Staff Scientist
University of Chicago
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.
Job description
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 chemical biology 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.
Preferred Qualifications
Education: Ph.D. in Chemical Biology, Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacology, or a related field.
- Experience with organic synthesis.
- Experience with drug design.
- Experience with library synthesis and screening.
- Experience with assay development.
- Experience with molecular docking.
- Experience with liver microsome stability assay.
- Experience with PK/PD.
- Experience with protein expression and purification.
Preferred Competencies
- Strong experimental and analytical skills in protein biochemistry.
- 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.
Requirements
- PhD in related field
- 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline
- Experience with organic synthesis
- Experience with drug design
- Experience with library synthesis and screening
- Experience with assay development
- Experience with molecular docking
- Experience with liver microsome stability assay
- Experience with PK/PD
- Experience with protein expression and purification
- Strong experimental and analytical skills in protein biochemistry
- 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
Benefits
- Health
- Retirement
- Paid Time Off
Company overview
The University of Chicago is a world-renowned private research university founded in 1890 and located in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. As a premier academic institution, it operates one of the most comprehensive biomedical research enterprises in the United States through its Biological Sciences Division, which includes over 1,100 faculty members across 10 basic science and 14 clinical departments. The university manages extensive research infrastructure including the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center, multiple specialized research institutes, and maintains affiliations with Argonne National Laboratory and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. With research funding exceeding $450 million annually and more than 3,300 patents filed since 1987, the institution is a global leader in scientific discovery and innovation. The Biological Sciences Division alone supports over 500 research-active faculty who secure an average of $588,000 in NIH funding per principal investigator, focusing on areas including cancer biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular metabolism, neuroscience, and evolutionary biology. The university's commitment to interdisciplinary research and its unique position as manager of national laboratories creates unparalleled opportunities for translational research and scientific advancement.