Research Engineer/Postdoctoral Fellow Recruitment 22 months

Université de Caen Normandie; France; Sur place; EUR 30 000 - 45 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

A prestigious university in France is seeking a Research Engineer/Postdoctoral Fellow in Medicinal Chemistry. The position focuses on designing and evaluating non-covalent inhibitors for the UBE2N protein involved in DNA repair. The role requires a PhD in organic or medicinal chemistry and experience with biophysical methods for molecule evaluation. This 22-month fixed-term contract offers the opportunity to work on innovative cancer therapy projects in a collaborative research environment.

Qualifications

• PhD in organic or medicinal chemistry required.
• Technical skills at the interface with biology are necessary.
• Experience with affinity evaluation of molecules is a bonus.

Responsabilités

• Develop ligand-target affinity tests using biophysical methods.
• Pharmacomodulation of confirmed hits to obtain more active molecules.
• Participate in laboratory management and ordering reagents.

Connaissances

PhD in organic chemistry or medicinal chemistry

Experience in in vitro evaluation of molecules

Familiarity with biophysical methods

Formation

PhD or equivalent

Outils

NMR

Description du poste

Organisation/Company Université de Caen Normandie Research Field Chemistry Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions Postdoc Positions Country France Application Deadline 17 Jan 2026 - 23:59 (UTC) Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Offer Starting Date 1 Mar 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

The UBE2N protein plays a crucial role in DNA repair and is a promising target for the development of new cancer therapies. Few UBE2N inhibitors have been described in the literature, and these are mainly covalent inhibitors, which, due to a lack of selectivity, expose patients to potential adverse effects (J. Med. Chem. 2025, 68, 915). In this context, this project aims to design, synthesise and evaluate new non-covalent UBE2N inhibitors. In silico screening of molecules from the CERMN chemolibrary, followed by screening on chemoresistant ovarian cancer cells (Unité Anticipe, Bioticla), has enabled the identification of hit molecules. Based on these results, we are working towards three objectives: 1) Confirming the interaction between the molecules and UBE2N 2) Improving the efficacy and selectivity of the identified molecules 3) Evaluating their physicochemical properties.

The candidate will be responsible for:

1. Developing a ligand‑target affinity test using biophysical methods such as MST, TSA or Alphascreen® technology.
2. Pharmacomodulation of hits confirmed in step 1 to obtain more active molecules. This work will be based on available chemoinformatics data. Particular attention will be paid to the development of modern synthesis routes (metal‑catalysed reactions, hydrogenations, etc.) to obtain the compounds.

The recruited candidate will participate in the common tasks inherent to laboratory life and will be involved in ordering procedures (solvents, laboratory reagents, chemical reagents), as well as equipment management and maintenance (maintenance of NMR, shared equipment).

Position: Research Engineer/Postdoctoral Fellow in Medicinal Chemistry

Activity: Organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, ligand/target affinity evaluation

Type of position: 22‑month fixed‑term contract.

Where to apply

E-mail [e-mail]

Requirements

Research Field Chemistry Education Level PhD or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

The candidate needs to have a PhD in organic chemistry or medicinal chemistry. Technical skills at the interface with biology, especially in the in vitro evaluation of molecules, are needed. In particular, previous experience in evaluating the affinity of molecules using biophysical methods is a bonus. This position may be suitable for someone seeking a first post‑doctoral experience. Initiative, particularly in proposing molecules to be synthesised and synthesis pathways to be developed, as well as the ability to communicate with the various project partners (chemo‑informaticians and biologists) will be appreciated.

The Normandy Centre for Drug Research and Studies (CERMN) is a research unit at the University of Caen Normandy that develops research programmes in the field of drug design. The unit's current areas of research are oncology, neuroscience and infectious diseases, with a scientific focus on polypharmacology, protein‑protein interactions, peptide‑membrane interactions and chemical tools for diagnosis and imaging. http://cermn.unicaen.fr/

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available 1 Company/Institute Université de Caen Normandie – CERMN research centre Country France City Caen Postal Code 14032 Street Boulevard Henri Becquerel Geofield