Job Description

Ref Number

B04-06787

Professional Expertise

Research and Research Support

Department

UCL BEAMS (B04)

Location

London

Working Pattern

Full time

Salary

43,981-52,586

Contract Type

Permanent

Working Type

On site

Available for Secondment

No

Closing Date

30-Nov-2025

About us

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The Chemistry Department at UCL is one of the top-ranked departments in the UK and is committed to supporting excellence in both research and teaching. The Chemistry Department has over 60 members of academic staff carrying out world-leading research, with an annual research income of around 15 million, derived from many sources including UKRI (EPSRC, BBSRC, MRC, and NERC), European Commission and a wide range of charities and industrial partners in the UK, Europe, and the USA. A multidisciplinary research ethos is fully embedded in our activities in the Departments with highly innovative research programmes across Engineering and Bioscience Departments and elsewhere at UCL as well as nationally, internationally and with industry. We specialize in the areas of organic synthesis, chemical biology, and green synthetic strategies for molecular assembly. Details about our research can be found on the departmental website http://www.ucl.ac.uk/chemistry.

About the role

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The research fellow will work in the research groups of Helen Hailes in the Department of Chemistry, UCL, and Sanjib Bhakta at Birkbeck, University of London. The project will be focused on developing new bioactive compounds to tackle drug-resistant infections. The proposed research builds on our previous work on the development of carbazoles as anti-mycobacterial chemotherapeutics. The postholder will be required to synthesise substrates, perform assays, optimise structure activity relationships, and synthesise molecular probes to study the mode of action. The postholder will work in an interdisciplinary environment so excellent team-working and communication skills will be required. The appointment is funded by the UKRI MRC 'Southeast Asia regional funding collaboration on infectious diseases' initiative. The position is available from 01 December 2025 and for up to 24 months in the first instance. Please note, appointment at Grade 7 (45,103 - 52,586 pr annum including London Allowance) is dependent upon having been awarded a PhD; if this is not the case, initial appointment will be at Research Assistant Grade 6B (39,148 - 41,833 per annum including London Allowance) with payment at Grade 7 being backdated to the date of final submission of the PhD thesis.

About you

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The successful candidate will have a PhD degree (or be about to be awarded a PhD) in the area of medicinal chemistry, organic synthesis, chemical biology, or equivalent subject. Experience in several of the following areas is required: the synthesis of bioactive compounds, compound characterisation, assay development, together with a good publication track record, a demonstrated commitment to excellence, and excellent skills in the lab are required. They will be required to work in a multidisciplinary, collaborative team and have effective written and verbal communication skills in English. The and Person Specification can be accessed at the bottom of this page. To apply for the vacancy please click on the 'Apply' button below. For informal enquiries please contact Professor Helen Hailes, h.c.hailes@ucl.ac.uk. Any queries on the recruitment process can be directed to hr.chem@ucl.ac.uk

What we offer

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As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents we also offer some great benefits some of which are below: o 41 Days holiday (27 days annual leave 8 bank holiday and 6 closure days) o Additional 5 days' annual leave purchase scheme o Defined benefit career average revalued earnings pension scheme (CARE) o Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loan o Immigration loan o Relocation scheme for certain posts o On-Site nursery o On-site gym o Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay o Employee assistance programme: Staff Support Service o Discounted medical insurance

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

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As London's Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world's talent. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL's workforce. These include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds; disabled people; LGBTQI+ people; and for our Grade 9 and 10 roles, women. Our department holds an Athena Swan Silver award in recognition of our commitment and demonstrable impact in advancing gender equality. You can read more about our commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion here: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/equality-diversity-inclusion/