Research Associate

UNC-Chapel Hill • Chapel Hill, NC

2d

About The Position

The Laboratory for Molecular Modeling (MML) in the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy is a computational research group that develops and employs machine learning, AI, and data science tools to advance drug discovery. The Research Associate will support computational methodology, tool development, and applications to drug targets, with a primary focus on development projects and application studies involving intrinsically disordered protein targets. The role is part of a multidisciplinary team and also includes laboratory organization and maintenance, such as maintaining software and databases and helping maintain laboratory space.

Requirements

• PhD in Medicinal Chemistry or a related field, or foreign degree equivalent, with strong evidence of a cheminformatics component.
• Relevant post-baccalaureate degree, or foreign degree equivalent.
• Experience with standard computational chemistry and cheminformatics techniques.
• Experience with QSAR modeling methods.
• Experience with molecular docking approaches.
• Experience with hit-to-lead optimization tools.
• Experience with virtual screening.
• Experience working in a research laboratory.
• Ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Expertise in computational medicinal chemistry and collaborative studies with experimental colleagues.
• Familiarity with machine learning approaches, including k-Nearest Neighbor, Support Vector Machines, Random Forest, and neural network techniques.
• Working knowledge of software packages such as Glide and AutoDock.
• Ability to prepare presentations and manuscripts, with a high level of attention to detail and quality.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with manuscript preparation and submission.
• Understanding of computational tools supporting the entire drug development workflow.
• Familiarity with biological pathways.

Responsibilities

• Support computational methodology, tool development, and applications to drug targets.
• Contribute to development projects and application studies, especially those involving intrinsically disordered protein targets.
• Work as part of a multidisciplinary team and collaborate with experimental colleagues.
• Help organize and maintain the laboratory, including maintaining software and databases and upkeep of laboratory space.
• Prepare presentations and manuscripts.

What This Job Offers

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