Branch Chief of the Drug Synthesis and Chemistry Branch
Direct and oversee chemical synthesis, drug discovery, and development programs for advanced cancer therapeutics at the National Cancer Institute.
Best for:Best for experienced chemists and research leaders with expertise in pharmaceutical development, chemical synthesis, and large-scale program management.
Overview
The National Cancer Institute's Developmental Therapeutics Program is seeking a Branch Chief to direct the Drug Synthesis and Chemistry Branch. The incumbent will provide scientific leadership for advancing the discovery and development of novel cancer therapeutics, overseeing complex multi-million-dollar contracts for chemical synthesis, analytical services, and Good Manufacturing Practices production. The role involves guiding medicinal chemistry research, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations across academia, government, and industry, and ensuring the availability of high-quality pharmaceutical products. The position is an exploratory opportunity to gauge candidate interest prior to an official USAJOBS posting.
What you'll do
- Direct the activities, programs, and strategic mission of the Drug Synthesis and Chemistry Branch.
- Provide scientific leadership and oversight for the acquisition, synthesis, characterization, and scale-up of innovative chemical entities and compound libraries.
- Manage multimillion-dollar contracts supporting chemical synthesis, analytical services, pharmaceutical formulation, and pilot plant production under Good Manufacturing Practices.
- Guide medicinal and synthetic chemistry research to support preclinical and clinical cancer research.
- Foster collaborative partnerships across academic institutions, government agencies, and industry sectors.
- Ensure the quality, storage, distribution, and shelf-life assessment of investigational agents and pharmaceutical products.
Requirements
Degree required: Degree in physical sciences, life sciences, or engineering that included 30 semester hours in chemistry, supplemented by coursework in mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of physics
Language: English; professional proficiency
Instruction: English
- Extensive knowledge of chemical synthesis, medicinal chemistry, and pharmaceutical development
- Demonstrated experience in managing complex scientific programs and multimillion-dollar contracts
- Background in overseeing Good Manufacturing Practices production, analytical services, and formulation development
- Strong leadership and administrative skills within a research or government enterprise
- Proven ability to foster multidisciplinary scientific collaborations across government, industry, and academic sectors
- Candidates must be United States citizens
Funding & terms
How to apply
Deadline: 2026-10-27
Submit your Curriculum Vitae and a statement of interest via email to Dr. Rosemarie Aurigemma at the contact address provided. Note that this is an exploratory advertisement to gauge candidate interest, and a formal vacancy announcement will be published on USAJOBS at a later date.
- CV
- Statement of interest
Contact
Create a free profile to unlock your personal match score, the full requirements, funding details and how to apply — in English or Persian.