Postdoctoral Fellow: Fluorophore Synthesis & Cellular Imaging

Mississippi State University; Starkville, Northern (MS, KY); Hybrid; USD 50,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Mississippi State University seeks a postdoctoral associate focused on the synthesis of organic fluorophores and cellular culturing in the Department of Chemistry. The role includes designing and synthesizing dyes, optimizing functionalization methods, and evaluating imaging performance in mammalian cells.

The appointee will mentor students, prepare manuscripts, and present findings at conferences. Salary is determined by the UC grade as an unclassified position.

Qualifications

• PhD in Organic Chemistry, Chemical Biology, Medicinal Chemistry, Biochemistry, or closely related field.
• Demonstrated expertise in multistep organic synthesis and compound characterization (NMR, MS, chromatography, etc.).
• Experience with mammalian cell culture and sterile laboratory techniques.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively within a multidisciplinary research team.

Responsibilities

• Design and synthesize functional organic fluorophores and related molecular probes.
• Develop and optimize synthetic methodologies for dye functionalization.
• Culture and maintain mammalian cell lines under sterile conditions.
• Evaluate dye uptake, localization, cytotoxicity, and imaging performance in cultured cells.
• Perform fluorescence microscopy, confocal microscopy, flow cytometry, and related cellular imaging techniques.
• Analyze experimental data and correlate molecular structure with biological performance.
• Mentor graduate and undergraduate researchers in both synthetic chemistry and cell biology.
• Prepare manuscripts, present research findings at scientific conferences, and assist with proposal development.

Skills

Organic synthesis

Compound characterization

Mammalian cell culture

Communication skills

Independent with teamwork

Education

PhD in Organic Chemistry or related field

Tools

NMR spectroscopy

Mass spectrometry

Chromatography

Job description

Mississippi State University seeks a postdoctoral associate focused on the synthesis of organic fluorophores and cellular culturing in the Department of Chemistry. The role includes designing and synthesizing dyes, optimizing functionalization methods, and evaluating imaging performance in mammalian cells.

The appointee will mentor students, prepare manuscripts, and present findings at conferences. Salary is determined by the UC grade as an unclassified position.