Staff Scientist - College of Pharmacy

About the Job

Staff Scientist will be under the direct supervision of the co-Director of the Center for Drug Design (CDD), with the overall goal of advancing key CDD projects in drug discovery by providing center-wide computational chemistry/biology support. The main duties will be to conduct molecular docking to aid in structure-based drug design, carry out virtual screenings using structure- or ligand-based approaches, free energy calculations, and predict protein structures as well as drug ADME and toxicity properties.

The success of this position will require expertise in quantum chemistry, molecular mechanics methods, and molecular dynamic simulation, skills in molecular modeling and protein structure prediction, the ability to work in a highly collaborative team environment, and working knowledge in AI/ML in drug discovery. The successful candidate is expected to work largely independently with minimal supervision.

• Conduct molecular docking to aid in structure-based drug design.
• Carry out virtual screenings using structure- or ligand-based approaches.
• Perform free energy calculations.
• Predict protein structures.
• Curate and maintain a searchable in-house compound database.
• Create compound structure data files suitable for high throughput docking.
• Predict drug ADME and toxicity properties in silico using computational and AI models.

• Equipment management
• Molecular docking user training

This position will report to Dr. Zhengqiang (ZQ) Wang, Professor and co-Director

The position is 100% on site.

• Ph.D. in computational chemistry, Cheminformatics, Bioinformatics, Biophysics or a related field with one or more years of research training.
• Strong foundation in theoretical physical chemistry and organic chemistry
• Demonstrated expertise in quantum chemistry, molecular mechanics methods, and molecular dynamic simulation.
• Demonstrated knowledge on protein-ligand molecular interactions.
• Proven record in productive scientific research.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and collaboratively.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

• Demonstrated experience in computer-aided drug design, including molecular docking, Alpha Fold structural prediction, structure- or ligand-based virtual screening, free energy calculations.
• Demonstrated user experience with one or more of the standard modeling program suites (Schrodinger, MOE, etc).
• Proven ability to write project reports and manuscripts.
• Ability to work independently, design and execute research projects, and communicate scientific findings, with minimal supervision.

Pay Range: $70,000 - $80,000; depending on education/qualifications/experience

Time Appointment: 100% Appointment

Position Type: Faculty and P&A Staff

Please visit the Office of Human Resources website for more information regarding benefit eligibility.

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Tuition Benefit Program
• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and employer-paid life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost
• Employee Transit Pass with free or reduced rates in the Twin Cities metro area

While our salary ranges provide a framework, it is important to note that most of the time, the initial pay may not reach the maximum of the range. This approach ensures that compensation reflects the value and unique contributions of each candidate while maintaining equity within our organization. As part of our commitment to fair and equitable compensation, please be aware that the salary offered to incoming…