Postdoctoral Fellow, Medicinal Chemistry

About VCU

We are the university for Virginia. We know that the unique backgrounds and experiences of the VCU community are what drive the university forward. Together, we’re forging a future that is built by us. Here, artists and engineers, doctors and designers come together to reimagine the human experience and tackle the problems of tomorrow.

VCU dates to 1838 with the formation of the Medical Department of Hampden-Sydney College, whose mission was to educate physicians in central Virginia and which was later renamed Medical College of Virginia. In 1968, Richmond Professional Institute merged with the Medical College of Virginia to become what is now known as Virginia Commonwealth University.

About School of Pharmacy

The School of Pharmacy has a 125-year tradition beginning with the Medical College of Virginia and continuing to the present. Ranked in the top 20 of Schools of Pharmacy nationwide, the school is dedicated to graduating outstanding future pharmacists and scientists who will improve human health, foster exemplary research, and provide sustaining contributions to inter professional patient care. The University recognized the School of Pharmacy as the highest-ranking academic unit for Inclusive Excellence.

Some postdoctoral scholars are eligible for a generous benefits package that includes choices for health, vision, and dental coverage, life-insurance, short and long-term disability coverage, retirement planning, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, flexible spending accounts, tuition benefits, significant paid-time off and more. Postdoctoral scholars should clarify with their mentor if their appointment is as a postdoctoral scholar-trainee on a training grant, or a postdoctoral scholar-fellow who is an employee on a research grant. Please note: Benefits associated with postdoctoral appointments terminate when the appointment ends. Explore our benefits further here: https://hr.vcu.edu/current-employees/benefits/postdoctoral-employee-benefits/

About the Role

A postdoctoral fellow position is immediately available in the laboratory of Dr. Shijun Zhang’s lab in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Key responsibilities

The candidate will be involved and conduct research to design and synthesize small molecule compounds as potential probes and therapeutics for neurodegenerative disorders

Assist with lab maintenance

Assist with graduate students training

Required Qualifications

• PhD degree in organic synthesis, or synthetic medicinal chemistry, or pharmaceutical sciences
  
• Strong communication skills
  
• Ability to work independently and as part of team
  
• Willingness and ability to assist mentor junior scientists.
  
• Demonstrated experience working in and fostering an environment of respect, professionalism and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from various backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a faculty member at VCU.”
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong experience in synthetic medicinal chemistry, with additional experiences in cell culture preferred