Senior Biologist

The role

Join Aqemia in a role where you will lead the biology of small molecule programs as they move rapidly from hit to lead, through lead optimization and towards candidate nomination.

As we expand our portfolio across oncology and CNS, this is a unique chance to act as biology lead on a drug discovery project, working closely with medicinal chemists, computational scientists and AI specialists in a small, fast-moving team. You’ll own the project’s biology day to day, from screening cascade design and CRO-run experiments to data interpretation and recommendations to leadership at key decision gates. We’ll also count on you to bring your own ideas on how to differentiate our projects from competitors working on the same targets.

Responsibilities

• Act as biology lead on a drug discovery project, driving its biological strategy and progression from hit-to-lead through lead optimization

• Design, implement, and maintain screening cascades to generate high-quality, decision-enabling in vitro and in vivo data

• Sign off biological experiments and collaborate with external CROs on study design, model selection, and data quality

• Analyse and interpret biological and pharmacological data, building clear data packages and recommendations for DDS leadership and co-founders at project decision gates

• Identify scientific risks early, clearly voice concerns, and highlight opportunities to accelerate project progression

• Bring independent ideas on project direction and differentiation from competitor programs

• Contribute to target identification and new project ideation across oncology and CNS

• 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)

• Significant industry experience (typically ~5+ years) in small molecule drug discovery within biotech or pharma

• Hands-on experience progressing projects through hit-to-lead and/or lead optimization

• Strong expertise in in vitro pharmacology and screening cascade design

• Demonstrated expertise in oncology or CNS

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

• Confident communicator, comfortable presenting data-driven recommendations in a small, fast-paced team

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.