Senior Scientist, Analytical Chemistry

The role

The Senior Scientist, Analytical Chemistry will develop and deploy advanced analytical and characterization strategies to support Discovery Chemistry efforts. This role involves building integrated analytical capabilities and multimodal characterization workflows to support small molecule design, synthesis, and optimization.

What you will do

• Develop, optimize, and implement analytical and multimodal characterization workflows.
• Support the design, synthesis, screening, and optimization of small molecules.
• Lead analytical method development for compound identification, purity assessment, impurity profiling, and reaction monitoring.
• Build characterization strategies incorporating multimodal measurements.
• Partner with Discovery Chemistry and screening teams to support high-throughput workflows.
• Collaborate with automation and platform teams to integrate instrumentation and data pipelines.
• Work with AI and computational teams to ensure analytical datasets are useful for model development.
• Establish workflows for reaction monitoring, in-process analytics, and final compound quality assessment.
• Troubleshoot analytical and characterization challenges.
• Contribute to the development of platform-level capabilities for data-rich molecular discovery.

Required qualifications

• PhD in Analytical Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemical Biology, or a related scientific discipline.
• 5–8+ years of relevant industry or high-performance research experience.
• Deep expertise in analytical chemistry and molecular characterization in support of chemistry-driven discovery efforts.
• Strong hands-on experience with key analytical techniques for small molecule analysis.
• Demonstrated experience developing analytical methods for compound characterization, reaction monitoring, impurity analysis, and purity assessment.
• Experience supporting Discovery Chemistry, medicinal chemistry, synthetic chemistry, or other molecule-focused R&D environments.
• Strong understanding of how analytical data informs compound progression, screening decisions, reaction optimization, and molecular design.
• Experience working with or supporting high-throughput workflows.
• Ability to solve complex analytical problems independently and work effectively across interdisciplinary teams.
• Strong documentation, communication, and data interpretation skills.

Nice to have

• Experience with multimodal characterization approaches.
• Experience supporting high-throughput screening, reaction screening, or automated discovery platforms.
• Familiarity with analytical workflows integrated with robotics, liquid handlers, autosamplers, or other automation-enabled laboratory systems.
• Experience working in AI-enabled or highly data-driven R&D environments.
• Knowledge of characterization approaches that extend beyond traditional compound QC.
• Familiarity with data systems such as ELNs, LIMS, and software tools used to manage and analyze large analytical datasets.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-moving, innovative environment.
• Strong scientific curiosity and interest in building next-generation analytical capabilities.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Employer-paid life and disability insurance
• Flexible time off with generous company wide holidays
• Paid parental leave
• Educational assistance program
• Commuter benefits, including bike share memberships for office based employees
• Company subsidized lunch program

About the company

Lila Sciences is building Scientific Superintelligence™ to solve humankind's greatest challenges. The company combines advanced AI models with proprietary AI Science Factory™ instruments into an operating system for science.