Your role
We are seeking a highly experienced and visionary Medicinal Chemist to join our Medicine Design organization as a Chemistry Lead - a key role where you will help define scientific strategy, enable breakthrough discoveries in modern therapeutic modalities, and shape the future of innovative treatments.
In this senior science-focused role, you will provide scientific leadership to chemists and guide compound design and optimization within discovery projects.
You will drive medicinal chemistry strategies across a diverse portfolio, with a particular emphasis on next generation modalities, including PROTACs, RIPTACs, and other emerging bifunctional proximity induced approaches. Expertise in the design and ADME optimization of linkers and related chemical architectures will be central to success in this role.
Importantly, this position will play a pivotal role in building and strengthening our organizational capability in bivalent induced proximity modalities, helping to establish the scientific, technical, and strategic foundations needed for long-term excellence in this area.
This is a permanent and on-site position with a six-month probationary period, based in Espoo, Finland. Work is primarily conducted during regular daytime hours from Monday to Friday, with flexible working arrangements available.
Responsibilities
- Lead medicinal chemistry optimization across discovery programs by shaping hypotheses, prioritizing design strategies, and ensuring high quality decision making throughout the DMTA cycle.
- Provide scientific leadership and expert guidance to the chemistry team and strengthening the team's technical capabilities.
- Design and optimize bivalent induced proximity modalities, such as PROTACs, and RIPTACs, encompassing target binder development, ligand optimization, linker engineering, and advancement of bRo5 chemical matter.
- Integrate multidisciplinary insights - from structural biology, computational modeling (e.g., ternary complex formation), DMPK, formulation, and biology - into coherent and effective medicinal chemistry strategies.
- Apply and assess advanced computational and machine learning tools to enhance design quality, accelerate optimization cycles, and improve prediction accuracy.
- Mentor and coach team members, fostering high scientific standards, collaboration, and adoption of modern medicinal chemistry practices.
- Contribute to intellectual property strategy in partnership with internal IP specialists to strengthen the competitive position of project portfolios.
What you can expect from us
- A dynamic, multidisciplinary research environment with a proven track record of inventing high quality, best in class small molecule therapeutics - where you can follow a molecule's journey from concept through to production.
- Opportunities to shape and advance Orion's capabilities in proximity inducing drug modalities.
- A supportive team culture that values scientific excellence, learning, collaboration, and innovation.
- Work with meaningful purpose - improving the quality of life for patients and delivering impact to society.
- Competitive salary, generous health and welfare benefits, and support for international relocation.
At Orion, your work creates true impact and well-being for our customers, patients and society at large. Our culture of friendliness, respect, mutual appreciation and diversity creates a safe working environment where you can strive for excellence. We offer a wealth of career paths and development opportunities that support the development of innovative solutions and improving the quality of life.
Please visit our website to find further information about our values and Orion as an employer https://www.orion.fi/en/careers/orion-as-an-employer/.
What are we looking for?
- PhD in Organic Chemistry, a proven track record in Medicinal Chemistry, and successful progression of next generation synthetic modality candidates toward clinical development.
- Extensive industrial experience leading hit to lead and lead optimization programs.
- Demonstrated expertise in beyond-Rule-of-5 compound optimization, linker engineering, and ADME driven design strategies.
- Deep understanding of bivalent and induced proximity modalities, such as PROTACs and RIPTACs, including underlying mechanisms of action.
- Broad knowledge of DMPK/ADME principles and the ability to effectively integrate these concepts into medicinal chemistry decision making.
- Strong collaboration and leadership skills, with the ability to influence and guide multidisciplinary project teams.
- Experience with computational chemistry, structural biology, and machine-learning-based design tools.
- Excellent communication skills in English, both written and verbal.
- Supervisory experience will be considered an advantage.
We expect from all scientists the ability to work both independently and in a multidisciplinary team of medicinal chemists, modelers, pharmacologists, biologists and external collaborators.
How to apply
Please apply at the latest on April 19th, 2026.
For additional information on the position, please contact Emilia Väisänen (Head of Medicinal Chemistry) tel. +358 41 522 1311. Preferred contact times (EEST, Finnish time) are Monday 13.4. between 12-13 and Thursday 16.4. between 16-17.
We typically review applications already during the application period and may start interviewing candidates before the application deadline. Therefore, we invite you to send your application as soon as possible.
#LI-ORION
Approved medical examination which also includes drug testing is required prior to the employment. We will also carry out a security clearance prior to the employment for the selected person.
Your new team
Orion's pharmaceutical innovations are created within its R&D organization. We employ around 400 top professionals in the field of drug discovery and development. We work globally: in Espoo and Turku in Finland, in Cambridge and Nottingham in England and in Cambridge, MA, USA. Orion R&D and the Innovative Medicines business division are dedicated to making a transformation to become a global player in the pain and oncology therapy areas.
Medicine Design is responsible for translating new drug targets to the biomolecule therapeutics together with other line functions. Our scientist in biology and chemistry are key players of the DMTA cycle of multiple research programs. You will be part of Medicinal Chemistry function with other synthetic medicinal chemists and research associates.
About Us
Orion Pharma is a globally operating Nordic pharmaceutical company - a builder of well-being for over a hundred years.
We're home to more than 4,000 Orionees around the world, and we're proud to be known as a responsible employer and a great place to work. At Orion Pharma, people are truly valued and trusted, encouraged to grow, and supported by a culture where every voice is heard. We appreciate each other, strive for excellence, and build the future.
Together we develop, manufacture, and market human and veterinary pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients. Our extensive portfolio includes proprietary and generic medicines as well as consumer health products. The core therapy areas of our pharmaceutical R&D are oncology and pain. Proprietary products developed by Orion Pharma are used to treat cancer, neurological diseases, respiratory diseases, and more.
We offer careers with a clear purpose: empowering people to live their lives to the fullest.