Research Scientist - Computational Chemist

Key Skills

Java Programming, Python Programming, C++, C Programming, SQL, Cloud computing, Scala Programming, Machine learning techniques, Data science techniques, MATLAB Programming, PyTorch, TensorFlow, R Programming

Job Description

The Small Molecule Discovery and Development (SMDD) group at Corteva Agriscience is looking for a highly motivated Research Scientist – Computational Chemist to join our team at the Corteva Indianapolis Global Business Center. The SMDD group at Corteva Agriscience represents a sizeable portion of our R&D innovation engine working towards sustainable crop protection solutions. We are looking for people for our SMDD Enabling Capabilities group who can work as part of a multidisciplinary team to discover, develop and launch our crop protection pipeline.

The successful candidate will be responsible for the discovery and optimization of small molecule leads for crop protection, pest and vegetation management in a collaborative effort with chemists, biologists, process chemists, and numerous other disciplines. The selected candidate will develop and utilize cutting edge computational techniques to solve discovery, process and lead optimization problems in association with scientific teams. Do you have a proven track record in developing novel computational chemistry/ \cheminformatics methods with a demonstrated impact on discovery and development research? We want you to be a part of our team!

The role will include the following responsibilities and growth opportunities (What we offer/What’s in it for you):

• Innovate at the interface of computational chemistry, biology and chemistry to generate and test novel hypotheses and contribute to driving our small molecule discovery engine
• Evaluate compounds using cutting edge cheminformatics tools to accurately and efficiently to drive structure activity relationship (SAR)
• Cross-collaborate with Crop Protection Discovery and Development teams for advancing the study of new pipeline areas of research
• Generate, document and communicate research in the form of internal scientific reports and external publications
• Bring the outside in through deliberate and strategic engagements and collaborations with external networks in academia and industry

Critical Success Factors (What you bring to the table):

• Technical Ability: Must be able to generate and interpret data to independently solve complex problems. Must be able to generate and work cross-functionally to implement new computational technologies. Must be able to generate computational models to help improve potency and direct novel chemistry and activity delivery. Must be able to apply computational techniques such as docking, homology modeling, free energy perturbation, molecular dynamics simulations, reaction kinetics, QM, structure searches, and virtual screening to solve SMDD research problems.
• Innovation: A key deliverable of the job is to innovate. The individual must be able to problem solve by generating novel ideas and by creatively applying existing and new technology. Must be able to apply scientific and technical insight to develop and apply in-silico approaches for the analysis and utilization of large-scale data to improve project team decisions.
• Interpersonal Effectiveness: All projects are conducted in a team-based environment. Success is achieved through the effective leveraging of cross-functional resources. The individual must interact well with others and be able to build and sustain effective relationships.
• Leadership: Must be able to deliver independent leadership of projects as well as the ability to influence and lead others and teams.
• Initiative: Must drive results independently as well as in teams. Must show initiative in planning and execution to meet defined goals.
• Teamwork: All projects are managed by teams of varying size. Cooperating and contributing to meet team goals is critical. Must be able to work as part of a multidisciplinary team of chemists, biologists, and data scientists to provide computational expertise to advance SMDD projects.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in computational chemistry, computer sciences or a related field. An additional 5-10 years of post-doctoral and/or industrial experience in modeling is preferred.
• Understanding of computational chemistry and cheminformatics methodologies including but not limited to structure prediction, docking, pharmacophore, molecular dynamics, similarity searching, and QSAR.
• Strong scientific creativity, analytical and problem-solving skills, and demonstrated leadership. Excellent oral and written communication and prioritization skills; ability to effectively communicate in a team environment.

Let’s peek at how you can grow your wellbeing, health, and future at Corteva!

• Strike a better work-life balance with robust time off benefits including paid maternity, paternal and family illness leave
• Prepare for your future with our competitive retirement savings plan, tuition reimbursement program, and more
• Enjoy access to health benefits for you and your family on your first day of employment
• And much, much more!