Research Scientist and Managing Director - Carl R. Woese Institute Genomic Biology

Position: Research Scientist and Managing Director - Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology
Research Scientist and Managing Director - Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology
Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology
Alma Therapeutics is a public- private partnershipbetween the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) and Deerfield Management in NY and its mission is to translate break-through scienceperformed at UIUC into new therapeutics for a wide range of medical needs.

Alma Therapeutics leverages resources and infrastructure across UIUC campus, including the first-of-its-kind Molecule Maker Lab (MML) that is pioneering automated modular small-molecule synthesisfor drug discovery located at Beckman Institute and world class, team-science based, Interdisciplinary Research Institute, the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology (IGB), where Alma Therapeutics is housed.

The mission of the IGB is toadvance life science research at the University, meaningfully engage with thepublic to understand the impact of genomic research, and to stimulatebio-economic development in the state of Illinois. We do so by tackling grandchallenges in fundamental and applied research with genomics andmulti-disciplinary team science and large thematic research areas that spanshealth and wellness, agriculture and energy, technology and society.

We are looking for a dynamic individual with scientific expertise in drug discovery to lead the partnership with

Alma therapeutics and UIUC. This is a unique opportunity to develop a career in managing innovative collaborations and providing scientific guidance on projects as necessary. This position and partnership sit at the forefront of advancing drug discovery at Illinois.

Job Summary
The Research Scientist and Managing Director position aims to bring together scientific expertise in medicinal chemistry to formulate novel drug design and development and to foster team collaborations towards drug discovery.Duties & Responsibilities

• Research Scientist activities
  
  • Collaborates with the faculty, post-docs, and students as an embedded research partner to conceptualize scientific projects related to drug discovery and development.
  
  • Conducts experiments to identify and evaluate the efficacy of compounds to advance the translational drug development pipeline.
  
  • Oversees project performance of trainees and junior staff, and advises on best practices in developing protocols, conducting experiments, analyzing data and presenting results.
  
  • Creates scientific presentations and presents results in scientific meetings and conferences, in research publications, and to partners in Alma therapeutics.
  
  • Identifies opportunities to grow the research portfolio and advance the pursuit of collaborative drug discovery.
• Managing Director activities
  
  • Contributes to strategic planning and implementation of goals of the partnership with Alma Therapeutics.
  
  • Serve as a campus liaison for Alma Therapeutics and work with Director Martin Burke.
  
  • Conceptualizes and conducts workshops to invite faculty and staff to apply for proposals.
  
  • Organizes and prepares materials on the Alma Therapeutics partnership to present to leadership at Illinois and Deerfield.
  
  • Fosters collaborations within the university and external entities to promote drug discovery and development at Illinois.
  
  • Represents the partnership and success stories in regional and national conferences.
  
  • Cultivates relationships across academia, industry, and government in order to develop new partnerships.
  
  • Liaises with the Office of Technology Management on intellectual property developed by the projects funded by Alma Therapeutics partnership.

Minimum Qualifications

Ph.D. in Chemistry with specialization in medicinal chemistry and drug discovery, and experience in early-stage drug discovery and development.
Preferred Qualifications

• Two or more years of experience working in research setting, including experience working in academia or industry beyond graduate education.

• Documented record of excellent performance in recent professional appointments, evidenced by successful project execution, leadership responsibilities, and sustained contributions to research programs.

• Strong track record of scientific publications and meaningful…