At Enko we believe that to create the future the world wants, we need to change the way the world grows. Our goal is not just to create something better, but to play a part in something bigger. Enko discovers and develops novel products for farmers to protect their crops from pests and disease.

• Our products address a $70 billion core market focused on crop health with expansion into adjacent markets worth $300+ billion.
• We have $150 million in capitalization, with $80 million raised as part of a Series C in December 2022. 
• Our global investors include Anterra Capital, Nufarm, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Eight Roads Ventures, Finistere Ventures, Rabo Food & Agri Innovation Fund, Novalis LifeSciences, Syngenta, Taher Gozal, Germin8 Ventures, TO Ventures Food, Endeavor8, Connecticut Innovations, Silver Blue LLC, and Alumni Ventures Group.
• We have over 40 novel pipeline programs and 5 strategic partnerships announced, including Syngenta and Bayer
• Our headquarters and research facility in Mystic, CT has 90,000 square feet of state-of-the-art labs and computer-controlled greenhouses built for pre-field experimentation and scale.

Our agricultural invention platform, Enkompass™, uses A.I. and machine learning to create more effective ways of finding and selecting the right treatments for the right targets. Led by a team of proven scientists, entrepreneurs, and industry veterans, Enko’s innovative science, agile design, and discovery of new modes of action is producing next-generation crop protection solutions that will overcome the critical challenges facing industry. The industry has taken notice, and we have active projects with many key industry players…with more to come! We are hiring across the organization to achieve our desired growth objectives, and our best asset is our team members.  We value you and your career journey.  We focus on impact over hours! 

• M.S. or Ph.D. in synthetic, organic chemistry or medicinal chemistry 
• 5+  years of postdoctoral and/or industrial experience in the life sciences  arena; experience in crop protection considered a bonus.
• Track record of advancing chemical series from hit-to-lead-to-development candidates.
• Excellent problem-solving abilities.
• Project leadership/management experience
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Experience in managing chemistry CROs.

Utilizing data to accelerate the discovery and optimization of next generation crop health molecules is core to our strategy for providing revolutionary crop health chemistries to a world that needs safe and effective solutions.  We are seeking a scientist to contribute to our medicinal chemistry efforts as a member of a team of chemists using 21st century approaches to discovering high quality hits and optimizing them into products.  

Your main objective will be to provide scientific and project leadership in identifying hit chemistries amenable to rapid optimization and developing them into products. You will be a key contributor to the development and execution of chemistry strategy and will collaborate with leaders at all levels. You will have the opportunity to influence the continued development of a culture of innovation and empowerment as a member of the R & D organization.

 The successful candidate must be very comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with demonstrated ability to juggle competing tasks and demands. This role represents a great opportunity to utilize scientific, technical, and leadership skills.

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Identify hit chemistries from DNA-encoded library (DEL) screens and machine learning (ML) outputs.

• Judiciously apply knowledge, expertise, and desktop tools, to design active ingredients in line with stage plan criteria.
• Collaboratively develop science plans that address project critical success factors, applying fit-for-purpose technical standards.
• Implement  design strategies through a network of contract research organizations (CROs); ensure design targets are delivered efficiently, maintaining a high level of CRO productivity.  
• Collaborate as a member of project teams to generate  data (aligned with a science plan) enabling the establishment of structure-activity relationships (SAR), addressing all aspects of lead  optimization (e.g., intrinsic potency, selectivity, and in vivo efficacy) ; demonstrate leverage of these data, aligned with the project science plan.
• Ensure CRO resources are allocated in alignment with project and company priorities.
• Provide scientific and project leadership; motivate and coach team members to deliver to project goals.
• Provide timely and effective communication (e.g., informal discussions, written reports, presentations) to stakeholders (e.g., function-, project-, leadership teams, external  collaborators).

M.S.  or Ph.D. in synthetic, organic chemistry, or medicinal chemistry.