Postdoctoral Research Associate in Medicinal Chemistry

About us

King’s College London is a world-leading Russell Group university with an outstanding international reputation for research & education. This post will be based in the Drug Discovery Department within the Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and will form part of a multidisciplinary collaboration between Professor Miraz Rahman and Professor Julian Naglik in the Centre for Host-Microbiome Interactions.

About the role:

Candida albicans is a major fungal pathogen that can cause severe morbidity & life-threatening infection. A key virulence factor is candidalysin, a peptide toxin secreted by C. albicans hyphae that drives epithelial damage, cell activation and mucosal inflammation.

The postdoctoral researcher will play a central role in the discovery and optimisation of peptide and peptidomimetic inhibitors that neutralise candidalysin activity. The role will focus on the design, synthesis, purification and characterisation of inhibitor series, working within an iterative medicinal chemistry programme informed by computational modelling, biophysical measurements and biological activity.

The researcher will develop & optimise synthetic routes, undertake parallel synthesis where appropriate, and scale up selected compounds for detailed biophysical and biological evaluation. They will use analytical and preparative HPLC, LC-MS, NMR and other appropriate techniques to confirm compound identity, purity and quality. A major part of the role will be to interpret emerging structure–activity relationships and use experimental data to guide subsequent inhibitor design.

The researcher will work closely with the computational chemist and with Professor Julian Naglik’s team, who will evaluate inhibitor activity in relevant biological models. This close integration of chemistry, modelling, biophysics and infection biology will support rapid prioritisation and optimisation of compounds with the greatest therapeutic potential.

The post is particularly suited to a synthetic organic or medicinal chemist with strong practical experience in compound synthesis & characterisation. Previous experience in peptide or peptidomimetic chemistry would be advantageous but is not essential.

The researcher will be funded by the BBSRC & based in the laboratory of Professor Miraz Rahman at King’s College London, where they will undertake independent, original research within a multidisciplinary drug-discovery programme.

This is a full-time post (35 Hours per week), and you will be offered an a fixed-term contract until 31st December 2028.

About you:

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills & experience:

Essential Criteria:

1. PhD in Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Organic Chemistry or a closely related discipline (candidates who have recently submitted their PhD thesis are eligible to apply).
2. Research experience in synthetic medicinal chemistry, with demonstrated expertise in the design & synthesis of bioactive molecules.
3. Knowledge and practical experience of compound characterisation using NMR, mass spectrometry, HPLC and other appropriate analytical techniques.
4. Experience in analytical and preparative HPLC/LC-MS methods for purification, characterisation and quality assessment of synthetic compounds.
5. Track record of high-quality research, including publications in peer-reviewed journals of international standing.
6. Experience in medicinal chemistry optimisation, including generation and interpretation of structure–activity relationships and iterative design–make–test cycles.
7. Excellent organisational, communication and teamwork skills, with the ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary research team.

Desirable Criteria:

1. Experience in chemistry laboratory management, including electronic inventory maintenance.
2. Record of presenting scientific research at national and/or international conferences.
3. Experience in operating & maintaining LC-MS systems.
4. Excellent interpersonal skills.
5. Record of supervising, appraising, coaching & mentoring research students

Interviews are due to be held in November/December

This post is subject to Disclosure & Barring Service and/or Occupational Health clearances.

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