Peptone

Peptone Introduction

Peptone is a category-defining translational biophysics company focusing on the intersection of physics, biology, chemistry and supercomputing. We will bridge the data gap between folded and disordered proteins and will create a new category for itself, vastly expanding the druggable space. Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) differ from folded proteins due to their ability to adopt different conformations. We created Oppenheimer, a platform that combines bespoke ultra-high resolution mass spectrometry experiments with molecular simulation and AI to target IDPs with unprecedented levels of detail and enable rational drug design.

We have created a company culture that is based on scientific and personal integrity and a highly supportive, inclusive attitude.

Our curiosity and drive stem from the shared passion to contribute to our scientific understanding of proteins and to translate these insights into reality by developing drugs that make people’s lives better.

Situation and context

Peptone has made substantial advances in the capability to understand IDPs and has enabled drug discovery of small molecules to validate biological targets for highly valued cancer indications. We see the opportunity to expand capabilities in small-molecule discovery and are seeking leadership in the chemistry department.

Overview of Role

Working with the existing members of the Chemistry Department and various UK and overseas Contract Research Organizations (CROs), the successful applicant will be responsible for driving medicinal chemistry projects and coordinating synthetic chemistry activities to ensure the delivery of high-quality small molecule development candidates within competitive timeframes, while safeguarding the Company’s intellectual property by advancing its patent estate.

Main responsibilities

  • Manage remote teams of medicinal and synthetic chemists at CROs efficiently.
  • Integrate project biology, DMPK, safety and toxicology data to enable successful hit-to-lead and lead optimization campaigns. through outstanding molecular design
  • Work with external patent attorneys and Contract Research Organizations to drive IP portfolio
  • Work collaboratively within the Company’s project teams, with colleagues in biology, biophysics and computational sciences and with external collaborators such that objectives are met promptly through the development of effective project plans
  • Communicate strategies effectively, interpret and summarize complex data for presentation to different audiences
  • Prioritize work according to project goals and take responsibility for the timely delivery of objectives
  • Keep up to date with state-of-the-art technologies and knowledge of developments in medicinal chemistry and project-related areas of immunometabolism

Essential Requirements

  • PhD (or equivalent) in organic chemistry or medicinal chemistry with a strong track record of delivery and a breadth/depth of experience in an industrial drug discovery environment
  • 5+ years of drug discovery experience
  • Good knowledge of synthetic and medicinal chemistry
  • Managing remote teams of medicinal and synthetic chemists at Contract Research Organisations
  • Exceptional knowledge of synthetic and medicinal chemistries supplemented by a solid understanding of biological signalling pathways, structure-based drug design and ADME optimization in drug discovery
  • Experienced in many elements of the preclinical drug discovery process from target selection and hit identification, through hit-to-lead and lead optimization, to the delivery of development candidates
  • Experience of driving compound progressions with modelling techniques.

Highly desired

  • Experience of managing remote teams of medicinal and synthetic chemists at Contract Research Organizations
  • Inventorship on patent applications exemplifying biologically important molecules
  • Experience in optimizing ADME in small molecule projects
  • Prior experience in oncology and/or immunology
  • Experience in structure-based drug design in drug discovery.
  • Experience in cheminformatics and related modelling approaches
  • Demonstrable use of SBDD to progress projects through the application of docking/modelling software. Familiarity with PyMOL and similar modelling programs.
  • Working in a fast-paced, virtual, “start-up” environment
  • Experience in assessing the patent landscape and driving patent filings to protect the Company’s intellectual property
  • Strong publication record in peer-reviewed journals and a track record of presenting at scientific conferences

Ideal candidate

  • Ph.D. in synthetic/medicinal/computational chemistry
  • 5+ years of industry experience with clear evidence of strong leadership skills
  • A track record of achievement in the delivery of small molecules to clinical development
  • Experience in biology, particularly in the analysis of relevant assays to drive drug discovery
  • Expertise of computational modelling approaches of small molecule docking (and MD), cheminformatics and ML models.
  • Fluency in spoken and written English is mandatory

Corporate Climate

Default to transparency. As individuals, we view transparency as a lifestyle of authenticity, respect, and honesty. As a team, we view transparency as an effective way to work remotely and establish a culture of trust.

Cultivate positivity. We strive to approach things in a positive way while realizing all emotions are valid. We encourage constructive feedback from team members and business partners to foster positive collaborations.

Show gratitude. We regularly stop and demonstrate gratitude for our circumstances. We are reverent to our team, investors, advisors, and commercial partners who believed in us from the beginning and will always use this as a guiding light to growth.

Practice reflection. We believe the act of introspection is where true learning and life-changing adjustments originate. We approach discussions intentionally and think through all angles.

Improve consistently. We are biased toward action and have a higher expectation of ourselves and of our technology than others have of us. We aim to be fully engaged in our work and activities and fully disconnected when we’re not working.

Act beyond yourself. We consider the bigger picture, knowing our work goes beyond ourselves. We are not afraid of the less-travelled path if it holds true to our values and betters the world.

Build Sustainably. Sustainability is at the core of our technology, research, and team values. Oppenheimer’s supercomputer runs on 100% renewable energy and mitigates the need for traditional high-throughput experiments in our Swiss lab. Our team is incentivized and committed to growing a sustainable future and corporate culture.

Diversify. Diversity at all levels is paramount in translating biophysics to first-in-class medicines while embracing the serendipity of science. Diversity in mindsets, gender, skills, backgrounds, and — because we are geeks, protein sequences — are key to building an impactful future for our patients.

Patient Passion. Our team is interwoven with a passion for understanding the “why” of protein drug failures to avoid them. The integration of the Oppenheimer platform with our Swiss pre-clinical laboratory is an unwavering commitment to developing first-in-class protein therapeutics for our patients.

Reverence to the giants. We embrace the fortitude and ingenuity of all the great minds and teams who advanced the field of protein biophysics to enable cutting-edge therapeutics. It is our honor to collaborate in this arena to pay homage to scientists who laid the very foundation.

Committed to our Corporate Culture to embrace diversity, Peptone Ltd and its affiliates are Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employers building a culturally diverse workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race; color; creed; religion; national origin; age; ancestry; nationality; marital, domestic partnership or civil union status; sex, gender, gender identity or expression; affectional or sexual orientation; disability; veteran or military status or liability for military status; domestic violence victim status; atypical cellular or blood trait; genetic information (including the refusal to submit to genetic testing) or any other characteristic protected by law. We believe in an agile working culture for all our roles. If flexibility is important to you, we encourage you to explore with our hiring team what the opportunities are.

Our Mission

Delivering first-in-class medicines for better patient outcomes is our obsession. Translating biophysics of intrinsic protein disorder to generate de novo protein therapeutics is our passion.

What we bring…

  • A non-hierarchical environment where everyone has a voice to influence and shape the company’s future direction
  • An appreciative atmosphere with fair salaries, company benefits and top-class working equipment.
  • A highly dynamic environment with plenty of opportunities for career development
  • A highly skilled and interdisciplinary team that is passionate about proteins, science and business
  • A unique company allowing you to push the boundaries of biopharmaceutical drug development
  • A fast-paced company with novel science and academic rigour at its core
  • A company that values your contribution to scientific endeavor and supports presentation and publication of your novel discoveries
  • A flexible working setup to ensure a work-life balance