Principal Scientist in Wood Dale, Illinois at Chem-Impex

Who We Are

Innovation starts with a bond. Since 1981, Chem-Impex has served as a partner to researchers and scientists shaping the future of life sciences. As a family-owned business, we have built a legacy on grit, integrity, and a commitment to people over transactions. Today, we are evolving by building operational and commercial capabilities that will carry our legacy into the next chapter of growth.

This role is for someone who leads with science and thinks like a builder. Peptide chemistry is at heart of our business, and this is the person who owns where it goes next. You will be our senior scientific and commercial voice in peptides: spotting where the market is heading, deciding what we should bring to it, getting us in front of the right customers, and giving our account managers the technical firepower to win. You will be the expert customers meet at the podium and across the bench, and the person internally who turns peptide-market insight into new products, new segments, and qualified opportunities.

What You'll Own

• Set the growth agenda for Chem-Impex’s peptide chemistry franchise by identifying the customer segments, applications, and programs we should pursue, and translating them into a clear business development plan.
• Drive new product discovery: use market signals and direct customer dialogue to recommend which peptides, Fmoc amino acids, coupling reagents, resins, linkers, and specialty building blocks we should add, stock, or promote and help shape the roadmap for custom synthesis and scale-up services.
• Serve as the senior technical authority in peptide chemistry (SPPS, hybrid SPPS/LPPS, bioconjugation, macrocyclic and peptidomimetic chemistry) and be the scientific resource customers trust.
• Enable the sales team: partner with the account managers to bring deep technical expertise into their customer relationships joining key visits, interpreting customer chemistry and program stage, scoping custom and bulk opportunities, and handing over opportunities that are already scientifically validated.
• Develop strategic relationships with pharma, biotech, and academic labs, and with partners across the peptide value chain, opening doors the account managers can grow.
• Represent Chem-Impex as a thought leader at peptide and life-science conferences (such as the American Peptide Society) by speaking, presenting, and building the company’s scientific reputation in the field.
• Gather and synthesize competitive, market, and technical intelligence from GLP-1s and incretins to half-life extension and cyclic peptides to inform catalog, pricing, stocking, and go-to-market decisions.
• Partner with marketing to shape technical content, campaigns, and messaging that resonate with medicinal and process chemists.
• Work with technical, purchasing, and customer service teams to ensure the products and services we promote can be delivered with Chem-Impex’s standard of quality and reliability.

What You'll Bring

• Advanced degree (PhD or MS) in Chemistry, Biochemistry, or a related field, with genuine depth in peptide chemistry and SPPS.
• Hands-on experience in peptide synthesis and/or peptide API process development or manufacturing.
• The standing to hold a peer-level scientific conversation with discovery, medicinal, and process chemists, and to translate their chemistry into the products and services that support it.
• A builder’s instinct for business development: comfort identifying opportunities, opening new segments, and creating pipeline (measured by markets opened, products launched, and opportunities created rather than a personal sales quota).
• Strong presence as a presenter and representative: someone who can carry the Chem-Impex name credibly on a conference stage.
• Familiarity with custom synthesis workflows and regulatory-grade documentation (COA, DMF) is a strong plus.
• A collaborative style that makes the sales team better rather than competing with it, and comfort working directly with company ownership.
• Willingness to travel for customer visits and key industry events.

What Makes We Offer

• Direct visibility to the company ownership. Your work will be seen and your voice will matter
• A book of business at the core of what we do — peptide chemistry is our heartland, not a sideline
• Strong underlying fundamentals: 99%+ on-time delivery, ISO 9001 certified, 30,000+ SKUs
• The chance to help shape a growing, modernizing commercial team
• A values-driven team with genuine tenure and institutional knowledge
• Competitive compensation, commensurate with experience, plus performance bonus
• Medical, dental, and short-term disability insurance; optional vision and long-term disability
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid time off and holidays