Postdoctoral Research Associate in Edinburgh

The Institute of Chemical Sciences is seeking an ambitious and highly motivated Post-Doctoral Research Associate to join the research group of Dr Dominic Willcox. This 3-year project, funded by the EPSRC New Investigator Award, will be carried out at Heriot-Watt University in close collaboration with our project partners at Enamine Ltd. You will develop new synthetic methodologies to access complex silicon-containing building blocks relevant to drug discovery guided by computational chemistry.

The successful candidate will devise and optimise synthetic pathways to novel silicon-containing building blocks with the opportunity to carry out high-throughput experimentation. Candidates should have or expect to obtain a PhD or equivalent qualification in synthetic chemistry or a closely related field. They should have experience with synthesis and characterisation of organic compounds with experience of inert-atmosphere techniques (e.g. Schlenk line and glovebox). Experience of silicon chemistry, catalysis, computational chemistry, and cheminformatics are all highly desirable. Training in computational chemistry/cheminformatics can be provided if required.

You will be expected to take a leading role in the research group including laboratory management, participating in group meetings, and presenting findings at national and international conferences.

Detailed Responsibilities

• Conduct experimental and synthetic chemistry for the synthesis of relevant starting materials and catalysts.
• Develop novel synthetic methodologies to access silicon-containing building blocks.
• Isolate and fully characterise any novel compounds resulting from this project.
• Undertake mechanistic investigations of the new synthetic methodologies supported by reaction kinetics, NMR, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction.
• Perform computational chemistry to assess the properties of novel compounds and support ongoing reaction development.
• Use cheminformatics to guide target compound selection.
• Maintain accurate laboratory records and ensure high standards of research data management and reproducibility.
• Engage actively with project partners and participate in regular meetings to report progress.
• Contribute to research outputs, including publications, presentations, and dissemination at national and international conferences.
• Contribute to bids for research grants.
• Assist in the supervision of undergraduate/postgraduate research students and research assistants as required.
• Contribute to the smooth running of the Group’s laboratories and facilities with other scientists, technicians, and students within the laboratories.
• Comply with EPS and ICT safety practices and attend safety courses when appropriate.
• Promote the reputation of the Willcox Group, the Institute of Chemical Sciences, and Heriot-Watt University.
• Any other duties as may be deemed reasonable by the Group Leader as well as the Global Head of the Institute of Chemical Sciences.

Essential Criteria

• A PhD (or about to obtain) in chemistry.
• Knowledge and experience of synthesis and catalysis, including the ability to work effectively with air- and moisture-sensitive compounds.
• Knowledge and experience of a range of spectroscopic and analytical methods of relevance to the project area.
• A track record of publishing research results in peer-review journals or for IP protection and an ability to lead the writing up of results for publication in a timely manner.
• Evidence of self-motivation and the ability to work independently.
• Willingness to undertake training in computational chemistry.
• Willingness to work proactively with industry collaborators.
• Have a strong ability to plan and manage their own time to consistently meet deadlines, whilst maintaining excellent research quality.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience of pursuing external funding.
• Experience of computational chemistry techniques.
• Experience in cheminformatics, machine learning and/or algorithm development for chemical synthesis.
• Experience with UNIX and HPC clusters.
• Experience working with industrial/academic partners.
• Experience supervising undergraduate or PhD students.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Heriot-Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities. Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all. Heriot-Watt University values diversity across our university community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups.