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Drug Design Jobs in Missouri (NOW HIRING)

Eurofins

Computational Chemist

Saint Charles, MO · On-site +1

Contribute to the development, implementation and utilization of state-of-the-art computational software, computer aided drug design and simulation techniques to help drive in silico drug discovery ...

Pfizer

Senior Computational Chemist

California, MO · On-site

$106 - $177/hr

MLCS supports medicinal chemistry and drug design teams by enabling data-driven decision making, scalable cheminformatics platforms, and impactful scientific applications across the discovery ...

Varsity Tutors

Organic Chemistry Tutor

Kansas City, MO · Remote

$18 - $40/hr

Emphasizes mechanistic reasoning over memorization and connects organic chemistry to drug design, polymer science, and biochemistry pathways. * Curriculum Awareness & Adaptive Instruction: Familiar ...

Varsity Tutors

Organic Chemistry Tutor

Columbia, MO · Remote

$18 - $40/hr

Emphasizes mechanistic reasoning over memorization and connects organic chemistry to drug design, polymer science, and biochemistry pathways. * Curriculum Awareness & Adaptive Instruction: Familiar ...

Varsity Tutors

Organic Chemistry Tutor

Saint Louis, MO · Remote

$18 - $40/hr

Emphasizes mechanistic reasoning over memorization and connects organic chemistry to drug design, polymer science, and biochemistry pathways. * Curriculum Awareness & Adaptive Instruction: Familiar ...

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Drug Design information

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$10

$16

$23

How much do drug design jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 29, 2026, the average hourly pay for drug design in Missouri is $16.31, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $13.51 and $18.03 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is drug design?

Drug design is the process of discovering and developing new medications based on the knowledge of biological targets. Scientists use techniques like computer modeling and chemical analysis to create molecules that interact specifically with proteins or enzymes involved in diseases. This approach helps to optimize the effectiveness and safety of new drugs before they are synthesized and tested in the laboratory. Drug design plays a crucial role in developing targeted therapies and accelerating the drug discovery process.

What are some common challenges faced by professionals working in drug design teams?

Professionals in drug design often encounter challenges such as balancing innovation with regulatory requirements and managing the complexity of biological systems. Collaborating with interdisciplinary teams—including chemists, biologists, and computational scientists—can require strong communication skills to align on goals and methodologies. Additionally, tight project timelines and the need to iterate on compound structures based on early testing results are frequent hurdles. Staying updated with the latest technologies and methodologies is also essential for success in this rapidly evolving field.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in drug design, and why are they important?

To excel in Drug Design, a strong background in chemistry, biology, pharmacology, and often a graduate degree in a related field are essential. Familiarity with molecular modeling software, cheminformatics tools, and high-throughput screening systems is typically required. Analytical thinking, creativity, and effective teamwork are crucial soft skills for identifying novel drug candidates and collaborating across disciplines. These skills enable the efficient development of safe, effective pharmaceuticals in a complex and highly regulated industry.

What is the difference between Drug Design vs Medicinal Chemist?

AspectDrug DesignMedicinal Chemist
Required CredentialsDegree in Chemistry, Pharmacology, or related fields; often advanced degreesDegree in Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, or related fields; often advanced degrees
Work EnvironmentResearch labs, pharmaceutical companies, biotech firmsResearch labs, pharmaceutical companies, biotech firms
Industry UsageFocuses on designing new drug candidates using computational and experimental methodsFocuses on synthesizing and optimizing chemical compounds for drugs

Drug Design and Medicinal Chemist roles overlap significantly, with both working in pharmaceutical research and requiring similar educational backgrounds. Drug Design emphasizes the conceptual creation of new drugs, often using computational tools, while Medicinal Chemists focus on synthesizing and refining these compounds. Both careers are vital in drug development and frequently searched together by professionals interested in pharmaceutical innovation.

How much do drug design engineers make?

Drug design engineers typically earn a median annual salary of around $80,000 to $120,000, depending on experience, education, and location. Advanced roles or those with specialized skills in computational modeling or medicinal chemistry can earn higher salaries, especially in biotech or pharmaceutical industries.

How to get a career in drug design?

