Senior Drug Discovery Scientist – VIB Discovery Sciences, Leuven

Job Description

The current position is within the VIB Discovery Sciences (VIB DS) team, a group of 20+ translational research scientists with a strong industry background. VIB DS focuses on the validation and translation of VIB's scientific breakthroughs into drug, biomarker and diagnostic discovery projects to support new venture creation and licensing opportunities as part of the VIB Innovation & Business team.

VIB DS is seeking an experienced drug discovery scientist to lead early-stage discovery programs and help translate VIB's scientific breakthroughs into tangible therapeutic opportunities. The successful candidate will bring strong project leadership experience in small-molecule discovery and expertise to help guiding a diverse portfolio of programs spanning different target classes and therapeutic areas.

The role sits at the interface between science and valorization. The successful candidate will help shape discovery programs toward concrete value inflection points, supporting out-licensing opportunities, industry partnerships, and the creation of new biotech ventures emerging from VIB's research ecosystem.

A modern mindset toward drug discovery is essential. We expect the candidate to embrace and sensibly integrate computational approaches – including structural modelling, cheminformatics, and AI-driven methods – as part of the broader toolkit to enable program decisions, integrating computational predictions with rigorous experimental validation. Familiarity with experimental methods underpinning modern drug discovery will be valued. Collaboration is key at VIB DS, therefore the candidate needs to be able to cooperate fluently with VIB research groups and core units, computational and experimental scientists, as well as external consultants and CROs.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and coordinate early-stage small-molecule discovery project teams, owning strategy, prioritization, and key go/no-go decisions – from hit finding to early lead optimization, towards valorization
• Drive the integration of computational methods into the analysis of Structure-Activity Relationships (SAR) and program decision-making
• Act as a consultant expert in discovery chemistry – assay design, hit matter analysis, hit expansion and hit-to-lead strategy, basic pharmacology – to the scientific community of VIB

Qualifications

• Essential
• PhD in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or a related field
• 5–10 years of relevant industry experience in small-molecule drug discovery
• Working knowledge on organic/medicinal chemistry
• Working knowledge on molecular modelling and predictive methods, ranging from empirical to machine learning approaches
• Experience in collaborating effectively with chemists and biologists
• Demonstrated track record of leading early hit finding and hit-to-lead programs, including coordination of cross-functional teams and external partners
• Desirable
• Familiarity with experimental methods underpinning SME discovery, including biochemical and cell-based assays, high-throughput screening, biophysical techniques, and structural biology approaches
• Ability to critically interpret data from said methods and guide experimental strategy, in close partnership with assay development, structural biology, and screening specialists
• Prior exposure to translational activities — out-licensing, industry partnering, or new venture creation

Experience

5–10 years of relevant industry experience in small-molecule drug discovery

Skills Required

• Hands-on, proactive and solution-driven
• Collaborative mindset with strong networking and interpersonal skills
• Meticulous, independent and self-motivated
• Proactive and eager to learn
• Fluency in English both spoken and written
• Sense of humor highly recommended

Additional Information

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