Associate Director or Senior Scientist, Computational Chemistry, Research

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Job Description

Job Description

Are you looking for a patient-focused, innovation-driven company that will inspire you and empower you to shine? Join us as an Associate Director/Senior Scientist, Computational Chemistry in Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan.

At Takeda, we are transforming the pharmaceutical industry through our R&D-driven market leadership and being a values-led company. To do this, we empower our people to realize their potential through life-changing work. Certified as a Global Top Employer, we offer stimulating careers, encourage innovation, and strive for excellence in everything we do. We foster an inclusive, collaborative workplace, in which our global teams are united by an unwavering commitment to deliver Better Health and a Brighter Future to people around the world.

OBJECTIVES/PURPOSE

• Work as part of a multi-disciplinary team of computational chemists, medicinal chemists, structural biologists, data scientists, pharmacologists and biologists and provide computational expertise to advance drug discovery projects.
• Contribute to drug discovery efforts across various modalities including small molecules, PROTACs, RNA inhibitors, peptides, and more.
• Implement and execute innovative computational methodologies and tools such as AI, free energy, and cheminformatics approaches to support drug discovery efforts.

ACCOUNTABILITIES

Senior Scientist

• Independently design and execute computational strategies for drug discovery projects
• Contribute as a key scientific expert within one or more project teams
• Develop and apply innovative computational methodologies to solve project challenges
• Influence project decisions through data-driven insights
• Mentor junior scientists and contribute to scientific excellence

Associate Director

• Provide scientific and strategic leadership across multiple drug discovery projects
• Shape computational chemistry strategies and influence portfolio-level decisions
• Drive adoption of emerging technologies (e.g., AI/ML, generative chemistry) across projects
• Act as a thought leader to project teams and senior stakeholders
• Influence cross-functional teams without direct line management authority
• Mentor and elevate scientific capabilities across the organization

DIMENSIONS AND ASPECTS

Technical/Functional (Line) Expertise

• Expertise in a variety of computational tools and methodology including generative chemistry, large-scale virtual screening, molecular dynamics, homology modeling, quantum mechanics, pharmacophore elucidation, data mining, machine learning, cheminformatics and more.
• Significant industry experiences contributing as a computational chemist on drug discovery projects against several therapeutic arias and a variety of drug discovery targets (GPCRs, Kinases, Ion channel etc.).
• Strong impact in progressing discovery projects from hits to clinical leads
• Familiarity with organic and synthetic chemistry concepts.
• Provide project teams with computational strategies to inform, influence, and prioritize designs for potency/selectivity and improve ADME/Tox endpoints.
• Ability to effectively integrate emerging generative chemistry methods and other modern machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) applications in small molecule drug discovery.

•    Proficiency with state-of-the-art Computational Chemistry software.

Leadership

• Scientific leadership within project teams
• Mentors junior scientists
• Contributes to method development and innovation

• Influences direction across teams and functions
• Drives innovation and capability building at scale

Interaction

• Collaborate with cross-functional global teams
• Present findings to internal stakeholders
• Engage with senior leadership and external partners as needed

EDUCATION, BEHAVIORAL COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS:

• PhD degree in Chemistry or equivalent
• Ideally 5+ years of experience in industry (pharma/biotech) drug discovery experience required

Apply now and be part of our mission to deliver Better Health and a Brighter Future to people around the world.

Takeda Compensation and Benefits Summary:

• Allowances: Commutation, Housing, Overtime Work etc.

• Salary Increase: Annually, Bonus Payment: Twice a year

• Working Hours: Headquarters (Osaka/ Tokyo) 9:00-17:30, Production Sites (Osaka/ Yamaguchi) 8:00-16:45, (Narita) 8:30-17:15, Research Site (Kanagawa) 9:00-17:45

• Holidays: Saturdays, Sundays, National Holidays, May Day, Year-End Holidays etc. (approx. 123 days in a year)

• Paid Leaves: Annual Paid Leave, Special Paid Leave, Sick Leave, Family Support Leave, Maternity Leave, Childcare Leave, Family Nursing Leave.

• Flexible Work Styles: Flextime, Telework

• Benefits: Social Insurance, Retirement and Corporate Pension, Employee Stock Ownership Program, etc.

Important Notice concerning working conditions:

• It is possible the job scope may change at the company’s discretion.

• It is possible the department and workplace may change at the company’s discretion.

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