Postdoctoral Research Associate in Organic Chemistry

About us

We are seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral research associate to join the group of Dr Saidul Islam at the Department of Chemistry, King\’s College London, as part of our programme investigating the chemical origins of life on early Earth.

The postholder will design, plan, and carry out the chemical synthesis of potentially prebiological molecules, study their (organo)catalytic functions in aqueous environments, and explore how they may have contributed to the emergence of early metabolic pathways.

This position offers the opportunity to work at the forefront of prebiotic chemistry in a supportive and growing research team, with access to state-of-the-art instrumentation and fully equipped laboratories.

For more information about our research, please visit https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/saidul-islam and the following references to related research:

Fairchild et. al., Science (2024) , 383 , 911-918.

Islam, Nature Chemistry (2022), 14 , 123.

Foden et. al. Science (2020), 370 , 865.

Canavelli, Nature (2019), 576 , 546.

Islam et. al., Chem (2017), 2 , 470.

Islam et. al., Nature Chemistry (2017) , 9 , 584.

About the role

We are looking for a candidate with a strong background in synthetic organic chemistry, including experience in multi-step synthesis and mechanistic studies, and particular expertise in NMR spectroscopy. Experience in solution- and/or solid-phase peptide and nucleic acid synthesis and their isolation and characterisation is highly desirable.

Excellent organisational and interpersonal skills are essential, as is the ability to contribute to the design and implementation of research projects, maintain accurate records and analyses, and prepare internal reports and publications.

In addition to the requirements outlined in \’Key Specifications\’, the postholder is required to have a

• PhD in organic chemistry or a closely related discipline (or near completion).
• Strong background in synthetic organic chemistry, including multi-step synthesis.
• Expertise in analytical techniques, particularly NMR spectroscopy.
• Experience in solution-phase and/or solid-phase peptide and/or nucleic acid synthesis, isolation, and characterisation.
• Demonstrated record of high-quality research, evidenced by publications in peer-reviewed journals.
• Excellent communication skills, including experience writing research outputs for publication.
• Demonstrable enthusiasm for understanding the chemical origins of life and the mechanistic logic of biochemistry.

For informal enquiries, please contact Dr Saidul Islam at saidul.islam@kcl.ac.uk. This post is advertised with an intended start date of 1st January 2026, but there may be flexibility.

This is a full time post (35 hours per week), and you will be offered a fixed term contract until January 2029.

About you

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:

Essential criteria

1. PhD in organic chemistry or a closely related discipline (or near completion).
2. Strong practical background in synthetic organic chemistry, including multi-step synthesis
3. Expertise in separation and characterisation of small to medium sized molecules, particularly by NMR spectroscopy
4. Expertise in spectroscopic techniques for characterisation of reaction mixtures, in particular NMR spectroscopy (and also including LC, HPLC, MS, UV, IR).
5. Demonstrated track record of high-quality research, evidenced by publications in peer-reviewed journals.
6. Excellent communication skills, including experience in writing research outputs for publication.
7. Ability to present complex information succinctly and effectively to a range of audiences
8. Ability to work collaboratively

Desirable criteria

1. Knowledge and/or practical experience of prebiotic chemistry
2. Knowledge of organocatalysis in aqueous media
3. Experience in solution and/or solid phase peptide and/or nucleic acid syntheses and characterisation
4. Evidence of independent funding
5. Knowledge of core biochemical pathway mechanisms

* Please note that this is a PhD level role but candidates who have submitted their thesis and are awaiting award of their PhDs will be considered. In these circumstances the appointment will be made at Grade 5, spine point 30 with the title of Research Assistant. Upon confirmation of the award of the PhD, the job title will become Research Associate and the salary will increase to Grade 6.

Downloading a copy of our Job Description

Full details of the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required can be found in the Job Description document, provided at the bottom of the page. This document will provide information of what criteria will be assessed at each stage of the recruitment process.

Further Information

We pride ourselves on being inclusive and welcoming. We embrace diversity and want everyone to feel that they belong and are connected to others in our community.

We are committed to working with our staff and unions on these and other issues, to continue to support our people and to develop a diverse and inclusive culture at King\’s.

As part of this commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and through this appointment process, it is our aim to develop candidate pools that include applicants from all backgrounds and communities.

We ask all candidates to submit a copy of their CV, and a supporting statement, detailing how they meet the essential criteria listed in the advert. If we receive a strong field of candidates, we may use the desirable criteria to choose our final shortlist, so please include your evidence against these where possible.

To find out how our managers will review your application, please take a look at our \’ How we Recruit \’ pages.