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How much do peptide scientist jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 13, 2026, the average yearly pay for peptide scientist in the United States is $90,961.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $68,000.00 and $100,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some typical daily responsibilities of a peptide scientist?

As a Peptide Scientist, your daily responsibilities often include designing and synthesizing peptides, analyzing their purity and structure using advanced instrumentation, and documenting experimental results. You may also troubleshoot synthesis protocols, optimize purification methods, and participate in project meetings to discuss findings with colleagues from biology, medicinal chemistry, and quality control teams. Collaboration is key, as you will regularly coordinate with other scientists and project managers to meet research or production goals. These varied tasks help drive innovation and ensure the successful delivery of high-quality peptide products or research outcomes.

What is a peptide scientist?

A Peptide Scientist researches, designs, and synthesizes peptides for applications in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and material sciences. They develop new methods for peptide production, analyze structures using techniques like HPLC and mass spectrometry, and optimize purification processes. Their work supports drug development, biomarker discovery, and therapeutic innovations. Peptide Scientists often collaborate with interdisciplinary teams, including chemists, biologists, and biophysicists, to advance peptide-based solutions.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a peptide scientist, and why are they important?

A Peptide Scientist requires a strong background in chemistry, biochemistry, and analytical techniques, typically with a master's degree or PhD in a life science field. Familiarity with peptide synthesis equipment (such as solid-phase synthesizers), HPLC, mass spectrometry, and relevant laboratory information management systems is essential. Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and the ability to communicate complex results clearly are important soft skills in this role. These capabilities ensure precise, reproducible peptide production and effective collaboration within multidisciplinary research and development teams.

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Peptide Scientist jobs near you
Infographic showing various Peptide Scientist job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 1% As Needed, 87% Full Time, 7% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 88% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $90,961 per year, or $43.7 per hour.

Scientist, Peptide Chemistry

Calico

South San Francisco, CA • On-site

$135K - $145K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 28 days ago

Job description

Who We Are: 

Calico (Calico Life Sciences LLC) is an Alphabet-founded research and development company whose mission is to harness advanced technologies and model systems to increase our understanding of the biology that controls human aging. Calico will use that knowledge to devise interventions that enable people to lead longer and healthier lives. Calico's highly innovative technology labs, its commitment to curiosity-driven discovery science, and, with academic and industry partners, its vibrant drug-development pipeline, together create an inspiring and exciting place to catalyze and enable medical breakthroughs. 

Position Description: 

We are seeking a scientist to join our Peptide Chemistry team. In this role, you will drive peptide drug discovery projects that sit at the nexus of empirical medicinal chemistry and Calico's proprietary Machine Learning (ML) peptide design platform. You will collaborate cross-functionally with ML scientists, medicinal chemists, automation specialists, and biologists to explore structure-activity relationships (SAR). By leveraging a rapid design-make-test cycle, you will accelerate the optimization of therapeutic peptides and contribute to the evolution of a world-class synthetic engine. 

Key Responsibilities: 

  • Drive Discovery: Lead peptide drug discovery campaigns from initial hit identification through to IND-enabling studies
  • Innovate Synthetic Workflows: Onboard and optimize novel chemistries for high-throughput, automated peptide synthesis; troubleshoot complex synthetic challenges to generate high-quality leads, and curate a custom library of building blocks
  • Cross-Functional Partnership: Collaborate with biology, software, automation, assay, and pharmacology teams to ensure seamless execution of ML platform objectives and drug discovery milestones
  • Mentorship and Management: Actively mentor junior scientists, fostering a culture of technical excellence, continuous learning, and collaborative innovation
  • Manage external collaborations and CROs efficiently, including teams of chemists, DMPK scientists and formulation experts

Position Requirements: 

  • Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry, Peptide Chemistry, or a related discipline with 0-2 years of industry experience in drug discovery 
  • Experience in peptide hit discovery, SAR campaigns, ADMET optimization, and peptide formulation
  • Proven experience building and interpreting complex assay cascades, including biophysical characterization, functional protein/cell-based assays, and ADMET screening 
  • High proficiency in automated synthesis, purification (HPLC, Flash, SPE), and characterization (LCMS, NMR, CD, etc.) 
  • Demonstrated ability to implement diverse chemistries, including backbone-modifications, macrocyclization, stapling, and bioconjugation via solid- or solution-phase strategies 
  • Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills 
  • Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills for effective collaboration across diverse functional groups 
  • Must be willing to work onsite 5 days per week 

Nice to Have: 

  • Experience with organic synthesis, including transition metal catalysis and synthesis of non-canonical amino acids, is highly desired 
  • Experience with automation, software, and data-science integration into chemistry workflows 
  • Ability to utilize AI-tools to improve efficiency of research and build programs for data analysis or synthesis 
  • Knowledgeable on the key principles of ML-design for peptide therapeutics
  • Prior experience with peptide-specific computational tools for hit discovery, SAR prioritization, molecular modeling, and physicochemical characterization

The estimated base salary range for this role is $135,000 - $145,000. Actual pay will be based on a number of factors including experience and qualifications. This position is also eligible for two annual cash bonuses.

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