Staff Scientist - Medicinal Chemistry
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, TX
$65,000 - $80,000 a year
Description
Summary
The Erwin Lab at Baylor College of Medicine seeks a Staff Scientist to design and synthesize novel ligands for treating repeat expansion diseases. This position will lead the synthesis of pyrrole-imidazole polyamides and conjugates. The ideal candidate will have strong expertise in multi-step organic synthesis and a passion for translating chemical innovations into therapeutic leads.
Job Duties
- Design and synthesize small molecule ligands that can be conjugated with pyrrole-imidazole polyamides for therapeutic applications.
- Execute multi-step syntheses of pyrrole-imidazole polyamides via manual solid-phase synthesis using Fmoc- and Boc-protected amino acids.
- Conjugate polyamides to small molecules using standard coupling chemistry with various linker designs.
- Purify compounds by reverse-phase HPLC and characterize by NMR and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.
- Maintain detailed laboratory notebooks and present findings at lab meetings.
- Optimize linker chemistries and conjugation strategies to enhance compound stability and cellular uptake.
- Synthesize fluorescently-labeled analogs for uptake studies.
- Troubleshoot and optimize synthetic routes for challenging targets.
- Maintain chemical inventory and ensure laboratory safety compliance.
- May supervise graduate students and undergraduate researchers on synthesis projects at the direction of the PI.
- Perform other job related duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications
- Doctoral Degree. Experience may not be substituted in lieu of degree.
- Three years of post doctoral research experience.
Department Specific Criteria
- Familiarity with HPLC purification, NMR, and mass spectrometry characterization required.
Preferred Qualifications
- Ph.D. in Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, or related field with demonstrated expertise in multi-step organic synthesis.
- Experience with solid-phase peptide synthesis, heterocyclic chemistry, and/or natural product synthesis preferred.
- Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work independently.
Baylor College of Medicine is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Equal Access Employer.