Postdoctoral Research Associate - Chemical Engineering

Posting Details

Job Code/Title PD - Post Doctoral Position Number P00001 Working Title Postdoctoral Research Associate - Chemical Engineering Department Chemical & Life Science Engineering Organizational Overview

At VCU, we Make it Real through learning, research, creativity, service and discovery — the hallmarks of the VCU experience. A premier, urban, public research university nationally recognized as one of the best employers for diversity, VCU is a great place to work. It’s a place of opportunity, where your success is supported and your career can thrive. VCU offers employees a generous leave package, career paths for advancement, competitive pay, and an opportunity to do mission-driven work.

Recruitment Pool All Applicants Anticipated Hiring Range $53,500 Campus MCV Campus Position Type Post Doc Hours/Week 40 hrs per week Normal work days Monday-Friday Normal work hours varies Job Category Research Does this position provide patient or clinical services to the VCU Health System? No Does this position require a pre-placement medical assessment? No Is any portion of this position grant-funded? Yes - Continuation of this position depends on funding of the grant. Sensitive Position No Resource Critical Yes Description of the Job

A postdoctoral position is available at Virginia Commonwealth University in the Chemical and Life Sciences Engineering Department working with the Medicines 4 All team. VCU, in collaboration with Phlow has received funding from BARDA to undertake a novel continuous process for the production of generic drugs in order to re-establish a basis of manufacturing in the US. This project offers the unique opportunity to participate in a development and technology transfer for the first ever continuous process for many of these generic compounds. The project will utilize a contemporary approach to drug development including developing significant process understanding, a control strategy, process control and process analytical technologies.
The research project will involve the process chemistry development, reaction engineering, process understanding and experimental protocols required to demonstrate understanding and control of the chemical process. This opportunity offers the post-doctoral scholar a unique training opportunity which will be difficult to obtain elsewhere, namely working across the chemistry, crystallization, physical properties, and process control space, to develop a control strategy for a continuous process destined for a regulatory filing.
The successful applicant will need to be interested with mentoring and supporting graduate and undergraduate students and have the skills to do so, as well as work in collaboration with a larger and more diverse group of scientists working on the project at other sites.

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering or related field
• Experience with continuous chemistry, and/or crystallization concepts.
• Experience in Design of Experiments ( DOE ).
• Expertise in modern analytical techniques including HPLC, NMR, IR, CG.
• The College of Engineering supports a diverse faculty, staff, and student environment. The candidate will demonstrate experience that shows their commitment to fostering such and environment. And will also demonstrate their experience that shows their commitment to fostering innovative research.
• The desire to be a leader in the laboratory, helping others who are less experienced, and ensuring the highest levels of laboratory safety are ensured.
• Excellent communication skills are needed to ensure accuracy of reporting, including the ability to develop and justify original research proposals, compose manuscripts for publication, and verbally describe research efforts.
• Demonstrated ability to work in multi-disciplinary teams, displaying excellent interpersonal skills, as well as the ability to develop research plans for multiple individuals
• An Entrepreneurial mindset
• Generate conclusion reports, present data in team meetings & participate in writing of abstracts & publications
• Conduct scientific work programs and make contributions both independently or as a member of a team with other R&D staff
• Work through problems logically and apply innovative solutions
• Maintain customer focus, motivate self, and demonstrate a high degree of urgency
• Use scientific literature and database resources in the execution of project related work

Preferred Qualifications

• Using kinetic understanding, predict the ability of a reaction to be carried out in flow
• Use the principals of green chemistry to drive the improvement of processes and use metrics to measure the impact.
• Expertise in physical properties of solids concepts
• Expertise in the areas of crystallization, isolation, drying, and how physical properties of solids affect performance.
• Practical experience with continuous chemistry, and/or crystallization.
• Experience with physical properties measurements such as DSC, TGA, XRPD etc.
• Experience in advanced process control
• Experience in quality by design

Job Open Date 02/01/2021 Remove from posting on or before Open Until Filled Yes Special Instructions to Applicants

You will be joining the Medicines for All laboratory working on these projects.
Dr. Frank Gupton is the leader of the Medicines for All project at VCU and is the Chair of the Chemical and Life Science Engineering Department. He has multiple sources of funding including Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, BARDA, DARPA, NSF . Professor Gupton was previously the site head of the Behringer-Ingelheim site in Richmond VA.
Dr. Tom Roper who joined VCU as co-Director of Pharmaceutical Engineering after a 22-year career at GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Roper held senior positions in the Pharmaceutical Development Division of GSK, including responsibilities for Process R&D and Analytical development for API in the US, and most recently was the Global Head of Exploratory Development Sciences.

Please upload a C.V., research summary, the names and contact information for 3 references, and publication list to the other document section.

Additional Information

Virginia Commonwealth University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Quick Link https://www.vcujobs.com/postings/103139 Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

1. * Do you have a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering or a related discipline?
   • Yes
   • No

Optional & Required Documents
Required Documents

1. Other Document

Optional Documents