King's College London

THIS VACANCY IS OPEN TO INTERNAL CANDIDATES ONLY

About Us

This research position is an integral part of a collaborative Cancer Research UK funded programme focussed on developing radiotracers that target receptors associated with hard-to-treat cancers. It is based in the multidisciplinary School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences at King’s College London, which is geographically located at St Thomas’ Hospital. In this role, a highly skilled and experienced chemist will apply their expertise to translational cancer imaging and therapeutic research.

About The Role

In this role, a chemist, with a strong track record of working in multidisciplinary teams, will (i) lead research activities focussed on developing and applying chemistry for radiopharmaceuticals in cancer, (ii) support aligned research projects on molecular radiotracers for cancer, and (iii) play a collaborative role in translation of promising research outcomes to clinical use with clinical collaborators and industry partners.

We are looking for someone with a range of synthetic, inorganic, bioconjugate and radio chemistry skills, a knowledge of molecular pharmaceuticals and an ability to design preclinical studies. This role will encompass varied responsibilities, including work on a wide range of collaborative projects. The researcher will develop new chelators for attachment to bioactive vectors that target cancer, radiolabel the resulting conjugates with medically relevant radioisotopes, and contribute to preclinical research on the resulting radiotracers to test their utility for diagnostic imaging or systemic radiotherapy. This will include preparation and labelling of small molecules and proteins, followed by collaboratively working with colleagues on in vitro and in vivo biological studies, including preclinical (mainly PET, SPECT, CT) imaging.

The post holder will also provide training, assistance and advice to other workers and collaborators: he/she will advise, support and train internal staff and students in the design and execution of experiments relating to cancer biology, including radiosynthesis of tracers, in vitro biological evaluation, and in vivo molecular imaging related to cancer. The role will be a basis for first- and senior author publications on the development of innovative methodologies in this field as well as co-authoring user-led publications.

This is a full time post, this is a fixed term contract until: 31/12/27 . Research staff at King’s are entitled to at least 10 days per year (pro-rata) for professional development. This entitlement, from the  Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers, applies to Postdocs, Research Assistants, Research and Teaching Technicians, Teaching Fellows and AEP equivalent up to and including grade 7. Visit the  Centre for Research Staff Development for more information.

About You

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:

Essential criteria

1. PhD in the Chemical Sciences or related disciplines, and BSc (2:2 or above) in chemistry, pharmacy or similar.
2. Proven experience of synthetic and/or organic chemistry, including design of synthetic strategies, purification and characterisation.
3. Proven experience in radiochemistry, synthesis and handling of biological and radioactive materials, especially using metallic radionuclides.
4. Knowledge of molecular imaging research, including PET, SPECT, and theranostics in oncology.
5. Expertise in study/experimental design and analysis of complex data.
6. Excellent communication skills and excellent teamwork skills, including experience in working in a multidisciplinary, collaborative team.
7. The ability to support the work of other staff and students, including less experienced colleagues and students.

Desirable criteria

1. Knowledge and skills in in vitro and in vivo testing, including of radiopharmaceuticals, radio tracers and cell labelling, using a variety of radionuclides.
2. Experience of collaboration with preclinical groups and experience of developing novel tracers from de-novo synthesis to preclinical studies.
3. Knowledge and experience in inorganic and metal chemistry, particularly for medicinal chemistry and/or nuclear medicine.

Downloading a copy of our Job Description

Full details of the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required can be found in the Job Description document, provided at the bottom of the page. This document will provide information of what criteria will be assessed at each stage of the recruitment process.

Please note that this is a PhD level role but candidates who have submitted their thesis and are awaiting award of their PhDs will be considered. In these circumstances the appointment will be made at Grade 5, spine point 30 with the title of Research Assistant. Upon confirmation of the award of the PhD, the job title will become Research Associate and the salary will increase to Grade 6.

Further Information

We pride ourselves on being inclusive and welcoming. We embrace diversity and want everyone to feel that they belong and are connected to others in our community.

We are committed to working with our staff and unions on these and other issues, to continue to support our people and to develop a diverse and inclusive culture at King's.

As part of this commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and through this appointment process, it is our aim to develop candidate pools that include applicants from all backgrounds and communities.

We ask all candidates to submit a copy of their CV, and a supporting statement, detailing how they meet the essential criteria listed in the person specification section of the job description. If we receive a strong field of candidates, we may use the desirable criteria to choose our final shortlist, so please include your evidence against these where possible. To find out how our managers will review your application, please take a look at our ‘How we Recruit’ pages.

Interviews are due to be held  in June - July

This post is subject to Disclosure and Barring Service and/or Occupational Health clearances.