What is Drug Discovery?
Drug Discovery, in the scientific fields of medicine and pharmacology, refers to the exploration and discovery of new and effective medicinal substances and compounds, most usually through years of dedicated research and a large number of studies, conducted tests, and revisions.
How is Drug Discovery used?
Zippia reviewed thousands of resumes to understand how drug discovery is used in different jobs. Explore the list of common job responsibilities related to drug discovery below:
- Implement enterprise-scale compound registration and inventory database supporting drug discovery laboratories.
- Design, deploy, and support web-based registration tools for senior scientists and drug discovery leadership team.
- Key scientist in drug discovery program for identification of inhibitors for Replication Protein A (RPA).
- MARCH 2006 - JULY 2009 Principal IT specialist in Vanderbilt Program in Drug Discovery.
- Applied scientific knowledge of drug discovery to influence project strategy.
- Drug Discovery Support Scientist (2007-2012) !
Are Drug Discovery skills in demand?
Yes, drug discovery skills are in demand today. Currently, 1,234 job openings list drug discovery skills as a requirement. The job descriptions that most frequently include drug discovery skills are drug safety scientist, senior principal scientist, and senior research investigator.
How hard is it to learn Drug Discovery?
Based on the average complexity level of the jobs that use drug discovery the most: drug safety scientist, senior principal scientist, and senior research investigator. The complexity level of these jobs is challenging.
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What jobs can you get with Drug Discovery skills?
You can get a job as a drug safety scientist, senior principal scientist, and senior research investigator with drug discovery skills. After analyzing resumes and job postings, we identified these as the most common job titles for candidates with drug discovery skills.
Drug Safety Scientist
Job description:
It is the primary responsibility of a drug safety scientist to understand and share knowledge regarding the drug's adverse effects and its interactions with other chemicals. They are also responsible for increasing drug safety by recommending additional safety components. Also, they are the ones who will monitor the proper labeling of the drug. They conduct research studies and monitor participants for any drug effects until the research has stopped. They possess good communication skills to emphasize drug safety and proper use thoroughly.
- Chemistry
- Drug Discovery
- Drug Safety
- Safety Data
- FDA
- Drug Metabolism
Senior Principal Scientist
Job description:
A Senior Principal Scientist is focused on providing technical and scientific expertise in a specific field. They conduct quantitative and qualitative research to enhance existing products or develop new ones.
- Chemistry
- Drug Discovery
- Java
- Data Analysis
- Clinical Development
- Clinical Trials
Senior Research Investigator
Job description:
A Senior Research Investigator specializes in conducting extensive research and analysis to develop conclusions and recommendations. Although the extent of their responsibilities depends on their place or employment industry, it usually includes adhering to guidelines and timelines, narrowing down leads to gather and analyze data, consulting with experts, and maintaining records of all procedures. As a Senior Research Investigator, it is essential to lead and serve as a role model to less experienced investigators in the joint effort to reach project goals, all while implementing the facility's standards and regulations.
- Data Analysis
- Drug Discovery
- Chemistry
- Visualization
- BMS
- RNA
Director Of Cell Biology
Job description:
A director of cell biology is responsible for leading the monoclonal antibody group in immunoassay re-design for product integrity. You will oversee the initial research and development stage of the proprietary molecular detection devices and train all team members on becoming compliant with good laboratory practice. In addition, you will be responsible for executing small- and full-scale cell line development projects and developing ELISA methods for monitoring pollutants. You are also responsible for advising the senior management team on competing products and technologies.
- Cell Biology
- Cell Culture
- Cell-Based Assays
- Data Analysis
- Drug Discovery
- Cell Lines
Principal Scientist
Job description:
A Principal Scientist is focused on leading scientific teams and conducting research. They ensure that their teams have the resources to properly perform research tasks.
