Computational Chemist

Company Description

Join us and make YOUR mark on the World!

Are you interested in joining some of the brightest talent in the world to strengthen the United States’ security? Come join Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) where our employees apply their expertise to create solutions for BIG ideas that make our world a better place.

We are committed to a diverse and equitable workforce with an inclusive culture that values and celebrates the diversity of our people, talents, ideas, experiences, and perspectives. This is essential to innovation and creativity for continued success of the Laboratory’s mission.

Pay Range:
$148,650 - $190,932 Annually

Please note that the pay range information is a general guideline only. Many factors are taken into consideration when setting starting pay including education, experience, the external labor market, and internal equity.

Job Description

We have an opening for a highly motivated Staff Scientist with expertise in molecular modeling and molecular dynamics simulations with exposure to quantum mechanics calculations of biological systems to join us in an industrial style drug discovery program. You will be an integral member of an interdisciplinary team working with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. You will be responsible for conducting research in virtual screening, hit identification and lead optimization for both small molecules and peptides discovery. You will be encouraged to apply established tools but also design new methods/tools to answer specific questions. You will work with a team of (LLNL) computational chemists, medicinal chemists, and experimental biologists to enable innovative solutions toward delivering an efficacious Investigative New Drug entity. This position is in the Biochemical and Biophysical Systems group of the Biosciences and Biotechnology Division.

You will:
Conduct advanced research to design and develop drug candidates, both independently and as a team member.
Perform and automate high throughput molecular dynamics simulations to predict protein function and protein-ligand binding.
Work with medicinal chemists, biologists to guide the optimization of drug candidates.
Develop new analytics to analyze results from complex biology experiments and simulations.
Develop collaborations with external partners (Universities, Industry, other National Laboratories) to advance computational biology simulation efforts.
Prepare complex and detailed weekly progress reports to support project needs and deadlines. Prepare complex written analyses and verbal briefings, and present research results at corporate meetings.
Write proposals, secure funding, and establish independent research projects.
Interact with senior project staff and management to influence programmatic decisions.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
PhD in Computational Chemistry, Computational Physics, Computer Science, or Computational Biology or equivalent combination of education and related experience.
Advanced knowledge and significant experience in a broad spectrum of R&D in drug design and development.
Significant experience at the postdoctoral or higher level in the field of molecular dynamics simulations, quantum mechanical calculation, cheminformatics, and enzymatic mechanisms.
Ability to work independently on defined research projects, as well as a member of a team.
Advanced computer skills including programming experience with perl, python, or C++, preferably in a UNIX environment.
Ability to develop independent research projects as demonstrated through publication of peer-reviewed manuscripts.
Ability to travel, as necessary, to interact with sponsors, customers, and collaborators.

Qualifications We Desire:
Experience collaborating with experimental chemists and/or biologists
Experience in cheminformatics, QSAR, or machine learning
Knowledge of brain proteins and their function
Additional Information

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

Position Information

This is a Career Indefinite position, open to Lab employees and external candidates.

Why Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory?

Flexible Benefits Package
401(k)
Relocation Assistance
Education Reimbursement Program
Flexible schedules (*depending on project needs)
Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accountability (IDEA) - visit https://www.llnl.gov/diversity
Our core beliefs - visit https://www.llnl.gov/diversity/our-values
Employee engagement - visit https://www.llnl.gov/diversity/employee-engagement

Security Clearance

None required. However, if your assignment is longer than 179 days cumulatively within a calendar year, you must go through the Personal Identity Verification process. This process includes completing an online background investigation form and receiving approval of the background check. (This process does not apply to foreign nationals.)

Pre-Employment Drug Test

External applicant(s) selected for this position must pass a post-offer, pre-employment drug test. This includes testing for use of marijuana as Federal Law applies to us as a Federal Contractor.

Pre-Placement Medical Exam

A job related pre-placement medical examination may be required.

Beware of Fraudulent Job Postings. LLNL’s hiring practices:
Never requires job applicants to pay an application/training fee or submit personal documents like bank account details, passport number, Social Security number, tax forms or credit card information as part of the application process.
For interviews and to be granted access to a Federal facility, a LLNL employee will contact you directly to collect visa, passport number, and/or Social Security number. To vet the authenticity of the employee please have them provide you their name and phone number and verify at people.llnl.gov.
Involves at least one interview (virtual or in-person) and never interviews job applicants through chat platforms such as Google Hangouts, or via correspondence through text and instant messaging systems.
Only sends email communications to job applicants from domain “@llnl.gov” or via their applicant tracking system, notifications@smartrecruiters.com. Occasionally LLNL uses third-party vendors that will contact you about job opportunities. If a recruiter contacts you to apply, you will always be directed to our career page to apply through our career site.
Encourages all applicants to visit LLNL’s careers page at www.llnl.gov/join-our-team/careers if they saw the job posting on another site prior to applying to ensure the job posting is accurate and valid.

Equal Employment Opportunity

We are an equal opportunity employer that is committed to providing all with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, marital status, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, protected veteran status, age, citizenship, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws.

We invite you to review the Equal Employment Opportunity posters which include EEO is the Law and Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision.

Reasonable Accommodation

Our goal is to create an accessible and inclusive experience for all candidates applying and interviewing at the Laboratory. If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application or the recruiting process, please use our online form to submit a request.

California Privacy Notice

The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) grants privacy rights to all California residents. The law also entitles job applicants, employees, and non-employee workers to be notified of what personal information LLNL collects and for what purpose. The Employee Privacy Notice can be accessed here.