POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATE IN CHEMISTRY (Accelerating Medicines)

at  University of Liverpool

A post-doctoral research associate position is available from July 2024 in the Department of Chemistry within the School of Physical Sciences at the University of Liverpool. This post is a collaborative project with Dr Adam Clayton (PI), Prof Richard Bourne (University of Leeds) and Prof Alexei Lapkin (University of Cambridge) funded via the EPSRC: Accelerated Development of Pharmaceutical Processes Through Digitally Coupled Reaction Screening and Process Optimisation.
Development of synthesis and optimisation of reactions remain rate-limiting factors in pharmaceutical process development, often relying on resource-intensive trial-and-error approaches that are costly, time-consuming, and wasteful. This highlights the need to develop new digital methods that are capable of rapidly responding to emerging health challenges. In this EPSRC funded project, we will combine expertise across the Universities of Leeds (Dr Adam Clayton, Prof. Richard Bourne), Liverpool (Prof. Anna Slater) and Cambridge (Prof. Alexei Lapkin) to create a network of digitally coupled reactors, capable of high-throughput screening and self-optimising manufacturing processes. This will be achieved by combining different flow reactor technologies, analytical techniques, and automated workflows to provide enhanced mapping of chemical space and generation of robust high-quality datasets. Our multisite reactor network will be driven by next generation machine learning algorithms, which will use knowledge from prior experimental campaigns to increase library synthesis success rates and accelerate the development and optimisation of chemically related processes.
This post will focus on Multisite Parallelised Reaction Development (Industrial Co-Lead: Labman Automation). You will lead development of a modular robotic flow reactor platform capable of integrating with wider automation workflows. Here, we will leverage the multiple reactor types, complementary analytical techniques and expertise in developing automated workflows available at Liverpool. Inline separation membranes and mass-directed inline flash chromatography will be used to autonomously optimise purification and isolation as well as synthesis, delivering rapid production of lab-scale samples of key species and informing scale-up.
Prior experience in synthetic organic chemistry and either flow chemistry, autonomous optimisation, chemical reaction engineering and/or process development is required. Experience of integrating and operating multiple pieces of equipment (e.g., flow chemistry platforms) and analytical instruments via code (e.g., MATLAB, Python) is desirable, as is experience with optimisation algorithms, automated synthesis, use of digital methods in chemistry. Training will be provided where necessary, thus we seek candidates with a demonstrated potential to learn complex technical skills in this area. A PhD in Chemistry, Physics or Materials Science, and excellent research skills are essential as well as the ability to take responsibility for research planning and organisation.
A PhD in Chemistry or Materials Science (or close to obtaining one) is required for this role.
If you are still awaiting your PhD to be awarded you will be appointed at Grade 6, spine point 30. Upon written confirmation that you have been awarded your PhD, your salary will be increased to Grade 7, spine point 31.
The University of Liverpool is committed to enhancing workforce diversity. We actively seek to attract, develop, and retain colleagues with diverse backgrounds and perspectives. We welcome applications from all genders/gender identities, Black, Asian, or Minority Ethnic backgrounds, individuals living with a disability, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Post available for up to 3 years

Please refer the Job description for details