Research Associate III, S1

University of Alabama in Huntsville; Huntsville (AL); Hybrid; USD 47,000 - 57,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Alabama in Huntsville is seeking a Research Associate to join the College of Science. The role focuses on research, drug design, and experimental work in synthetic organic chemistry, small-molecule and peptidomimetic synthesis, purification, and characterization.

You will perform metabolite identification and bioanalytical chemistry to evaluate new chemical entities and their metabolites, and you will prepare data for presentations, peer-reviewed publications, and project

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in science/engineering or related field.
• 2–3 years of lab research in infectious diseases and drug discovery.
• Experience as author/co-author in medicinal chemistry publications.
• Strong self-motivation and good organizational skills.
• Excellent written and oral communication; ability to collaborate.
• Biochemistry/molecular pharmacology exposure a plus.

Responsibilities

• Perform research, drug design, and benchwork including synthesis and purification of small molecules.
• Synthesize small molecules and peptidomimetics and characterize NCEs and metabolites.
• Analyze data and prepare materials for presentations, peer-reviewed publications, and project reporting.
• Manage inventory and restock lab supplies.
• Provide lab supervision to undergraduate and graduate students.

Skills

Self-motivation

Organizational skills

Strong oral and written communication

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Science, Engineering, or related field

MS or PhD in Organic Chemistry or Synthetic Medicinal Chemistry preferred

Tools

MNova

MOE

ChemDraw

SciFinder

BioRender

MS Office Suite

AI-based chemistry tools

Job description

Job no: 504424
Department: College of Science
Work type: Staff Full-time Exempt
Location: Alabama
Categories: Research - Other

Purpose of the Position

The Research Associate will perform research, drug design, and experimental research involving synthetic organic chemistry, small-molecule and peptidomimetic synthesis, purification, and characterization. Performs metabolite identification and bioanalytical chemistry to evaluate new chemical entities (NCEs) and their metabolites using spectroscopic and spectrometric techniques. The incumbent will also analyze and interpret research data and prepare materials for presentations, peer-reviewed publications, and project reporting using specialized chemistry, scientific, desktop publishing, and AI-based tools.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Perform research, drug design, and experimental/benchwork that includes synthetic organic chemistry, purification and characterization of small molecules, metabolite identification, and bioanalytical chemistry.
• Duties include synthesizing small molecules and peptidomimetics and characterizing new chemical entities (NCEs) and their metabolites using spectroscopic and spectrometric tools.
• Analyze data for presentations, prepare peer-reviewed publications, and manage project reporting using desktop publishing software like MS Office Suite, MNova, Molecular Operating Environment (MOE), ChemDraw, SciFinder, BioRender, and AI-based chemistry tools.
• Manage inventory and restock lab supplies.
• Provide lab supervision to undergraduate and graduate students.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree, preferably in Science, Engineering, or a related field
• 2-3 years of laboratory research experience focused on infectious diseases and antineoplastic drug discovery.
• Exposure to biochemistry and molecular pharmacology is a plus.
• Experience as authors/co-authors of peer-reviewed articles in medicinal chemistry journals.
• Must have attributes that include self-motivation and good organizational skills.
• Must have strong oral and written communication skills.
• Must be able to work collaboratively with team members.

Desired Qualifications

• M.S. or a Ph.D. degree in Organic Chemistry or Synthetic Medicinal Chemistry preferred

Published Salary (if available)

$52,216

Advertised and Application Closing

Advertised: Sep 18 2026 Central Daylight Time
Applications close:

Please note, job openings are posted for a minimum of three (3) business days and may be removed from the job posting board and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended.

The University of Alabama in Huntsville is an equal opportunity employer (EOE), including an EOE of protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.