Intern – Medicinal Chemistry

Cytokinetics

Posted on: February 4, 2026

Closing: March 06, 2026

Salary: 22.00 - 25.00 per hour

Position Type: Full Time

Job Description

Cytokinetics is a specialty cardiovascular biopharmaceutical company, building on its over 25 years of pioneering scientific innovations in muscle biology, and advancing a pipeline of potential new medicines for patients suffering from diseases of cardiac muscle dysfunction.

At Cytokinetics, each team member plays an integral part in advancing our mission to improve the lives of patients. We are seeking tenacious, compassionate, and collaborative individuals who are driven to make a positive impact.

At Cytokinetics we are dedicated to supporting the next generation of biotech professionals through our annual Cytokinetics Internship Program. We believe that investing in enthusiastic students and recent graduates brings fresh perspectives and insights to our teams and we take pride in providing opportunities to contribute to meaningful projects. Through our Internship Program we aim to provide a challenging and rewarding experience to build a strong foundation for a career in the biopharmaceutical industry.

Project Description
  • Support a hit-to-lead medicinal chemistry project aimed at improving the potency and selectivity of small-molecule inhibitors against a defined biological target
  • Explore structure-activity relationships (SAR) around a lead scaffold to inform synthetic design
  • Evaluate compounds in biochemical and/or cellular assays and data to guide iterative design decisions
  • Assists in optimizing physicochemical and early ADME properties (solubility, stability) under guidance from project scientists

Responsibilities
  • Participate in the design, synthesis, purification, and characterization of novel biologically active molecules
  • Apply in-silico machine learning models to inform compound design
  • Contribute to exploratory research and lead optimization projects, and collaborate closely with colleagues in other groups
  • Summarize/interpret data and present findings in research meetings

Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree in chemistry required.
  • Prior synthetic organic chemistry lab experience strongly required.
  • Demonstrated expertise in organic synthesis, chromatographic purification. methods, and compound characterization using modern analytical techniques (NMR, MS, HPLC, etc.).
  • Organized, detail-oriented, excellent record-keeping skills, excellent verbal and written communication skills.
  • Ability to work independently and perform well in a team environment.

#LI-ONSITE

Pay Range:

In the U.S., the hiring pay range for fully qualified candidates is $22-25/hr. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors.

Our employees come from different backgrounds, and we celebrate those differences. We are looking for the best candidates for our open roles, but do not expect applicants to meet every qualification in order to be considered. If you are excited about what you could accomplish at Cytokinetics and believe you can add value to our team, we would love to hear from you.

Please review our General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) policy PRIOR to applying.

Our passion is anchored in robust scientific thinking, grounded in integrity and critical thinking. We keep the patient front and center in all we do - all actions and decisions are in service of the patient and their caregivers. We champion integrity, ethics, doing the right thing, and being our best selves.

Fraud Warning: How to Identify Impersonated Cytokinetics Job Postings and Offers

Recently, there have been fraudulent employment offers being sent to candidates on behalf of Cytokinetics. Please be advised that all legitimate offers from Cytokinetics will come directly from our official email domain (Cytokinetics.com) and will only be made after completing a formal interview process.

Here are some ways to check for authenticity:

  • We do not conduct job interviews through non-standard text messaging applications
  • We will never request personal information such as banking details until after an official offer has been accepted and verified
  • We will never request that you purchase equipment or other items when interviewing or hiring
  • If you are unsure about the authenticity of an offer, or if you receive any suspicious communication, please contact us directly at [email protected]

Please visit our website at: www.cytokinetics.com

Cytokinetics is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Cytokinetics

Posted on: February 4, 2026

Closing: March 06, 2026

Salary: 22.00 - 25.00 per hour

Position Type: Full Time

Career Focus: Chemistry

This role is part of a curated selection of life science opportunities featured on Xtalks. Employers may request edits or removal here.

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