Open Rank

UNC-Chapel Hill • Chapel Hill, NC

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Department of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine is seeking a physician-scientist with strong skills in computational neuroscience, structural biology, and molecular pharmacology to advance precision-medicine approaches in serious mental illness. The Research Assistant Professor position is a full-time, fixed-term appointment at the Research Assistant Professor level. Experience integrating in vitro functional assays (e.g., Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer) with in silico structural methods (e.g., AlphaFold-based structure prediction and molecular dynamics simulations) is required. The successful candidate will develop a research program characterizing how genetic variants of neuroreceptors modulate medication binding and receptor dynamics, with the goal of informing pharmacogenetically guided drug selection in schizophrenia and other neuropsychiatric disorders. Additionally, the successful candidate is expected to be a skilled, independent researcher with excellent experience in designing and executing research studies, mentoring graduate students and other trainees, and writing research papers and grants.

Requirements

• Physician-scientist with strong skills in computational neuroscience, structural biology, and molecular pharmacology.
• Experience integrating in vitro functional assays (e.g., Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer) with in silico structural methods (e.g., AlphaFold-based structure prediction and molecular dynamics simulations).
• Skilled, independent researcher.
• Excellent experience in designing and executing research studies.
• Excellent experience mentoring graduate students and other trainees.
• Excellent experience writing research papers and grants.

Nice To Haves

• PhD or MD/PhD in neuroscience, computational neuroscience, bioengineering, structural biology, or a related quantitative discipline.
• Experience with G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) structural biology, AlphaFold-based protein structure prediction, and high-performance computing for large-scale molecular dynamics simulations.
• Experience with Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer (BRET) or comparable cell-based functional assays.
• Track record of competitive extramural research funding.
• Ability to coordinate multi-disciplinary studies with collaborators from diverse scientific backgrounds.

Responsibilities

• Develop a research program characterizing how genetic variants of neuroreceptors modulate medication binding and receptor dynamics.
• Inform pharmacogenetically guided drug selection in schizophrenia and other neuropsychiatric disorders.
• Design and execute research studies.
• Mentor graduate students and other trainees.
• Write research papers and grants.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree