Postdoctoral Research Associate in Organic Chemistry and Nickel Catalysis at Durham University

Durham, England, United Kingdom -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

13 May, 26

Salary

38784.0

Posted On

12 Feb, 26

Experience

0 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Organic Chemistry, Nickel Catalysis, Phosphine Ligands, Cross-Coupling Reactions, Schlenk Techniques, Glovebox, NMR Spectroscopy, Mass Spectrometry, X-ray Diffraction, High-Throughput Experimentation, Synthetic Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Ligand Design, Mechanistic Studies, Research Planning, Scientific Communication

Industry

Higher Education

Description

Working at Durham University A globally outstanding centre of teaching and research excellence, a warm and friendly place to work, a unique and historic setting – Durham is a university like no other. As one of the UK’s leading universities, Durham is an incredible place to define your career. The University is located within a beautiful historic city, home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and surrounded by stunning countryside. Our talented scholars and researchers from around the world are tackling global issues and making a difference to people's lives. We believe that inspiring our people to do outstanding things at Durham enables Durham people to do outstanding things in the world. Being a part of Durham is about more than just the success of the University. It is also about contributing to the success of the city, county and community. Our University Strategy is built on three pillars of research, education and wider student experience, but also on our keen sense of community and of inspiring others to achieve their potential. Our Purpose and Values We want our University to be a place where people can be free to be themselves, no matter what their identity or background. Together, we celebrate difference, value one another and are each responsible for creating an inclusive community that is respectful and fair for all. Find out more about the benefits of working at the University and what it is like to live and work in the Durham area on our Why Join Us? - Information Page The Role and Department You will be working as a Postdoctoral Research Assistant (PDRA) in the Franchino group, within the Department of Chemistry at Durham University. The post is available for 8 months, with the first 5 months based in the Franchino Lab in Durham Chemistry and the following 3 months seconded at Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A., a multinational company headquartered in Parma, Italy. The ideal starting date is Monday 01/06/2026. The salary is grade 7, spine point 30 (£38,784 per year before taxes). Durham University, in the North of England, has been a world top 100 university for the last ten years (QS World University Rankings). Our Chemistry degree is among the best ones in the UK: 5th in the Complete University Guide 2026, 9th in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025, and 8th in the Guardian University Guide 2025. Durham University is one of the UK’s most historic universities, sitting in a beautiful, hilly city whose Romanesque Cathedral is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As a PDRA in Durham, you will become part of a dynamic, friendly and international community, and benefit from cutting-edge facilities. The Department of Chemistry is well equipped, with state-of-the-art instrumentation and facilities, and is located in the Science Campus, a short walk away from Durham old town. The Franchino laboratory has recently been refurbishment to the highest standards, so you will work in an efficient and modern environment. Alongside equipment for synthetic (in)organic chemistry, our lab benefits from dedicated new gloveboxes, HPLC instruments, microwave synthesizer and high-throughput experimentation setups. Additionally, group members have access to departmental NMR, MS, XRD, EA and spectroscopic support units, mechanical, electrical and glassblowing workshops, and the University supercomputer Hamilton. The Franchino group is an enthusiastic and inclusive team, which as of January 2026 comprises two PDRAs, three PhD students and two MChem students, with three different nationalities. We work on ligand design and synthesis, transition-metal catalysis (including its combination with H-bond donor catalysis) and mechanistic studies of metal-catalysed reactions. We strive to follow the highest scientific and ethical standards. At the same time, we promote a supportive culture that fosters knowledge exchange, learning, creativity and scientific excellence. The PI, the group, the Department and university-wide initiatives (e.g., the Durham Centre for Academic Development) will offer you the tools you need to succeed in your research project and work towards your long term career ambitions. The University provides a working and teaching environment that is inclusive and welcoming, where everyone is treated fairly with dignity and respect. We actively encourage applicants with diverse career paths and backgrounds, regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and religious beliefs. The Chemistry Department holds an Athena Swan Silver Award. The Franchino group is keen on increasing diversity, and actively seeks to attract and nurture the best and most motivated co-workers, regardless of their protected characteristics and country of origin. Applications from women and underrepresented groups are especially encouraged. The Role You will be working as a Postdoctoral Research Assistant (PDRA) in the Franchino group. This collaborative project, funded by the EPSRC Impact Acceleration Account, will be conducted at Durham Chemistry and Chiesi Farmaceutici in Parma. You will prepare and test new phosphine ligands that could enable nickel, a cheap and abundant metal, to replace toxic, expensive and scarce palladium catalysts in cross-coupling reactions (Chemistry Nobel prize 2010) and in related C–C and C–heteroatom bond-forming transformations. Such reactions are among the top 5 transformations performed in pharma, as they stitch together key fragments towards the synthesis of drug candidates and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs). During the initial five months in the Franchino Lab (Durham, UK), you will make and characterise new phosphines and their nickel complexes, using Schlenk techniques, the glovebox, NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, single-crystal X-ray diffraction and other techniques that might be deemed suitable. You will then test the new ligands in Ni-catalysed C–C and C–X bond-forming reactions, employing a variety of coupling partners and taking advantage of our high-throughput experimentation facility as appropriate (96-well reaction plates, tumble stirrer/heat block, multichannel pipettes and centrifuge hosted in a glovebox). During the next 3 months in Chiesi (Parma, Italy), you will test our new ligands, as well as ligand libraries available at Chiesi and/or commercial ones, in Ni-catalysed reactions of interest to the company to prepare for instance medicinal chemistry libraries and drug candidates. Key responsibilities To conduct a research project under the direction of the Principal Investigator (PI, Dr Allegra Franchino) and her collaborator (Dr Paolo Ronchi, Chiesi), working productively both on your own and in collaboration with others, as appropriate. To plan and manage your research activity effectively and safely, with minimal input from the PI, share research resources in collaboration with others and contribute to the ideation and planning of research projects. To deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines by discussing with the PI and offering creative or innovative solutions. To work with the PI and other colleagues in the research group, as appropriate, to identify areas for research, develop new research methods and ideas, and extend the research portfolio. To understand and convey material of a specialist or highly technical nature through written presentations and oral discussions. To prepare and deliver presentations on research activities to both academic and non-academic audiences. To prepare high-quality outputs, including weekly and termly research reports for the PI, and drafts of papers for submission to peer-reviewed journals as appropriate. To actively participate to problem sessions, group meetings, training, induction events, workshops and other meetings as required, both at Durham and at Chiesi. To liaise with departmental and university support units as appropriate for the progression of the project, follow all rules and guidelines in place in the group, the Department, the University and the company, including the NDA and collaboration agreement related to this project, making all necessary internal and external contacts to develop this project successfully. To engage in continuing professional development attending relevant training and development courses. To contribute to fostering a collegial, supportive and respectful working environment which is inclusive and welcoming and where everyone is treated fairly with dignity and respect. This post is fixed term for 8 months, as funding from the EPSRC Impact Acceleration Account covers this period only. You will ideally be in post by Monday 1st June 2026. For the first 5 months (01/06/2026 to 31/10/2026), you will be based in the Franchino Lab in Durham Chemistry. For the last 3 months (01/11/2026 to 31/01/2027) you will be seconded at the R&D Laboratories of Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A., in Parma, Italy. During your secondment, you will be supervised remotely by Dr Franchino and in person by Dr Paolo Ronchi, the Head of the Translational Chemistry and Innovation Technology Unit, within the Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Design Technologies group of Chiesi. Your salary will be grade 7, spine point 30 (£38,784 per annum before taxes). You will receive a monthly salary from Durham University for each of the eight months of the project. Your travel expenses from Durham to Parma to start your secondment will also be covered. You will be employed to work on a research project led by the Principal Investigator (PI), Dr Franchino. Whilst this means that you will not be carrying out independent research in your own right, the expectation is that you contribute to the advancement of the project, through the development of your own ideas, the adaptation, development and creation of research protocols. Working at Durham A competitive salary is only one part of the many fantastic benefits you will receive if you join the University. You will also receive access to the following fantastic benefits: • 30 days annual leave per year in addition to 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per year – a total of 42 days per year, calculated pro rata in this case. • A generous pension scheme, and as a new member of staff you will be automatically enrolled into the University Superannuation Scheme (USS). • No matter how you travel to work, we have you covered. We have ample parking across campus, a cycle to work scheme which helps you to buy a bike and discount with local bus and train companies. You can also take advantage of our cost-effective and environmentally friendly Tusker Car Benefit Scheme, allowing you to lease a brand-new electric or hybrid vehicle with savings on tax and National Insurance. • We have a genuine commitment to developing our colleagues professionally and personally. There is a comprehensive range of development courses, apprenticeships and access to qualifications and routes to develop your career in the University. All staff have dedicated annual time to concentrate on their personal development opportunities. • We provide wide-ranging health and wellbeing support including discounted membership for our state-of-the-art sport and gym facilities and access to a 24-7 Employee Assistance Programme. • Our on-site nursery is rated Outstanding by Ofsted, and you can access holiday camps for children aged 5-16. • Our family-friendly policies, including maternity and adoption leave, are among the most generous in the higher education sector (and likely above and beyond many employers). • We offer all staff the opportunity to take part in volunteering activities to make a difference in the local community. • You can access exclusive discounts via our benefits portal including money off at supermarkets, high street retailers, IT products such as Apple, eating out and days out at various attractions. • Various salary sacrifice schemes are also available to help you take advantage of tax savings on benefits. • If you are moving to Durham, you may be eligible for help with removal costs. We have a dedicated team who can help you with the practicalities such as house hunting and schools. We cover most visa costs and offer an interest-free loan scheme to pay for dependant visas. Discover more about our total rewards and