Academic ConnectDescription
Research Associate in Synthetic Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Discovery Supervision
Job number
NAT01961
Faculties
Faculty of Natural Sciences
Departments
Department of Chemistry
Salary or Salary range
£49,017 - £57,472 per annum
Location/campus
White City Campus - On site only
Contract type work pattern
Full time - Fixed term
Posting End Date
1 Sept 2025
About the role
We are seeking a synthetic medicinal chemist to deliver research project supervision as an integral part of Imperial’s MRes in Drug Discovery and Development, in collaboration with Professor Ed Tate, and Dr Anna Barnard and Dr Louise Walport (MRes co-Directors). This includes training and supervision in all aspects of project development, ligand design and synthetic chemistry, assisting with preparation of assessed work, and MRes course development.
In addition, you will be responsible for safety oversight and training in synthetic medicinal chemistry in the multidisciplinary research group of Professor Tate, including research support, maintaining a safe and productive working environment in accordance with health & safety procedures, and aspects of group management.
This role involves a high degree of teamwork, support, and supervision of multidisciplinary research, with a focus on synthetic organic chemistry and medicinal chemistry. You will be involved in a wide range of ongoing research projects with both internal and external collaborators, providing multiple opportunities to develop skills in research leadership, supervision, teaching, course development and research dissemination.
More information about the MRes in Drug Discovery and Development: Multidisciplinary Science for Next Generation Therapeutics can be found here: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/study/courses/postgraduate-taught/drug-discovery-development/
What you would be doing
Your role will be to drive discovery and development of novel medicinal chemistry methods in support of students on various drug campaigns. You will work in support of the Tate, Barnard and Walport research groups to aid in design and execution of new synthetic exploration. This will include both supervision and collaboration with colleagues at Imperial and the Drug Discovery Hub. Further details will be discussed in confidence with shortlisted candidates.
The Tate, Barnard and Walport groups are culturally diverse and highly multidisciplinary, with project teams encompassing scientists at all levels of experience and from a variety of backgrounds (chemical biology, cell biology, proteomics, cancer biology, drug discovery, etc.). Candidates are expected to take responsibility to drive and support projects, co-lead collaborative teams, and engage in co-supervision of Master and PhD level students. We are looking for candidates who can thrive in this dynamic and creative environment and take optimal advantage of the many training opportunities it provides.
What we are looking for
Essential criteria for the role include:
- Hold, or near completion of, a PhD in medicinal chemistry, organic chemistry, or a closely related chemistry field, or equivalent level of professional qualifications and experience
- Strong track record in medicinal chemistry, consistent with experience
- Competence in design and execution of synthetic strategies, including analysis and purification
- Ability to supervise students from a wide range of backgrounds in synthetic chemistry/drug discovery.
Desirable experience for this role includes one or more of the following: Prior experience in management of a synthetic chemistry lab and health and safety related to synthetic chemistry work would be an advantage, peptide synthesis and purification, as would hands-on experience in molecular modelling to support ligand design (e.g. MoE, Schrodinger, etc.).
What we can offer you
You will join the world-leading Department of Chemistry at Imperial, which recently moved to new state-of-the art research facilities in the Molecular Sciences Research Hub at the Imperial White City Campus. This has allowed significant expansion of our research activities, including in medicinal chemistry, cell and chemical biology, and brings together molecular sciences research across the College and external partners to tackle global grand challenges. The Department of Chemistry proudly holds an Athena SWAN Gold Award and strives to provide a working environment where all our staff feel fully supported to flourish and excel.
Additionally:
- The opportunity to continue your career at a world-leading institution and be part of our mission to continue science for humanity.
- Grow your career: Gain access to Imperial’s sector-leading dedicated career support for researchers as well as opportunities for promotion and progression
- Sector-leading salary and remuneration package (including 39 days off a year and generous pension schemes).
Further information
Candidates who have not yet been officially awarded their PhD will be appointed as a Research Assistant.
For informal enquiries about the post, please contact Prof Ed Tate: e.tate@imperial.ac.uk
http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/people/e.tate.
Available documents
Attached documents are available under links. Clicking a document link will initialize its download.
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Please note that job descriptions are not exhaustive, and you may be asked to take on additional duties that align with the key responsibilities mentioned above.
We reserve the right to close the advert prior to the closing date stated should we receive a high volume of applications. It is therefore advisable that you submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
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About Imperial
Welcome to Imperial, a global top ten university where scientific imagination leads to world-changing impact.
Join us and be part of something bigger. From global health to climate change, AI to business leadership, here at Imperial we navigate some of the world’s toughest challenges. Whatever your role, your contribution will have a lasting impact.
As a member of our vibrant community of 22,000 students and 8,000 staff, you’ll collaborate with passionate minds across nine London campuses and a global network.
This is your chance to help shape the future. We hope you’ll join us at Imperial College London.
Our Culture
We work towards equality of opportunity, to eliminating discrimination, and to creating an inclusive working environment for all. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries, and are committed to employing a team that has diverse skills, experiences and abilities. You can read more about our commitment on our webpages.
Our values are at the root of everything we do and everyone in our community is expected to demonstrate respect, collaboration, excellence, integrity, and innovation.