Postdoctoral Research Scientist - Chemical Synthesis Advanced Therapeutics

We are seeking to appoint two Postdoctoral Research Assistants to join Professor Dame Molly Stevens's lab.

The Stevens Group operates at the intersection of multiple disciplines, enabling highly collaborative and cross‑field research. The lab is based at the Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Discovery and is strategically affiliated with the Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Genetics, as well as the Institute of Biomedical Engineering within the Department of Engineering Science.

The posts require complementary chemistry skills to support ongoing research in the development of biomaterials for advanced therapeutic and drug delivery applications. We are looking for talented chemists with broad expertise in synthesis and characterisation of polymers, small molecules, and/or soft materials for biomedical applications. The role is highly multidisciplinary involving collaboration with researchers working within the fields of materials science, bioengineering, chemistry and biology.

• Develop research questions and conduct research in the design and synthesis of innovative polymer-based and nanoscale soft biomaterials for advanced therapeutic and drug delivery applications, including analysis of detailed and complex qualitative and/or quantitative data from a variety of sources, and the generation of original ideas by building on existing concepts.
• Characterise materials and evaluate their structure‑property relationships using appropriate analytical and physicochemical techniques to optimise material performance.
• Contribute to translation‑focused optimisation, including in vitro evaluation, bio- and immunocompatibility, and scalability.

• Hold, or be near to completion of, a PhD/DPhil in organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, medicinal chemistry, or a related field.
• Experience in one of the following areas:
  • Polymer chemistry – design and synthesis of polymers using living or controlled polymerisation methods, and/or synthesis of small molecules required for polymer synthesis such as monomers, initiators, chain‑transfer agents, cross‑linkers or other functional polymerisation reagents.
  • Small‑molecule synthesis – synthesis of biologically active small molecules, therapeutically relevant molecules, stimuli‑responsive systems, bioorganic compounds and/or biomolecules such as peptides, amino acids, and carbohydrates.
• Experience in chemical characterisation techniques, for example gel permeation chromatography / size exclusion chromatography (GPC/SEC), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), mass spectrometry (MS), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), optical spectroscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy, circular dichroism, infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, chromatography, thermal analysis and/or microscopy.
• Previous experience of contributing to publications/presentations, with a proven track record of first‑author publications in peer‑reviewed journals.

• An excellent contributory pension scheme
• 38 days annual leave
• A comprehensive range of childcare services
• Family leave schemes
• Cycle and electric car loan schemes
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Membership to a variety of social and sports clubs
• Discounted bus travel and Season Ticket travel loans

The role is available immediately for a fixed term of 18 months (depending on start date), with the possibility of part‑time appointments being considered. While this is a full‑time role, we welcome applications from individuals who wish to be considered for part‑time working or other flexible working arrangements.