Principal Biologist

The role

Join Aqemia in a role where you will help shape our rapidly expanding portfolio of small molecule programs across diverse therapeutic areas, beginning with oncology and immuno-oncology. This is a unique chance to build a pipeline working closely with the VP of biology, and multidisciplinary teams to accelerate the discovery of clinical candidates. You’ll become part of a dedicated team focusing on providing biological support across the Aqemia portfolio.

Responsibilities

• Drive the identification, validation, and selection of novel biological targets aligned with clear unmet medical needs

• Contribute to early-stage project ideation by providing deep biological insight and a strong understanding of the drug discovery value chain

• Guide programs from early discovery into the AQEMIA pipeline, supporting progression toward proof of concept

• Design, implement, and maintain screening cascades to enable efficient compound evaluation and decision-making

• Partner with project teams to provide biological expertise, identify risks, and support data-driven prioritization

• Manage and collaborate with external CROs to define experimental strategies and ensure generation of high-quality, decision-enabling datasets

• Foster cross-functional collaboration, integrating biology with chemistry, modeling, and platform teams

Qualifications

• PhD in biological sciences (e.g., pharmacology, molecular biology, chemical biology, biochemistry) or equivalent industry experience

• Strong experience in small molecule drug discovery, including progression from hit identification to candidate nomination

• Significant industry experience (typically ~8+ years) in early-stage drug discovery and project ideation

• Demonstrated expertise in oncology and/or immuno-oncology

• Solid understanding of experimental biology, with hands-on wet lab experience to effectively guide and challenge external partners

• Proven ability to apply rigorous, data-driven thinking in a multidisciplinary environment

Why Join Us ?

At AQEMIA, we work for a mission: joining us means having your own impact on changing the way drugs are discovered, and helping to shape the direction of our fast-growing company and team.

Expanding Drug Discovery Pipeline: Focused on critical therapeutic areas like Oncology, CNS, Immuno-inflammation... with in vivo proof of concept/patent stage programs. Collaborations with top Pharma, including a $140M Sanofi deal.

World-Class Interdisciplinary Team: work alongside exceptional talent at the intersection of technology and life sciences. Our teams combine deep expertise in AI, physics-based modeling, biology, and medicinal chemistry to push the boundaries of innovation.

DeepTech Recognition: AQEMIA is proud to be part of the French Tech 40 and France 2030, highlighting our role as a key player in Europe’s DeepTech ecosystem.

Prime Location with Flexibility: Our offices are located in the heart of Paris and London (King’s Cross), with flexible work arrangements including up to two remote days per week.

Strong Financial Backing: $100M raised from leading European and International investors

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.