INDUSTRIAL MASTER THESIS (SMALL MOLECULE THERAPEUTICS)

About the job

About us

Philochem AG, located in Zurich, is the research and development division of the Philogen Group, a Swiss-Italian integrated biotechnology company developing innovative biopharmaceuticals for targeted therapy (https://www.philochem.ch).

The master’s thesis will be carried out at Philochem (Zürich) within the Chemistry research unit and will contribute to ongoing projects in medicinal chemistry and targeted drug discovery. The project will involve the development, characterization, and in vivo evaluation of novel tumor-targeting radioactive, cytotoxic and immunostimulatory Small Molecule Therapeutics.

Your Role

We are seeking an enthusiastic Master’s student with a background in chemistry, medicinal chemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, chemical biology, or a related field.

The student will gain hands-on experience in modern drug discovery technologies and contribute to the identification and development of small-molecule ligands and innovative therapeutic conjugates.

The experiments will be carried out in our laboratories (Otelfingen, CH-8112 – Canton of Zürich). The student will be trained to:

• Perform organic synthesis and characterization of small molecules of interest in the search for novel drug candidates for diagnostic and therapeutic oncology applications.
• In vitro evaluation of synthesized compounds with possibility to expand to in vivo models.
• Screening of combinatorial libraries using mRNA display, phage display, or DNA-encoded library (DEL) technologies.
• Prepare and deliver scientific presentations.
• Write scientific reports and the master thesis.

Minimum requirements

• Enrolled in a Master Degree in chemistry, medicinal chemistry, or related disciplines.
• Basic experience in organic synthesis and in the chemical and biochemical characterization of organic compounds.
• Knowledge of modern analytic techniques (HPLC, LC-MS, NMR).
• Experience in performing literature searches using chemistry databases (PubMed, SciFinder, Reaxys).
• Fluency in oral and written English.

What we offer

• A six-month academic Master’s thesis placement at Philochem AG in Otelfingen, Switzerland. Students applying from universities outside Switzerland are eligible for a basic monthly allowance.
• A challenging project at the intersection of medicinal chemistry, chemical biology, and drug discovery.
• Hands-on experience in drug discovery techniques.
• Exposure to biological testing, analytical sciences, and preclinical research.
• Close supervision from experienced scientists in an international biotechnology environment.
• The opportunity to contribute to ongoing research projects and, where appropriate, scientific publications or intellectual property.

We anticipate starting your thesis period with us in autumn 2026.

Applications need to include the candidate’s CV and a letter of motivation

If you are interested, please send your application to Dr. Andrea Galbiati (E-Mail schreiben) and Dr. Matilde Bocci (E-Mail schreiben)