Post-Doctoral - Department of Pathology

Virginia Commonwealth University; Richmond (VA); On-site; USD 54,000 - 73,000; Full time

Job summary

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) is seeking a Post-Doctoral Fellow with expertise in synthetic chemistry and chemical biology to advance small-molecule therapeutics and chemical biology tools. The lab investigates treatments for substance use disorders, pain therapeutics, and targeted protein degradation, integrating design, synthesis, biology, and computational approaches.

The successful candidate will design, synthesize, characterize, and evaluate compounds, work with teams across

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Synthetic Organic Chemistry, Chemical Biology, Chemistry, or closely related field.
• Expertise in organic synthesis including multi-step routes and troubleshooting.
• Experience with compound characterization using NMR, LC/MS, HPLC.

Responsibilities

• Design novel small molecules and develop synthetic routes.
• Synthesize, purify, and characterize target compounds.
• Characterize compounds with NMR, LC/MS, HPLC and related methods.
• Analyze structure–activity relationships to guide design.
• Collaborate across chemical biology, pharmacology, and computational chemistry.
• Maintain detailed notebooks and contribute to manuscripts and grants.
• Mentor junior researchers and contribute to a safe lab environment.

Skills

Organic synthesis

Characterization methods

Independent planning

Communication skills

Lab notebook maintenance

Team collaboration

Education

Ph.D. in Synthetic Organic Chemistry or related field

Tools

NMR

LC/MS

HPLC

Job description

Advertising Summary

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Medicine is a premier academic medical center located in the heart of Richmond. Accounting for almost half of VCU’s sponsored research, the School of Medicine is internationally recognized for patient care and education. Virginia Commonwealth University is an equal opportunity employer.

Unit

School Of Medicine MBU

Department

Pathology

Department Summary

The mission of the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Department of Pathology is to provide high-quality, cost-effective pathology services that support the patient care, education, and research missions of the VCU Health System and School of Medicine.

The PI is seeking a highly motivated Post-Doctoral Fellow with expertise in synthetic chemistry and/or chemical biology. The laboratory investigates how small molecules can be used both as therapeutics and as chemical tools to understand and manipulate disease-relevant biology. Current research spans the discovery and development of novel therapeutics for substance use disorders and overdose, the discovery of safer opioid and non-opioid pain therapeutics, and the exploration of targeted protein degradation and other mechanism-driven therapeutic strategies in cancer. Across these areas, the laboratory integrates molecular design and computational approaches with chemical synthesis, chemical biology, cellular studies, and pharmacology to translate mechanistic insights into new therapeutic strategies.

The successful candidate will contribute to the design, synthesis, characterization, and biological evaluation of small molecules across multidisciplinary research programs. The Post-Doctoral Fellow will work closely with researchers in chemical biology, pharmacology, cellular biology, and computational chemistry to investigate molecular mechanisms and advance promising compounds.

This position is well suited for an independent, organized, and highly motivated scientist with strong synthetic problem-solving skills and an interest in applying chemistry to biologically and therapeutically relevant questions. The fellow will also have opportunities to contribute to scientific manuscripts, presentations, grant applications, and the mentoring of junior researchers.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Design novel small molecules and develop efficient synthetic strategies and routes for their preparation.
• Synthesize, purify, and characterize target compounds and troubleshoot challenging synthetic transformations.
• Characterize compounds using techniques including NMR, LC/MS or HRMS, HPLC, IR, and related analytical methods.
• Analyze chemical structure–activity relationships and experimental data to guide subsequent compound design and optimization.
• Collaborate with researchers in chemical biology, pharmacology, cellular biology, and computational chemistry to prioritize experiments and interpret multidisciplinary datasets.
• Contribute to the planning, execution, and interpretation of biochemical, cellular, and pharmacological studies, as appropriate to the candidate’s experience and project needs.
• Maintain accurate and detailed laboratory notebooks, experimental records, and compound characterization data.
• Present research findings at laboratory meetings and scientific conferences and contribute to the preparation of manuscripts and grant applications.
• Assist with mentoring and training undergraduate and graduate students and other junior laboratory members.
• Contribute to maintaining a safe, organized, collaborative, and professional laboratory environment.

Minimum Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Synthetic Organic Chemistry, Chemical Biology, Chemistry, or a closely related field by the position start date.
• Demonstrated expertise in organic synthesis, including synthetic route design, multistep synthesis, purification, and troubleshooting of synthetic reactions.
• Experience with compound characterization and structural elucidation using methods such as NMR, LC/MS, HPLC, and related analytical techniques.
• Demonstrated ability to independently plan, execute, analyze, and communicate scientific experiments.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and a demonstrated ability to maintain accurate experimental records.
• Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work in and foster an environment of respect, professionalism, and civility with faculty, staff, and students from all backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a Post-Doctoral Fellow at VCU.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience applying synthetic chemistry to chemical biology, pharmacology, drug discovery, or mechanism-focused biomedical research.
• Experience with biochemical or cellular assays, including receptor binding, functional assays, protein-based assays, or related experimental approaches.
• Experience with mammalian cell culture and cell-based experimental techniques.
• Experience with animal studies, particularly handling and experimental procedures involving mice.
• Familiarity with GPCR biology, receptor pharmacology, or small-molecule studies targeting signaling pathways.
• Familiarity with computational chemistry approaches such as molecular docking, structure-based modeling, or physicochemical property analysis.
• Understanding of pharmacological, ADME/PK, or related considerations in the evaluation of biologically active small molecules.
• Strong record of scientific productivity demonstrated through peer-reviewed publications, presentations, or other research accomplishments.
• Experience working effectively within multidisciplinary research teams.

Salary Range

$63,480

Benefits

All VCU employee types are eligible for a wide array of benefits to support you during your employment at VCU. Consult the benefits website for information on benefits eligibility according to employee type.

FLSA Exemption Status

Exempt

ORP Eligible

Yes

Flexible Work Arrangement

Other

Contact Information

Contact Email: [e-mail]