Compound Management Technician - UOD2415

Job Title: Compound Management Technician

Hours: 35 hours per week, Full-time

Grade of Post/Salary: Grade 4, £24,479 - £26,707

Duration of employment: 12 Months Fixed Term

Role Purpose

The Drug Discovery Unit is a fully integrated, Biotech-style drug discovery operation with a remit to complement Biotech/Pharma activities by tackling early-stage small molecule drug discovery across a range of therapeutic areas. We work to Biotech philosophy and standards, incorporating dynamic, goal driven project management based on target product profiles and compound selection criteria. Our projects and skillsets cover all aspects of early drug discovery, from hit identification, through lead optimisation to candidate selection. Our experienced team, many of whom have a background in Biotech/Pharma, works in a state-of-the-art building with cutting-edge equipment and automation for drug discovery.

We are currently looking for a highly motivated research technician to be part of the Compound Management team in the DDU. The role of the team is to support projects by compound handling for biological screening and chemical synthesis. This will involve the use of liquid handling robotics and database software. The roll will also involve working alongside the Chemical Inventory technician looking after the solid compound and reagent stocks.

This is a unique opportunity to gain experience in industry-style drug discovery within an academic setting. You will be working with skilled and experienced scientists at the cutting edge of drug discovery in first class facilities.

Location

The post holder will be based within the Faculty of Life Sciences on City Campus

Principal Duties

Providing high quality Compound Management duties for multiple drug discovery teams

Working with liquid handling robots - Tecan and Beckman instruments

Working with sophisticated data handling software - Dotmatics, Activity Base

Compound library stewardship

Managing (handling) chemicals and reagents

Regular stock check and auditing of chemical inventories

Organising disposal of reagents as required

Maintenance of laboratory equipment

Working collaboratively with members of the Drug Discovery Unit, academia and industrial collaborators to support drug discovery programs

The post holder will:

A demonstrated ability to work in an organised manner and to standard operating procedures is essential

A track record of working with automation would be an advantage but is not essential as training will be provided

Experience of working in a chemistry laboratory environment, handling of chemicals and reagents

Practical experience of using laboratory instrumentation to demonstrate a transferable skill set

Strong interpersonal, communication and presentation skills

Demonstrable evidence of being proactive and adaptable to rapidly changeable circumstance is essential

To show initiative to relation of planning your own daily tasks

Communication

The postholder will be expected to have strong interpersonal and e-mail communication skills as this is the primary way the testing teams place their requests with our team. The ability to verbally explain our processes to external visitors will be required; though this is normally the remit of the senior team members and the individual will be supported by the leadership team hosting the tour if required to do so.

Liaison & Networking

The DDU has joint projects and also supports other research groups within the UoD with whom the candidate will need to interact with. We also are the main contact point for external project collaborators to both send and receive samples on behalf of the project teams.

Decision Making, Planning and Problem Solving

On a day-to-day basis the senior team members will direct the individual as to which tasks have priority and they are needed to work on, which requires team planning/consultation to ensure the instruments are best utilised. They will be expected to plan the way they approach each task themselves. There are common lab upkeep practices the individual will be expected to help perform once shown, on their own initiative as needed. The individual will not plan work of others.

Team Development

The individual will sit across two teams. The Compound Management team which currently consists of three people, and the Chemical Inventory team which has one person at present. They will have no supervisory responsibilities.