Associate Scientist-Computational Chemist

The Lead Discovery Informatics (LDI) Center in the Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics (CBT), led by Dr. Anang Shelat, is seeking a highly motivated Associate Scientist-Computational Chemist interested in using state-of-the-art techniques in computer-aided drug design to discover novel small-molecule modulators of targets relevant to pediatric disease. The applicant is expected to work alongside domain experts in the biology of pediatric disease, chemists, and pharmacologists and the various institutional shared resources devoted to translational science in a collaborative project team environment.

The applicant must have a strong background in computational chemistry, including molecular dynamics simulations, molecular docking, pharmacophore modeling, quantitative structure-activity relationship modeling, and chemical informatics. The applicant must also be comfortable using high-performance computing resources and developing, maintaining, and mining chemical and biological databases. Proficiency in scientific computing languages, such as R and python, and open-source programing tools such as Knime, RDKit, and ChemProp is a plus.

LDI is a world-class collaborative research center with expertise in chemical informatics, molecular simulation, computer-aided molecular design, and chemically aware machine learning. Our mission is to enable a deeper interrogation of biology through the integration of chemistry, computation, and data science. As part of CBT, LDI is complemented by translational centers that house chemical synthesis and high-throughput screening capabilities that mirror cutting-edge biotech/pharma operations-resources rarely accessible at academic institutions. The expertise and resources of CBT are leveraged across the institution, making it a highly dynamic and diverse collaborative hub at St. Jude. Individuals with bold vision and who demonstrate excellence in research at the interface of Chemistry, Biology, and Medicine are encouraged to join our team.

Job Responsibilities:

• Independently perform experiments using existing, modified, or newly developed techniques/ protocols.
• Set up protocols using new or modified laboratory techniques and troubleshoot experiments independently.
• Identify experimental data pertinent to the analysis problem; process, organize, and summarize data; report results.
• Assist in the drafting and editing of manuscripts, posters, SOPs, and policies.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of the field and related techniques.
• Provide ongoing support for monitoring, maintenance, ordering, and purchasing of equipment and supplies as needed.
• Perform calibration of instruments and equipment as necessary.
• Provide guidance and training to less-experienced team members and may also train others outside lab in relevant techniques.
• Perform other duties as assigned to meet the goals and objectives of the department and the institution.
• Maintain regular and predictable attendance.

Minimum Education and/or Training:

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant scientific area

Minimum Experience:

• 7 + years of research experience is required
• 5 + years of research experience is required with a Master's degree
• 2 + years of research experience is required with a PHD
• Experience leading and supporting research experiments preferred
• Some experience leading lab and scientific project coordination, maintenance, and other research support activities preferred
• Experience in guiding and training other laboratory personnel preferred
• Proven performance in earlier role/comparable role
• Eligibility for employees who transitioned into, were hired, or accepted offers for the role before 1/5/2025, the effective date of the Lab Research Career Path Refinements, will be determined based on the following criteria: Bachelor's + 5 years; Master's + 3 years; PHD + 0

Compensation

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