- Oncology
- Data Analysis
- Drug Discovery
- GMP
- Experimental Design
- Clinical Trials
Principal Research Scientist
Job description:
Principal research scientists are responsible for designing and directing research laboratories, commencing new research activities, and searching for funding opportunities. Other duties include presenting proposals and attaining the terms of research grants and contracts, organizing, running, and reporting on original research, as well as constituting their research groups externally. These scientists usually propose, implement, and report a distinguished scientific program. The individuals appointed on this role may regularly serve as chief investigators on grants and contracts.
- Research Projects
- Principal Research
- Data Analysis
- Project Management
- Drug Discovery
- Clinical Trials
Research Investigator
Job description:
A research investigator is responsible for obtaining information for various purposes through research and in-depth investigation, ensuring the authenticity and accuracy of data to solve cases. Research investigators develop a strategic approach to data gathering procedures, maintaining the integrity of outputs, and keeping the confidentiality of information. They also strictly adhere to the standard protocols and federal regulations, as well as performing high-level duties according to business requirements and client specifications, following the budget limitations and timetable.
- Patients
- Data Analysis
- Molecular Biology
- Immunology
- Drug Discovery
- Visualization
How much can you earn with Drug Discovery skills?
You can earn up to $101,897 a year with drug discovery skills if you become a drug safety scientist, the highest-paying job that requires drug discovery skills. Senior principal scientists can earn the second-highest salary among jobs that use Python, $119,042 a year.
| Job title | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Drug Safety Scientist | $101,897 | $49 |
| Senior Principal Scientist | $119,042 | $57 |
| Senior Research Investigator | $90,336 | $43 |
| Director Of Cell Biology | $79,225 | $38 |
| Principal Scientist | $119,982 | $58 |
Companies using Drug Discovery in 2026
The top companies that look for employees with drug discovery skills are Johnson & Johnson, Merck, and Bristol-Myers Squibb. In the millions of job postings we reviewed, these companies mention drug discovery skills most frequently.
| Rank | Company | % of all skills | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Johnson & Johnson | 18% | 1,469 |
| 2 | Merck | 13% | 2,351 |
| 3 | Bristol-Myers Squibb | 11% | 2,242 |
| 4 | AbbVie | 6% | 1,643 |
| 5 | Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc. | 6% | 1,671 |
Departments using Drug Discovery
| Department | Average salary |
|---|---|
| Research & Development | $87,120 |
5 courses for Drug Discovery skills
1. Drug Discovery
The University of California San Diego, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Drug Discovery course brings you lectures from both faculty and industry experts. With this course, recorded on campus at UCSD, we seek to share our access to top people in the field who bring an unprecedented range of expertise on drug discovery. In this course you will learn the drug discovery process up to the filing of an Initial New Drug Application or IND. Each week you will learn the steps that a pharmaceutical or biotech company goes through to discover a new therapeutic drug. In this course you will be able to: * Understand the pharmaceutical and biotechnology market a changing landscape * Learn the major aspects of the drug discovery process, starting with target selection, to compound screening to designing lead candidates. * Recognize current modern drug discovery based on the lock-and-key theory, which attempts to use one single compound to hit one target to combat the related disease. * Increase understanding of the various drug discovery tools and methods that are used for finding, identifying and designing a new drug. * Define and understand the regulatory responsibilities for drug discovery to file an Investigational New Drug Application (IND). This course is intended as part 1 of a series: Drug Discovery, Drug Development (https://www.coursera.org/learn/drug-development) and Drug Commercialization (https://www.coursera.org/learn/drug-commercialization). We would highly recommend that you take the courses in order since it will give you a better understanding on how a drug is discovered in the lab before being tested in clinical trials and then launched in the market place...
