Postdoctoral Research Associate in Homogeneous Catalysis for Organic Synthesis (
Job Number:
24002271)
Department of Chemistry
Grade 7: - £40,247 per annum
Fixed Term - Full Time
Contract Duration: 36 Months
Contracted Hours per Week: 35
Closing Date
: 26-Jan-2025, 11:59:00 PM
Disclosure and Barring Service Requirement: Not Applicable.
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.
The Role and Department
You will be working as a Postdoctoral Research Assistant (PDRA) in the young and enthusiastic Franchino group, within the Department of Chemistry at Durham University. The post is available for 3 years, including a 1-year probation period, ideally starting in May 2025 (flexibility is possible). The salary is grade 7, spine point 32 (£40,247 per year before taxes).
Durham University, in the North of England, is a world top 100 university (QS World University Rankings 2025) with a global reputation for teaching and research. Our Chemistry degree is among the best ones in the UK. The Department of Chemistry is well equipped, with state-of-the-art instrumentation and facilities, and is located in the Science Campus, a 10-minute walk away from Durham old town.
The Franchino laboratory is currently undergoing a floor-to-ceiling refurbishment to the highest standards, so you will be able to work in a shiny, efficient and modern environment from day one. Alongside standard equipment for synthetic organic and inorganic chemistry, the Franchino lab benefits from dedicated, brand new glovebox, HPLC instrument and microwave synthesizer.
The Role
As a PDRA in the Franchino group, you will be pursuing ground-breaking research merging metal and organocatalysis, to develop new strategies for the stereoselective synthesis of organic molecules. Your project is funded by a prestigious UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship (FLF) recently awarded to the PI, entitled “ChloroCat: Unlocking metal-chloride bonds for data-driven stereoselective catalysis.” In this project, you will design, prepare and test (chiral) organocatalysts capable of engaging with common metal halide (pre)catalysts via non-covalent interactions, using an anion-binding approach.
The Project Involves The Following Skills. It Is Expected That You Are, At Present, An Expert On At Least One Of Them, And Looking Forward To Mastering All The Others All During Your Stay In The Group:
* Synthetic organic and organometallic chemistry (synthesis, purification and characterisation of substrates, products, ligands and catalysts using several techniques);
* Enantioselective catalysis (with both transition metals and organocatalysts, and using HTE);
* Supramolecular chemistry (study of non-covalent interactions in solution and in the solid state);
* Mechanistic elucidation using experimental and computational tools (e.g., kinetic studies, DFT calculations for homogeneous catalytic reactions and machine learning workflows).
Key Responsibilities:
* To conduct research projects under the direction of the Principal Investigator (PI), working productively both on your own and in collaboration with others, as appropriate.
* To plan and manage your research activity effectively and with minimal input from the PI.
* 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 assist with the development of research projects and proposals.
* To prepare and deliver presentations on research activities to both academic and non-academic audiences.
* To prepare high-quality outputs, including monthly reports for the PI, papers for submission to peer-reviewed journals and abstracts for presentation at conferences under the direction of the PI.
* To participate regularly in research group meetings and engage consistently in problem sessions.
* To liaise with departmental and university support units as appropriate for the progression of the research projects.
* To be involved in student supervision in the context of the research group.
* To engage in continuing professional development by attending relevant training and development courses.
This post is fixed term for 3 years, as the funding has been awarded to the PI to cover for a 36-month PDRA position, as part of her UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential Criteria:
* A good first degree in Chemistry or a closely related subject.
* A PhD (or be close to submission) in Chemistry or a closely related subject.
Experience
* Experience in conducting high-quality academic research in organic chemistry.
* Demonstrable ability to write material of a quality commensurate with publication in highly ranked journals.
* Demonstrable ability to present research papers at national and/or international conferences.
* Experience in homogeneous catalysis and/or organometallic chemistry and/or complex organic synthesis and/or supramolecular chemistry.
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.
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. We prefer to receive applications online.
Contact Information
Department contact for academic-related enquiries
Dr Allegra Franchino, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry
allegra.franchino@durham.ac.uk
University Contact For General Queries About The Recruitment Process
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.
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