Cheminformatics Lead Research Scientist - Chemical Insights Research Institute II
About The Position
We have an exciting opportunity for a Cheminformatics Lead Research Scientist II at UL Research Institutes Chemical Insights Research Institute (CIRI), based in our Morrisville, NC facility. The Cheminformatics Lead Research Scientist develops and applies advanced cheminformatics workflows to support the UL Research Institutes' Chemical Insights mission of advancing human and environmental health. This role focuses on developing requisite datasets and databases for characterizing chemicals with potential human exposure, including structure-based predictions for physiochemical properties, toxicological responses, toxicokinetic properties, and exposure-related functional uses. The Cheminformatics Lead Research Scientist works closely with CIRI scientists and external collaborators to deliver high-quality scientific outputs that inform chemical safety, risk assessment, regulatory policy, and public awareness. UL Research Institutes: At UL Research Institutes (ULRI), we expand the boundaries of safety science to create a more secure and sustainable world. For more than a century, we have studied the unintended consequences of innovation, designed solutions to mitigate risk and shared our findings with academia, scientists, manufacturers, and policymakers across industries. We identify critical safety and sustainability issues, asking the tough questions because we believe a safer world begins with knowledge. Build a safer, more secure, and sustainable future with us. Join us and work with our Chemical Insight team who conduct the research required to produce that knowledge and put into practice. Chemical Insights Research Institute (CIRI): The Chemical Insights Research Institute (CIRI) contributes to the protection of public health and well-being by conducting scientific research. Our research and initiatives let people around the world know what chemicals are in the air we breathe and how they affect human health and the planet. We share our research and knowledge through information and application tools with leaders in the scientific, business, and policy communities to raise awareness of human health risks stemming from emerging technologies. To learn more, visit: chemicalinsights.org/
Requirements
- Expert-level knowledge in chemistry, cheminformatics, and related scientific disciplines.
- Expert understanding of molecular structure representations, descriptor calculation, and chemical taxonomy/classification.
- Demonstrated contributions related to chemistry topics relevant to toxicology, exposure science, non-targeted analysis, or toxicokinetics.
- Proficiency in Python, R, and/or Java, along with experience using or creating SQL, noSQL, or other database solutions.
- Demonstrated ability to independently execute cheminformatic workflows and oversee all research project phases from design to dissemination.
- Proven track record of publishing in peer-reviewed journals and presenting at scientific meetings.
- Clearly communicate complex chemistry and cheminformatic concepts to diverse technical and non-technical audiences and translate findings into actionable insights.
- Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to integrate chemical structural and property data with broader public health research.
- Ability to collaborate effectively in multidisciplinary teams.
- Demonstrated ability to mentor and develop junior scientists, post-doctoral researchers, and interns while fostering a collaborative research environment.
- PhD in chemistry, computational chemistry, or a related field.
- Minimum 8 years of post-graduate experience in cheminformatics, computational chemistry, or related disciplines.
- Demonstrated experience in developing cheminformatic workflows using code to manage and utilize chemical structural representations, descriptor calculations, chemical taxonomy/classification, and physicochemical properties in chemical safety applications.
- Direct experience in chemistry sufficient to lead chemical structure and property curation.
- Experience in developing structure-based methods for selecting representative chemicals from larger chemical space.
- Experience developing machine-learning based models for predicting hazard or physical properties from chemical structure.
- Proven track record of peer-reviewed publications, technical presentations to diverse audiences, and service on expert panels.
Responsibilities
- Design and implement innovative cheminformatic research initiatives linking chemical structure and physical properties to hazard and exposure.
- Leads development of curated databases containing chemical structural representations, chemical identifiers, and physicochemical properties to expand understanding of chemicals with potential human exposure.
- Develops and applies advanced cheminformatic workflows to create chemical structural representations, descriptor calculations, chemical taxonomy/classification, and physicochemical properties, working with software and data engineers to ensure reproducibility.
- Leads and manages chemical curation efforts, both manual and computational, and collaborates with analytical chemists to incorporate curated chemical structures and properties into non-targeted analysis workflows.
- Collaborates with and supports toxicologists, exposure scientists, and toxicokinetic scientists to provide high-quality chemistry information for linking cross-disciplinary data and computational modeling.
- Builds machine learning-based quantitative structure-activity relationship models for physicochemical properties, analytical chemistry, toxicological endpoints, toxicokinetic properties, and exposure-related functional uses as needed.
- Provide scientific and technical expertise in chemistry and cheminformatics to support chemical safety research projects, chemical prioritization efforts, and the development of software applications and decision-support tools.
- Writes clean, maintainable, and well-documented code, following best practices and coding standards.
- Stay current with emerging trends, technologies, and scientific literature in cheminformatic methods and workflows.
- Present research findings at scientific conferences, stakeholder meetings, and technical forums, and serve as author on technical reports and peer-reviewed publications.
- Assist in writing research proposals and securing funding from internal and external sources.
- Mentor and guide junior researchers, post-doctoral scientists, and interns in cheminformatics methods, chemical curation, and computational modeling approaches.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Benefits
- bonus compensation
- comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans
- generous 401k matching structure of up to 5% of eligible pay
- additional 4% into your retirement saving fund after your first year of continuous employment
- paid time off, including vacation, holiday, sick, and volunteer days
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
Education Level
Ph.D. or professional degree
