Staff Scientist – Medical Chemistry

Department

BSD MED - Genetic Medicine - Center for Chemical Biology and Therapeutics (CCBT)

About the Department

The Center for Chemical Biology and Therapeutics (CCBT) at the University of Chicago is newly established and dedicated to interdisciplinary and translational research that bridges chemical biology and clinical applications. Co-directed by Dr. Hening Lin and Dr. Chuan He, the Center fosters collaboration between chemists, biologists, engineers, and clinical scientists to advance drug discovery and therapeutic development. CCBT will organize monthly faculty meetings, symposiums, workshops, and students/postdoc seminars to enhance collaboration across different fields. The Center will also build a Therapeutic Core Facility to support drug discovery efforts. This staff scientist position will lead the medicinal chemistry effort of the Therapeutic Core Facility.

Job Summary

The Staff Scientist will play a key role in supporting and advancing the research initiatives of CCBT. The ideal candidate will have expertise in medicinal chemistry, organic synthesis, chemical biology, fragment-based drug discovery, library screening, lead optimization, assay development, and will contribute to experimental design, project execution, data analysis, and scientific communication. This position provides an excellent opportunity to work in a dynamic and collaborative research environment while driving innovative therapeutic discoveries.

Responsibilities

• Lead the medicinal chemistry efforts in the Therapeutic Core Facility.

• Design and perform experiments in areas such as fragment-based drug discovery, high-throughput screening, chemical synthesis, drug solubility, membrane permeability, liver microsome stability, PK/PD.

• Collaborate with faculty, postdocs, and students to facilitate research programs.

• Provide technical expertise, mentorship, and training to junior researchers.

• Participate in grant writing, manuscript preparation, patent application, and scientific presentations.

• Oversee research operations, equipment maintenance, and laboratory protocols of the Therapeutic Core.

• Support the development of the Therapeutic Core Facility by optimizing workflows and methodologies.

• Coordinate with external partners, core facilities, and funding agencies as needed.

• Train and supervise non-PhD level lab technicians/assistants.

• Follow all research safety regulations and ensure that the Therapeutic Core Facility operates in a safe environment.

• Assist the Center Directors in areas as needed.

• Serves as a resource for collecting data and performing analysis. Facilitates and promotes a research project by providing scientific or intellectual information.

• Develops laboratory protocols and training on new techniques. Manage, analyze and make recommendations on complex data sets for research.

• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

Minimum requirements include a PhD in related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Experience:

• Research experience in a related job discipline as evidenced by high-quality publications.
   

Preferred Competencies

• Strong experimental and analytical skills in medicinal chemistry.

• Proven track record of scientific publications and research contributions.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary environment.

• Strong manuscript and proposal writing skills.

• Ability to work with people from different backgrounds.

• Strong problem-solving skills.
   

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)

• Cover Letter (required)

When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family

Research

Role Impact

Individual Contributor

Scheduled Weekly Hours

40

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required<