benefits package here. Durham University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion Equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are a key component of the University’s Strategy and a central part of everything we do. We also live by our Purpose and Values and our Staff Code of Conduct. At Durham we actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community which is supportive and inclusive. We welcome and encourage applications from those who are currently under-represented in our work force, including people with disabilities and from racially minoritised ethnic groups. If you have taken a career break or periods of leave that may have impacted on the volume and recency of your research outputs and other activities, such as maternity, adoption or parental leave, you may wish to disclose this in your application. The selection committee will take this into account when evaluating your application. The University has been awarded the Disability Confident Leader status. If you are a candidate with a disability, we are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. We will make adjustments to support the interview process wherever it is reasonable to do so and, where successful, reasonable adjustments will be made to support people within their role. Contact Information Department contact for academic-related enquiries Dr Allegra Franchino, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry allegra.franchino@durham.ac.uk Contact information for technical difficulties when submitting your application If you encounter technical difficulties when using the online application form, we prefer you send enquiries by email. Please send your name along with a brief description of the problem you’re experiencing to e.recruitment@durham.ac.uk Alternatively, you may call 0191 334 6801 from the UK, or +44 191 334 6801 from outside the UK. This number operates during the hours of 09.00 and 17.00 Monday to Friday, UK time. We will normally respond within one working day (Monday to Friday, excluding UK public holidays). University contact for general queries about the recruitment process e.recruitment@durham.ac.uk How to Apply To progress to the assessment stage, you must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification below. It will be at the discretion of the recruiting panel as to whether they will also consider any desirable criteria, but we would urge you to provide evidence for all criteria. While some criteria will be considered at the shortlisting stage, other criteria may be considered later in the assessment process, such as questions at interview. Submitting your application We prefer to receive applications online. We will update you about your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to make sure you have not missed any of our updates. What to Submit You are asked to submit: A CV of maximum four A4 pages. In the CV, please indicate all dates with month and year, and explain all career gaps. A cover letter of maximum two A4 pages. In the cover letter, please detail your experience, skills and achievements in meeting (or the potential to meet) the criteria set out below, as well as what motivates to apply you to this position. Contact details of three referees, one of which must be your PhD supervisor. Additional unrequested application documents should NOT be included (research summaries, theses, papers), and they may result in your application being disregarded. Next Steps Short-listed candidates will be invited to the University, either virtually or in-person. The assessment for the post will include a 20-minute research presentation to the interview panel, followed by technical questions and an interview. We anticipate that the assessments and interviews will take place over one or two days in March 2026. Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement Job Applicants/Potential Job Applicants - Durham University which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data. When appointing to this role the University must ensure that it meets any applicable immigration requirements, including salary thresholds which are applicable to some visas. Person Specification Essential Criteria Qualifications A good first degree in Chemistry or a closely related subject. A PhD (or be close to submission) in Chemistry. Experience Experience in conducting high quality academic research in organic or organometallic chemistry. Demonstrable ability to write material of a quality commensurate with publication in highly-ranked journals, as evidenced by at least 2 co-authored publications in peer-reviewed journals. Demonstrable ability to present research papers at national and/or international conferences and communicate complex information to specialists and within the wider academic community, as evidenced by at least 2 poster or oral communications at scientific conferences. Experience in homogeneous catalysis and/or organometallic chemistry and/or complex organic synthesis, as evidenced by at least 2 publications on these topics. Skills Demonstrable ability to work cooperatively as part of a team. Ability to work independently on own initiative and to strict deadlines. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and adaptability to different research environments. Passion for the topic, creativity, strong drive and motivation to carry out this research project to its successful completion. Desirable Criteria Experience Good publication record of high-quality research in peer-reviewed journals, commensurate with your stage of career and relevant to this project. Good track record of presenting at conferences and symposia, including securing prizes and awards, commensurate with your stage of career. Experience of overseeing students with respect to the development of their research skills, e.g. acting as a demonstrator or lab supervisor. Skills Demonstrable ability to develop research ideas and proposals of good quality, including securing fellowships and awards, commensurate with stage of career.

Responsibilities

The Postdoctoral Research Associate will conduct research under the direction of the Principal Investigator, focusing on preparing and testing new phosphine ligands for nickel-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions relevant to pharmaceutical synthesis. Key duties include planning and managing research activities safely, contributing to research ideas, preparing high-quality reports, and presenting findings to academic and non-academic audiences.