Product Research Scientist, Drug Discovery

ABOUT SANDBOXAQ

SandboxAQ is a high-growth company delivering AI solutions that address some of the world's greatest challenges. The company’s Large Quantitative Models (LQMs) power advances in life sciences, financial services, navigation, cybersecurity, and other sectors.

We are a global team that is tech-focused and includes experts in AI, chemistry, cybersecurity, physics, mathematics, medicine, engineering, and other specialties. The company emerged from Alphabet Inc. as an independent, growth capital-backed company in 2022, funded by leading investors and supported by a braintrust of industry leaders.

At SandboxAQ, we’ve cultivated an environment that encourages creativity, collaboration, and impact. By investing deeply in our people, we’re building a thriving, global workforce poised to tackle the world's epic challenges. Join us to advance your career in pursuit of an inspiring mission, in a community of like-minded people who value entrepreneurialism, ownership, and transformative impact.

THE OPPORTUNITY

SandboxAQ's AI Simulation group partners with global research teams to discover new drugs and materials using AI and physics-based computational solutions. Our team's unique approach enables cross-pollination across diverse fields, from physics, computer science, neuroscience, mathematics, and natural sciences, yielding breakthrough AI + Quantum solutions.

The AI Simulation team is looking for a Product Research Scientist to join our team. This role is central to our efforts to drive the translation of internal drug discovery research software, specifically from our ML and Computational Chemistry teams, into external-facing, production-ready product offerings. This person will partner directly with researchers to understand scientific code and translate it into robust, scalable products served across multiple platforms, operate as the research and scientific liaison within a dedicated "pod" structure collaborating with software engineers, computational chemists, AI experts, and product stakeholders, and drive the product lifecycle from scientific inception to external deployment.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Partner with ML and Computational Chemistry researchers to translate internal scientific code and prototypes into robust, production-ready software systems for external product offerings.
• Implement and integrate core scientific algorithms (ML, deep learning, physics-based simulation) into scalable product platforms.
• Collaborate within a multi-disciplinary "pod" of engineers, computational chemists, AI experts, and product managers to define requirements, architecture, and deployment strategies for new features.
• Ensure the scientific integrity and accuracy of research models (e.g., active learning, FEP, etc.) when deployed in production.
• Drive the product lifecycle from scientific inception to external deployment, ensuring technical excellence and market fit.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

• PhD in chemistry, biology, or a related discipline.
• 3-5 years of relevant experience in a product-focused engineering or applied science role, specifically translating ML or computational chemistry research into production software in the private sector (biotech/pharma preferred).
• Experience deploying and maintaining machine learning models for scientific applications (e.g., molecular property prediction, multi-objective optimization).
• Proficiency with Python toolkits for scientific computing (e.g., NumPy, Pandas, SciPy) and machine learning (e.g., scikit-learn, PyTorch).
• Strong communication skills and a drive to collaborate with colleagues to identify problems and communicate technical solutions in an accessible manner.

HIGHLY DESIRED SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

• Familiarity with production deployment environments and principles (e.g., cloud platforms, CI/CD, containerization) and high-performance computing (GPU) environments.
• An interest in solving scientific problems in chemistry and biology via computational and data-driven methods.
• Hands-on mentality and comfort with getting deep into the technical details of complex problems, with a track record of driving projects to completion.

WHY JOIN US?

We offer competitive compensation, a comprehensive benefits package, and opportunities for professional growth.

• Compensation: Competitive base salary, performance-based incentives or bonuses (where applicable), and equity participation.
• Benefits: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents with generous employer premium contributions, retirement savings with company matching, paid parental leave, and inclusive family-building benefits.
• Work-Life Balance: Fully remote, Flexible paid time off, company-wide seasonal breaks, and support for flexible work arrangements that enable sustainable performance.
• Career Development: Opportunities for continuous learning and growth through on-the-job development, cross-functional collaboration, and access to internal learning and development programs.

SANDBOXAQ WELCOMES ALL

We are committed to fostering a culture of belonging and respect, where diverse perspectives are actively sought and valued. Our multidisciplinary environment provides ample opportunity for continuous growth - working alongside humble, empowered, and ambitious colleagues ready to tackle epic challenges.

Equal Employment Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, or Veteran status.

Accommodations: We provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities in job application procedures for open roles. If you need such an accommodation, please let a member of our Recruiting team know.

Read: Guidance for candidates on using AI Tools in interviews https://www.sandboxaq.com/ai-in-interviews