2. Introduction to Drug Discovery and Drug Development
Understand the science behind pharmaceutical drug discovery, drug development, and clinical trials. Whether you're expanding your career knowledge into the pharmaceutical industry or an aspiring pharmaceutical scientist or clinical project coordinator, you've come to the right place. This course will give you an introductory understanding of the science behind how drug candidates are discovered and selected, how drugs are developed, the process of clinical trial, alternative medicine, generic and innovator drugs, regulatory affairs, and an overview of the pharmaceutical industry, While most science courses focus on simply what the theories are, I teach through applicable, real-life examples designed to show you why these theories work and how they can be applied in your very own daily lives. I will not teach you to memorize formulas, theories, or to regurgitate facts and drug names. I will provide insights into the drug discovery and development through the lens of a pharmaceutical scientist or clinical project coordinator. By the end of the course, you'll be able to: Describe how drugs candidates are discovered, developed, put through clinical trial, and regulatedExplain the similarity and differences between generic and innovator (brand) drugsUnderstand alternative and complementary medicine, what they are, why people use them, and how they workDiscuss the controversies surrounding Big Pharma and the biggest lawsuits surrounding pharmaceutical companiesExplain the theory of bioequivalence, narrow therapeutic drugs, regulatory requirementsKnow the difference between pharmaceutical scientist, pharmacist, pharmacologists, toxicologists, doctors, and nursesAnd many, many more! The course will provide you with: Instructional videos of course contentLecture slides to go with the instructional videosDownloadable technical resourcesQuizzes to test your understandingLifetime accessEmail and message supportDisclaimer: The contents of this course Introduction to Drug Discovery and Drug Development, including but not limited to text, graphics, images, and other material contained on Udemy ("Content") are for informational purposes only. I do not intend the Content to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read or learned it on Udemy...
3. Introduction to drug development and discovery
Drug development is often a long and complicated process. From the initial phase, with the research and discovery of molecular targets, to tests with human beings, in later phases, drug tests constitute an innovation process where great care needs to be taken. It comprises one of the most laborious and costly processes of discovering new things. This course is an introduction to the drug discovery process, explaining from the initial phases, such as in vitro tests, the difference between phenotypic and mechanistic tests, through animal tests, with the main difference between used animal models, to the tests clinics in human beings, with explanations about different drug discovery situations, such as specific contexts for cancers, for infectious diseases. The course has a session dedicated to the development of vaccines, with a certain emphasis on how COVID-19 vaccines work, for example. The course is divided into the following sessions:1- Introduction2- In vitro tests: testing compounds in cells3- In silico tests - computational analysis helping the process4- In vivo tests - experiments on laboratory animals5 - Clinical tests - Tests performed on human beings6 - Introduction to vaccine development7 - Extra sectionThis course is an introduction to the drug discovery process, explaining from the initial phases, such as in vitro tests, the difference between phenotypic and mechanistic tests, through animal tests, with the main difference between used animal models, to the tests clinics in human beings, with explanations about different drug discovery situations, such as specific contexts for cancers, for infectious diseases, and also the development of vaccines, with a certain emphasis on how COVID-19 vaccines work, for example. So, if you are interested in knowing... a. How a drug discovery process is carried outb. Different types of experiments conducted in drug discoveryc. What are the advantages and features of animal models for drug discoveryd. How are clinical (human) trials conductede. How vaccines are developed... then, I think this course is for you!...
4. Introduction to AI & ML techniques in Drug Discovery
A perfect course for Bachelors / Masters / PhD students who are getting started into Drug Discovery research. This course is specially designed keeping in view of beginner level knowledge on Artificial Intelligence, Machine learning and computational drug discovery applications for science students. By the end of this course participants will be equipped with the basic knowledge required to navigate their drug discovery project making use of the Artificial Intelligence and Machine learning based tools...
5. Basics of Computer Aided Drug Discovery Part-I
A perfect course for Bachelors / Masters / PhD students who are getting started into Drug Discovery research. This course is specially designed keeping in view of beginner level knowledge on computational drug discovery applications for science students. By the end of this course participants will be equipped with the basic knowledge required to navigate their drug discovery project making use of the biological databases and computational tools...