Developing future oncology medicines through hands-on medicinal chemistry.

Within our Medicinal Chemistry department, we have exciting opportunities for Scientists Chemistry, who are enthusiastic about hands-on laboratory work and enjoy working closely with colleagues in a collaborative environment. These roles offer the chance to apply your expertise, and to make a real impact on the progress of our projects.

Acerta Pharma will be relocating to Amsterdam, with the current move planned for March/April 2027. Until that time, you will be working from our facilities in Oss. After the move, you will be based at our new site in Amsterdam.

Our preference is for the new Senior Scientist to join in January 2027; however, we can be flexible on the starting date depending on your availability.

Scientist Chemistry (bachelor/master) 5X

Pivot Park Oss | Amsterdam UMC campus

Fulltime

Your challenge:

As a Scientist, you will be part of our Medicinal Chemistry team and focus on the synthesis and analysis of new molecules. You will be the driving force in the lab, contributing to the progress of our projects towards clinical development.

What will you be doing?

• Your main task is to synthesize new bioactive substances chemical entities within medicinal chemistry programs, using state-of-the art organic chemistry techniques. Together with your colleagues, you will implement new synthetic routes and processes to get to the desired molecules most efficiently.

• You will scale up the synthesis of interesting analogues from mg to g scale for further in vivo testing.

• You will present your work in regular chemistry and project meetings and actively take part in discussing the chemistry of your and other teams.

• You will have the opportunity to familiarize yourself with important concepts on optimization of small molecules for different modalities in modern Medicinal Chemistry You maintain a high quality and accurate electronic notebook, a safe working environment, and operate according to our guidelines on Safety, Health and Environment.

What are you bringing?

• Completed bachelor’s or master’s degree in chemistry with organic chemistry as a specialisation (or equivalent).

• Please note: this position is aimed at candidates with a relevant MSc or equivalent background and is not intended for PhD-level profiles.

• At least 3 years of experience with organic (and/or medicinal) chemistry (synthesis of small organic molecules).

• Experience with standard analysis and purification techniques such as column chromatography, (HP)LC-MS, NMR.

• Experience with medicinal chemistry in the pharmaceutical industry is an advantage.

• You are fluent in English.

• Excellent written and communication skills.

• You enjoy working in a team where each member is supportive and open to helping each other.

• You live in Europe, are willing to relocate within commuting distance of Amsterdam, and can travel to Oss for the first months.

What do we offer you?

• A dynamic, innovative, international working environment, where you can be part of the development of new medicines that can make a difference to patients' lives.

• The opportunity to work with state-of-the-art equipment and analytical techniques.

• The opportunity to grow into modern Medicinal Chemistry across multiple modalities.

• Competitive salary and secondary benefits including 8% holiday allowance, 27 holidays on a full-time basis. Additional: office closure between X-mas and New Year + Good Friday + day after Ascension Day.

• Collective pension with a fixed percentage personal contribution.

• Bonus scheme.
• Opportunity to participate in our share purchase plan with an additional contribution from AstraZeneca.

• Vitality of our colleagues is important to us, which is why you can exercise at a discount or make use of our bicycle plan.

• Support for potential extra travelling costs during the transition period when working at the Oss site.

About AstraZeneca Oncology R&D, Amsterdam 

At AstraZeneca Amsterdam, we bring together two research groups, in haemato-oncology and next-generation cell therapy research. Together, they form our Oncology R&D hub in the Netherlands, working closely with colleagues in the US, Canada, Spain and the UK, to develop innovative treatments for patients with cancer.

Our haematology R&D group was born as Acerta Pharma, one of the Netherland’s greatest biotech success stories. Its small-molecule BTK inhibitor has been approved by both the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for the treatment of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL) and Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL). In Amsterdam approximately 100 colleagues continue the development of new therapies for haematological malignancies under the AstraZeneca brand name.

AstraZeneca’s Cell Therapy R&D team focuses on developing next-generation T-cell receptor (TCR) therapies targeting neoantigens in solid tumours. With a team of around 75 scientists, we work on both fully individualized and shared neo-antigen approaches, with the aim of improving outcomes for patients with cancer. 

Our oncology research and development hub is anchored by our new state-of-the-art laboratories in One Helix and the adjacent Plus Ultra Amsterdam building, both located on the Amsterdam University Medical Centre (Amsterdam UMC) campus. Our hub is firmly positioned at the heart of the Dutch research community network, creating new opportunities for our people, our science, and the patients we work to transform outcomes for.

Apply:
If you have any questions about this vacancy, our Recruitment Team (Karin Raadschelders and Caroline van Oppen) are happy to answer your questions. You can contact them via info@werkenbijacertapharma.nl or by phone on +31(0)85 - 047 0244.

We don’t work with a fixed closing date: The vacancy will remain online until we have concluded the process.

Please apply immediately – we start up the selection process straight away.

Date Posted

02-okt.-2026

Closing Date

22-nov.-2026

AstraZeneca embraces diversity and equality of opportunity. We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse team representing all backgrounds, with as wide a range of perspectives as possible, and harnessing industry-leading skills. We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be. We welcome and consider applications to join our team from all qualified candidates, regardless of their characteristics. We comply with all applicable laws and regulations on non-discrimination in employment (and recruitment), as well as work authorization and employment eligibility verification requirements.