy and direction: Peptide chemistry (classical and new modalities), Computational chemistry and data handling). Implementation by eg new techniques and technologies both for peptide and computational chemistry and securing top-notch data handling.
- Drive innovation from a chemical perspective: contribute to internal innovation to initiate new ideas within strategy.
- Manage the design and execution of research programs focused on peptide chemistry, including the development of novel peptide-based therapeutics. Encourage innovation in peptide design and synthesis, staying ahead of technological advancements in peptide chemistry.
- Drive decision making and presentation to management and other stakeholders in collaboration with Project managers across departments.
- Work in close collaboration with rest of Research Management team to secure right level of insights to the projects and empowerment of the Project Teams.
Candidate Profile
- A PhD and post doc experience within chemistry or synthetic chemistry or peptide chemistry or related field with successful drug discovery and development experience., preferably within the peptide field.
- >10 years of experience in a biotechnology/pharmaceutical company
- Extensive experience with department leadership (People empowerment, growth and department growth)
- Extensive knowledge on Discovery and development of new medicines, familiarity with the development of peptides as therapeutic candidates.
- Experience in overseeing all aspects of novel peptide chemistry projects, from target to hit identification and lead optimization towards candidate nomination is highly desirable.
- Good understanding of computational and AI/machine learning techniques used for the development and engineering of peptide medicines.
- Experience with cross functional project teams and well-developed collaboration skills
- Ability to set a strategic direction for the peptide chemistry department, aligning research goals with broader company or organizational objectives.
- Experience with working with CROs in the peptide field.
- Great people and stakeholder management skills
- The ability and engagement to “walk the extra mile”
Bonding to innovate
Our employees are fundamental to our success, and we continue to be able to attract and retain people with vast experience and talent. We have a unique culture, characterized by excellent teamwork and strong engagement across the organization.
Making bonds is at the core of everything we do. From discovering and developing the best new peptide drugs for patients, to engaging with our partners or connecting with each other.
We bond as a result of our entrepreneurial culture where our people are encouraged to pursue their ideas and turn them into reality. We are curious about each other’s knowledge and expertise.
We bond through curiosity and playfulness as a team, allowing ourselves to challenge common thinking and drive future innovation. Zealand Pharma is a place where everyone is heard and contributes to the success, we all want to experience.
The Zealand Pharma DNA builds on four values: (1) We are bold, (2) We empower people, (3) We work as one team, and (4) We can be trusted.
Let’s bond and be bold
We offer a combined compensation package which includes a base salary, pension, bonus, and a possibility to join our employee share program. We care about our employees’ well-being and offer health insurance, use of massage, fitness, and a range of social clubs and activities
To find out more about working at Zealand, visit https://www.zealandpharma.com/careers/zealand-as-a-workplace/
Interested? Please apply no later than January 5th, 2025, or as soon as possible.
For further information, please contact Mette Svendgaard at MSvendgaard@zealandpharma.com.
About Zealand Pharma A/S
Zealand Pharma A/S (Nasdaq Copenhagen: ZEAL) ("Zealand") is a Danish biotechnology company on a mission to change lives with next generation peptide medicines. In our effort to reach our goals bonding is at the core of everything we do. Let it be discovering and developing the best new peptide drugs for patients, engaging with partners or connecting with each other. This has led to more than 10 drug candidates invented by Zealand having advanced into clinical development, of which two have reached the market. Zealand’s current pipeline of internal product candidates focus on specialty gastrointestinal and metabolic diseases. Additionally, the portfolio includes clinical license collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim and pre-clinical license collaboration with Alexion Pharmaceuticals. Zealand is based in Copenhagen (Søborg), Denmark. For further information about the Company's business and activities, please visit www.zealandpharma.com or bond with us through LinkedIn.
