Assistant Professor (Adjunct Researcher) at the Department of Medicinal Chemistry IP PAS, FIRST TEAM FENG Project (Part-time -1/2 FTE)

  Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences announces competition for an Assistant Professor (Adjunct Researcher) position under the FIRST TEAM FENG project, No. FENG.02.02-IP.05-0039/23, entitled: GenProSyn – an innovative generative approach to enumeration of easy-to-synthesize ligands with optimized properties.

Project Principal Investigator: Assoc. Prof. Sabina Podlewska

Project Description:

The primary goal of the Project is to develop innovative software enabling generation of chemical compounds which are optimized in terms of physicochemical properties, ADMET, and synthesizability. This is essential to prevent the elimination of compounds in later stages of the drug discovery process. The software will be based on cutting-edge generative neural networks, spefically the Generative Flow Network (GFlowNet) algorithm. We plan to further enhance this algorithm to consider the shape of biological binding sites and incorporate modules for optimizing physicochemical properties, ADMET, and synthesizability of the proposed ligands, while ensuring structural novelty. In addition to computational validation, we will conduct experimental studies on three biological targets, potentially leading to the discovery of drugs for pain therapy, central nervous system disorders, or anti-aging compounds. The most promising ligands will undergo in vivo testing to comprehensively evaluate their potential as drug candidates in these therapeutic areas.

Candidate profile: R2

Salary: 6 000 PLN gross gross (total employer cost)

Employment type: Part-time (1/2 FTE)

Employment period: 33 months

Employment form: Fixed-term contract

Position description and scope of duties:

We are seeking an employee responsible for the synthesis of chemical compounds proposed by the generative module (30 MOR ligands). Key responsibilities include:

1. Verifying proposed synthetic routes for new compounds based on scientific literature and chemical databases (Reaxys, SciFinder);
2. Performing single- and multi-step synthetic reactions;
3. Optimizing reaction conditions;
4. Purifying and isolating products using chromatographic techniques;
5. Analyzing spectroscopic data;
6. Managing chemical reagents and assessing supply needs;
7. Complying with health and safety regulations and procedures for handling hazardous substances;
8. Reviewing and analyzing literature relevant to the research topic;
9. Processing and interpreting experimental results;
10. Documenting experimental work;
11. Maintaining a clean and organized workspace;
12. Strict adherence to the code of ethics of Polish Academy of Sciences employee;
13. Adherence to rules and regulations in force at the IP PAS.

Candidate requirements:

Mandatory qualifications:

1. A doctoral degree (PhD) in chemical sciences, pharmaceutical sciences or a related discipline;
2. At least 10 years of practical experience in planning and performing organic synthesis;
3. Experience in conducting research projects (including national and/or international), confirmed by participation as a principal investigator or team member;
4. Documented scientific output in the form of publications in peer-reviewed journals in the field of organic or medicinal chemistry (minimum 10 publications).
5. Knowledge of techniques of purification and identification of organic compounds (chromatography, NMR, MS, IR, TLC);
6. Ability to use chemical databases (e.g., SciFinder, Reaxys) and office software (Excel, Word);
7. Experience in scientific supervision and mentoring of students, PhD candidates, or research interns;
8. Strong proficiency in English, both written and spoken, enabling effective work in an international research environment;
9. Strong capacity to work cooperatively within an interdisciplinary team.

Additional requirements (desired):

1. Knowledge of basic molecular modeling techniques (docking, pharmacophore models, molecular dynamics simulations, etc.);
2. Proficiency in Polish.

Required documents:

1. Application for employment for the above-mentioned position together with a cover letter with a description of scientific interests;
2. List of information about the candidate in accordance with Appendix 1 to the Form;
3. Personal questionnaire for a person applying for employment in accordance with Appendix 2 to the Form;
4. A copy of the doctoral diploma;
5. Short self-presentation;
6. Opinion from the PhD supervisor or another academic mentor;
7. Contact details of persons who can provide information about the candidate and who agreed to be contacted;
8. Certificate of English language proficiency, if available;
9. Declaration of the primary workplace and affiliation of research and publications in accordance with Appendix 3 to the Form;
10. Information on the processing of personal data in accordance with Appendix 4 to the Form;
11. A declaration of impeccable ethical attitude in accordance with Appendix 5 to the Form.

Applications with the required documents should be sent in electronic form to the e-mail address: ifpan@if-pan.krakow.pl by August 22, 2025.

The message’s title should indicate which competition the application concerns: “Competition – Assistant Professor (Adjunct Researcher) at the Dept. of Medicinal Chemistry IP PAS FIRST TEAM FENG project”.

The competition winner will be selected from among those meeting the formal requirements based on the analysis of documents and possible interviews.

Please be advised that we will contact only selected candidates and will not return the submitted documents. We reserve the right to void the competition without giving any reason.

For additional information, please contact:

Project Principal Investigator Assoc. Prof. Sabina Podlewska, email: smusz@if-pan.krakow.pl, phone: 12 662 33 01.

Recruitment Process:

The assessment of applications will be carried out by the Recruitment Committee, which includes the Project Principal Investigator, representatives of the IPPAS Management, representatives of the Department of Medicinal Chemistry IPPAS (min. 3 people in total). The assessment will proceed in the following stages:

1) Formal assessment: this stage involves verifying the completeness of documents and the candidate’s compliance with the minimum requirements specified in the competition announcement.

2) Substantive assessment: the Recruitment Committee will conduct a detailed analysis of the candidate’s scientific achievements (publications, participation in research projects and conferences, as well as received awards and distinctions), research accomplishments, and specialist competencies necessary for the implementation of the Project.

3) Interview: selected candidates will be invited for an interview, during which their specialist competencies necessary for the planned project work will be primarily assessed. There is a possibility of conducting the recruitment interview online.

Each member of the Recruitment Committee will individually assess the candidate on three criteria: scientific achievements, experience in research projects, and specialist competencies. The final decision on the selection of the candidate will be made based on discussions and mutual agreements among the members of the Recruitment Committee, taking into account the results of the evaluations conducted.

Date of announcement: August 4, 2025 

Application deadline: August 22, 2025   

Interview dates: August 29, 2025

Announcement of results: August 29, 2025
Planned start date: September 2025