Research Associate in Chemistry

About the role

The Department of Chemistry at the University of Virginia (UVA) invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research position in Drug Discovery, Medicinal Chemistry, and Chemical Biology, under the direction of Professor Muhammad Murtaza Hassan.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and synthesis of structurally complex small molecules
• Develop innovative synthetic strategies to access novel chemical space
• Collaborate closely with biochemists, molecular and cancer biologists, structural biologists, and computational scientists to advance projects from chemical design through biological evaluation

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, or a closely related discipline by the start date
• Demonstrated expertise in multistep synthetic organic chemistry, with a strong preference for experience in total synthesis, natural product synthesis, or synthetic methodology development
• Proven ability to independently design synthetic routes, optimize challenging reactions, and solve complex synthetic problems
• Strong proficiency in modern purification and analytical techniques, including chromatography, NMR spectroscopy, LC-MS, and HRMS
• A strong publication record demonstrating scientific productivity and innovation
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including manuscript preparation, grant/fellowship writing, and presentation of research findings
• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively within a collaborative, multidisciplinary research environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in medicinal chemistry, structure–activity relationship (SAR) studies, computational molecular design, or small-molecule drug discovery
• Experience mentoring graduate or undergraduate researchers

Benefits

This position offers the opportunity to contribute to high-impact, multidisciplinary research while developing an independent research profile.

Pay

The anticipated salary range is $61,000 - $64,000 commensurate with experience.

Schedule

This is a one-year appointment; however, the appointment may be renewed for additional one-year increments, contingent upon available funding and satisfactory performance.

Contact Information

• Professor Muhammad Murtaza Hassan, vtq4ve@virginia.edu
• Richard Haverstrom, Faculty Search Advisor, rkh6j@Virginia.edu