Postdoctoral Research Associate in Biological Chemistry / Drug Discovery

• Full time, 15 months fixed term with potential to extend. Located on the Camperdown Campus at the School of Chemistry

• An exciting opportunity to characterize and manipulate a novel enzyme system with implications in hypoxic disease using a range of complementary biological and chemical techniques.

• Base Salary, Academic Level A, $113,634 - $113,634 p.a + 17% superannuation.

About the opportunity

The School of Chemistry is currently seeking an enthusiastic and talented Postdoctoral Research Associate in Biological Chemistry / Drug Discovery to join the laboratory of Dr Mark White.

The successful candidate will help characterise a novel oxygen sensing enzyme implicated in hypoxic disease using a range of biochemical, biophysical and structural techniques, with the aim of elucidating enzyme mechanism and discovering drug candidates for pre-clinical assessment.

More information on the system can be found here - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-59960-3

Your key responsibilities will be to:

• contribute to an interdisciplinary research program investigating the biochemical properties of a novel enzymatic oxygen sensing system and its role in low oxygen diseases

• facilitate drug discovery efforts through in silico, activity and structural screening.

• support, train and supervise junior members of the team, including undergraduate students and PhD candidate, working in biological chemistry

• disseminate findings through presentations and publications.

The School of Chemistry at the University of Sydney is a leading Chemistry department in the country, with outstanding staff and students undertaking world-leading teaching and research. Our more than 30 academic staff, 100 research staff, and 100 research students conduct research across the full spectrum of pure and applied chemistry. Our research excellence is recognised by numerous prizes and awards to individual staff members and the award of over $7 million in research funding each year. With the support of over 30 professional, technical and administrative staff, the School of Chemistry administers and delivers undergraduate teaching for about 2500 students. We are committed to creating a diverse workplace by improving equity, access and opportunity, and we are continuously working to identify and remove biases and barriers to make our workplace open, supportive and safe for everyone.

To learn more about the School of Chemistry, click here

About you

The University values courage and creativity; openness and engagement; inclusion and diversity; and respect and integrity. As such, we see the importance of recruiting talent aligned to these values and are looking for a Postdoctoral Research Associate who has two or more of the follow attributes:

• a Ph.D. (or near completion) in biochemistry or closely related discipline

• experience in recombinant protein expression and purification

• experience in (or a desire to learn) biophysical and structural techniques, such as SPR and X-ray crystallography

• experience in (or a desire to learn) drug discovery

• experience in (or a desire to learn) chemical synthesis

• experience in (or a desire to learn) mass spectrometry and/or proteomics

• a demonstrated ability to coordinate research activities, either independently or as part as a team

• an enthusiastic and inquisitive scientific mind.

Pre-employment checks

Your employment is conditional upon the completion of all role required pre-employment or background checks in terms satisfactory to the University. Similarly, your ongoing employment is conditional upon the satisfactory maintenance of all relevant clearances and background check requirements. If you do not meet these conditions, the University may take any necessary step, including the termination of your employment.

EEO statement

At the University of Sydney, our shared values are trust, accountability and excellence and we strive to be a place where everyone can thrive. We are committed to creating a University community that thrives through diversity and reflects the wider community that we serve. We deliver on this through our commitment to diversity and inclusion , evidenced by our people and culture programs, as well as key strategies to increase participation and support the careers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People , women , people living with a disability , people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds , and those who identify as LGBTIQ+ . We welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds.

We are proud to be recognised as an Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) Gold employer. Find out more about our work on diversity and inclusion .

How to apply

Applications (including a cover letter, CV, and any additional supporting documentation) can be submitted via the Apply button at the top of the page.

For employees of the University or contingent workers, please login into your Workday account and navigate to the Career icon on your Dashboard. Click on USYD Find Jobs and apply.

For a confidential discussion about the role, or if you require reasonable adjustment or any documents in alternate formats, please contact Simon Drew, Recruitment Operations, Human Resources at [email protected]

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