A career in drug design typically requires a strong educational background in chemistry, biochemistry, or pharmacology, often at least a bachelor's degree with advanced degrees like a master's or Ph.D. for research roles. Skills in molecular modeling, computer-aided drug design, and familiarity with laboratory techniques are important, along with experience using specialized software and understanding of biological systems. Gaining internships or research experience can also improve job prospects in this field.

Is drug development a good career?

Drug design is a specialized field within pharmaceutical research that involves creating new medications through understanding chemical interactions and biological targets. It offers opportunities in research, laboratory work, and interdisciplinary collaboration, often requiring advanced degrees and knowledge of chemistry, biology, and data analysis. The career can be rewarding for those interested in science and innovation, with job prospects in biotech companies, research institutions, and regulatory agencies.

What are popular job titles related to Drug Design jobs in Missouri?

For Drug Design jobs in Missouri, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Drug Design jobs in Missouri look for?

The top searched job categories for Drug Design jobs in Missouri are:

What cities in Missouri are hiring for Drug Design jobs?

Cities in Missouri with the most Drug Design job openings:

Drug Design jobs near you
Infographic showing various Drug Design job openings in Missouri as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 86% Full Time, 9% Part Time, and 5% Contract. Highlights an 82% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 13% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $33,934 per year, or $16.3 per hour.

Software Development Engineer, Senior Software Development Engineer - Agentic Systems, AI for D[...]

Jobtailor

California, MO • On-site

$120 - $180/hr

Other

Posted 11 days ago

Job description

  • Develop and maintain backend services, APIs, and user-facing applications for an agentic drug design platform.
  • Integrate machine learning models, scientific applications, databases, and internal services into reliable end-to-end workflows.
  • Implement agentic capabilities, including tool execution, workflow orchestration, state management, evaluation, and observability.
  • Build software that enables scientists to configure, run, inspect, and reproduce computational molecule design workflows.
  • Deploy models and scientific tools into secure, scalable, cloud-based production environments.
  • Write clean, maintainable, and well-tested code, and contribute to automated testing, documentation, code reviews, and CI/CD practices.
  • Monitor deployed services, troubleshoot issues, and improve platform reliability, performance, and usability.
  • Work closely with users to understand scientific needs, gather feedback, and translate requirements into practical software solutions.
  • Contribute to technical design decisions and the ongoing evolution of the platform’s architecture.
  • Develop familiarity with relevant drug discovery concepts and apply software engineering best practices in a scientific research environment.
Requirements
  • For the Software Engineer level, you have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience, and 3+ years of professional software engineering experience.
  • For the Senior Software Engineer level, you have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience, and 5+ years of professional software engineering experience.
  • You are proficient in Python and have strong software engineering fundamentals, including API design, automated testing, data modeling, and system design.
  • You have experience independently delivering production software from technical design and implementation through deployment, monitoring, and ongoing support.
  • You have built backend services, platform capabilities, developer tools, or user-facing applications in a cloud environment.
  • You are comfortable working with relational databases, asynchronous workflows, containers, version control, and CI/CD practices.
  • You can translate user and scientific needs into practical technical solutions and communicate effectively with engineers, researchers, product managers, and domain experts.
  • You are interested in AI-enabled applications and in integrating models, scientific tools, and data into reliable workflows.
  • You are motivated by delivering software to users and improving real scientific workflows.
Core Competencies

Proficient in Python with strong software engineering fundamentals, including API Design, Automated Testing, and System Design. Experienced in developing and maintaining backend services and integrating machine learning models into cloud-based production environments.

Highest-signal resume keywords
  • Python Programming
  • API Design
  • Automated Testing
  • Cloud Environment Development
  • Relational Database Management
ATS Optimization KeywordsHard Skills
  • Backend Service Development
  • Machine Learning Integration
  • Data Modeling
  • System Design
  • Workflow Orchestration
  • Code Review
  • CI/CD Practices
  • Tool Execution
  • State Management
  • Observability
Soft Skills
  • Effective Communication
  • User Needs Translation
  • Collaboration with Engineers
  • Feedback Gathering
Certifications & Qualifications
  • Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science
  • Master's Degree in Software Engineering
Industry Keywords
  • Drug Design
  • Scientific Applications
  • Computational Molecule Design
  • AI-Enabled Applications
  • Scientific Research Environment
Tools & Technologies
  • Cloud-Based Production Environments
  • Version Control
  • Containers
  • Asynchronous Workflows
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