Chemistry Research Scientist

The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) is looking for Chemistry Research Scientists with automation experience for our Rockville, Maryland location with expertise in modern organic synthesis. NCATS is one of the younger institutes of the (National Institutes of Health). NCATS was established to transform the translational process so that new treatments and cures for disease can be delivered to patients faster.  We’ve recently launched a new initiative referred to as ASPIRE (A Specialized Platform for Innovative Research Exploration) (https://ncats.nih.gov/aspire), with a strong emphasis on creating an integrated synthetic chemistry platform. 

The candidate will be working in a highly creative chemistry technology environment developing advanced synthesis and isolation platforms aimed at transforming work that has been traditionally the domain of the manually attended chemistry hood. The role will require an ability to apply a broad knowledge of chemical synthesis, and technological innovation. The ideal candidate should be independent and well-trained in the field of synthetic chemistry or medicinal chemistry. They will be responsible for developing and validating automated synthesis platforms in a highly integrated environment working alongside team members with a focus in facilitating and advancing translational research objectives in coordination with the team leader.  Previous experiences with advanced synthesis platforms and/or involvement in their design and implementation would be highly desirable. The candidate will need to work in a cross-disciplinary team environment, requires strong communication skills, and conducts their work in a respectful, thoughtful, and diverse workplace environment.

Qualifications

•             Position requires a Masters or PhD degree in chemistry and/or a minimum of two years’ experience in an advanced   chemistry research laboratory.

•             Willingness to work in a multidisciplinary environment - interacting with analytical chemists, biologists, automation engineers and software engineers.

•             Previous direct experience running a broad range of organic synthesis reactions and synthetic targets.

•             Previous experience in an environment focused on automation development in a research setting would be desirable.

•             Broad range of experience with both common (e.g. balances, glassware, fume hood manifolds, etc) and specialized (e.g. LC/MS, Microwave reactors, etc.) synthetic chemistry equipment.

•             Experience collecting and interpreting data from analytical equipment (LC/MS, HNMR, other?)

•             Demonstrated ability to learn, operate and troubleshoot complex laboratory equipment.

•             Demonstrated ability to multi-task effectively in the laboratory (e.g. setting up and running parallel experiments)

•             A demonstrated proclivity towards improving processes and delivering practical solutions.

•             Experience with electronic notebooks (desirable).