Research Internship in Mass Spectrometry for Drug Discovery with an Industrial PhD Pathway

• 20 September 2026
• 100%
• Permanent position
• Zurich

Research Internship in Mass Spectrometry for Drug Discovery with an Industrial PhD Pathway

About Us

Philogen is an integrated Swiss-Italian biotechnology company founded in 1996 and dedicated to developing innovative biopharmaceuticals for cancer therapy.

Philochem AG is the discovery and R&D center of the Philogen Group, located in Otelfingen, near Zurich, Switzerland. Promising preclinical candidates developed at Philochem are subsequently manufactured at Philogen-s authorized Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) facilities in Siena, Italy. The company currently sponsors and coordinates prospective Phase I, II, and III clinical trials in Europe and the United States. Although its primary focus is cancer research, the company is also active in the discovery of innovative therapies for inflammatory conditions.

Philochem operates through four key departments:

• Mass Spectrometry: developing mass spectrometry-based techniques for the company-s drug discovery and development programs.
• Chemistry: discovery of targeted small organic molecules for diagnostic and therapeutic applications
• Biology: discovery of innovative therapeutic proteins
• Cell Line Development: development of GMP-ready mammalian cell lines expressing therapeutic proteins

Your Role

We are seeking a highly motivated, scientifically ambitious, and collaborative early-career scientist to join the Mass Spectrometry team at Philochem.

The project will focus on the design, synthesis, screening, and validation of an affinity-selection mass spectrometry platform for the identification of novel ligands for targeted therapeutic and diagnostic applications. The successful candidate will work closely with an interdisciplinary team and contribute to ligand-discovery programs with potential translational impact.

For a candidate who demonstrates strong scientific progress and is a good fit for the team, the internship may provide a pathway to an industrial PhD project in collaboration with a leading European university.

Your Tasks

• Develop and optimize mass spectrometry-based selection strategies and data-analysis workflows to identify high-affinity binders for relevant targets
• Develop, optimize, and implement synthetic workflows for library generation
• Operate, troubleshoot, and maintain state-of-the-art mass spectrometry instrumentation, such as Orbitrap instruments
• Work independently and as part of an interdisciplinary team, effectively prioritizing tasks, managing multiple activities, and maintaining a high level of organization
• Regularly present findings to the project team and at scientific meetings
• Write and publish scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals

Your Profile

• Master-s degree (MSc) in chemistry, medicinal chemistry, pharmacy, or related discipline
• Hands-on experience in the operation and maintenance of HPLC and mass spectrometry instruments
• Experience in organic synthesis, (e.g., solid-phase synthesis)
• Good understanding of the drug discovery and development process for small molecules
• Good data-analysis skills, including experience with R or Python, and familiarity with mass spectrometry software as for example Xcalibur, OpenLab CDS, Skyline, MaxQuant, or FragPipe
• Strong communication skills, scientific curiosity, and a proactive mindset
• Fluency in spoken and written English

How to Apply

• CV
• Motivation letter
• University transcripts
• Contact details for at least two references, or preferably two letters of recommendation

Applications will be reviewed on a continuous basis. Due to the high volume of applications, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.