Associate Scientist, Organic Chemistry
Summary
Associate Scientist in Organic Chemistry at a stealth biotech in San Francisco, executing and optimizing small-molecule and peptide synthesis workflows for drug discovery programs, using HPLC, LC-MS, NMR, and related purification/characterization methods while collaborating with teams from MIT and Harvard Medical School.
About the Role
We are a vibrant and intensely mission-driven team in San Francisco, comprising members from MIT, Harvard Medical School, Roche, ETH, and Dana-Farber.
We value speed and rigor, coupled with excitement, drive, and a strong work ethic. In an early-stage environment, we value people who can bring clarity to open-ended problems, take ownership of the next steps, and follow through with energy.
Capable Labs is a place for ambitious, high-integrity people who want to become dramatically better. You will be surrounded by people who care intensely about the work, get close feedback from the people making scientific and company-defining decisions, and have room to own increasingly important problems.
We believe excellent work should be met with meaningful reward, ownership, and trust. Responsibility is earned through contribution, not title alone: anyone who demonstrates the judgment, rigor, and follow-through to move important work forward can earn meaningful scope.
What You'll Do
Execute and optimize small-molecule and peptide synthesis workflows, including route planning, reaction setup, workup, purification, analytical characterization, and sample preparation for biological testing.
Design, run, and troubleshoot organic reactions across medicinal chemistry programs, including functional group transformations, coupling chemistry, protecting group strategies, late-stage diversification, and parallel synthesis.
Run solid-phase and solution-phase synthesis workflows where useful, including resin-based chemistry, coupling/deprotection cycles, cleavage, crude analysis, purification, and final compound QC.
Troubleshoot challenging chemistry issues, including low conversion, poor selectivity, side products, decomposition, incomplete deprotection, solubility issues, purification challenges, and instrument downtime.
Purify and characterize compounds using analytical HPLC, prep HPLC, LC-MS, NMR, flash chromatography, SFC, and related methods; record identity, purity, yield, and batch-level QC data before handoff.
Prepare compounds for in vitro and in vivo studies, maintain rigorous experimental records, and communicate synthesis results, issues, timelines, and risks clearly to the team.
Support next-round compound design by contributing chemistry insight on synthetic feasibility, SAR, purity, yield, stability, solubility, and structure-property relationships.
Who You Are
You have hands-on chemistry experience and strong experimental judgment. You may come from any educational background; what matters is your ability to learn quickly and maintain a high standard for results.
You’re eager to own synthesis end-to-end: designing compounds, running reactions, purifying and characterizing them, and preparing them for testing with care and urgency.
You enjoy solving problems creatively, iterate quickly, and uphold scientific rigor.
You are interested in being close to the biological readout, understanding how compounds perform in vitro and in vivo, and leveraging potency and efficacy data to inform the next design cycle.
You demonstrate high initiative. When an instrument fails, a synthesis doesn't proceed as planned, or a handoff requires clarification, you proactively take ownership, troubleshoot efficiently, and ensure resolution.
Pay & Benefits
$90,000-$140,000 salary, plus equity options with an implied current value of approximately $50,000-$200,000 before exercise cost, taxes, dilution, and liquidity risk.
Compensation will depend on the skills, experience, and scope of impact you bring. If your background, experience, or compensation needs fall outside this range, we are still open to a conversation based on the scope and impact you could bring.
$500+ monthly wellness budget for training, supplements, coaching, recovery, or other tools that help you perform at your best.
Healthcare: We offer a broad range of medical, dental, and vision coverage options, with Capable covering 100% of the base policy.
You will also have access to HSA, FSA, and 401K plans.
Healthy dinners with the team are provided daily.
We support visa sponsorship where appropriate, including O-1, H-1B, J-1, TN, and other employment-based pathways. Our team is already international, with members from Canada, Pakistan, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, China, India, and the United States.
Application Process
Our process is fast, transparent, and personal. We care about getting to know the person behind the application.
Initial application
First phone screen
Second phone screen
In-person work trial in San Francisco: designed to give both sides a realistic sense of working together. Get to know the founding team!
Apply Today
Curious but not sure? Apply anyway. It takes 5 minutes, and you do not need to be actively job searching to start a conversation.
Some of the best people do not map perfectly to a job description. If this sounds like a place where you could do important work, we would like to hear from you.
And if someone exceptional comes to mind, send them our way here. We read every referral carefully, and if your referral joins Capable, we’ll send you a thank-you bonus.