Research Associate in the Department of Engineering

Job ID: 020544

Salary: £38,304 per annum, including London Weighting Allowance 

Posted: 22-Apr-2021

Closing date: 06-May-2021

Business unit: Natural & Mathematical Sciences

Department: Engineering

Contact details: Professor Harris Makatsoris, harris.makatsoris@kcl.ac.uk

Strand Campus   Research    

Job description
The Process Engineering research group in the Department of Engineering
 
The Post Doctoral Research Associate in Continuous Manufacture of pharmaceutical particles is aimed at applicants who have already completed  and hold a PhD degree or equivalent in an area related to process intensification, flow chemistry or continuous manufacturing of drug substances and have a background in chemistry or chemical or process systems engineering. The post holder will complement the existing team researching continuous flow technologies for the scale up of the controlled synthesis of drug particles for a range of therapeutic application areas.
 
The post holder will have the opportunity to access state of the art equipment and additionally will work together with other leading groups in the research domain at King's College London. The post holder will require sound laboratory skills and will be expected to interface and collaborate with stakeholders and research groups both internal and external to King’s College including our Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, and will be expected to communicate and promote the outcomes of experimental work.
 
The post holder will also investigate and coordinate demonstration activities of our technology to the stakeholder network, primarily online through events and engagement. The post holder will be a PDRA researcher for the initial 12 months, working alongside the investigator team and will be reporting directly to the PI.
 
The Engineering Department is undergoing a significant investment programme with a £15 million commitment for development that commenced in August 2019. Engineering has a rich history at King's and heritage. King’s College London (KCL) is ranked 31st in the 2019 QS world universities rankings and was ranked sixth nationally in the 'power' ranking in the 2014 REF. The Department builds upon this reputation with a focus on emerging technologies, with research in sustainable systems & manufacturing, telecommunications, robotics, and energy as key areas, with the more recent addition of process intensification and continuous manufacturing, where the post holder will be hosted.
 
This post will be offered on a full-time, fixed term contract from 1st June 2021 until 31st May 2022. Start date is non negotiable.

Key responsibilities 

• Design, preparation and execution of experimental plans for the preparation of drug particles with novel properties  
• Design and conduct laboratory experiments on flow chemistry platforms available to the group with main focus on synthesis and preparation of drug substances in their sold form 
• Preparation and delivery of presentations as required
• Authorship of reports and journal papers
• Investigation/desk research of how the group’s technology could comply with standards, regulations and best practice and preparation of a document road map
• Work together with the PI on the preparation of a follow on grant proposal

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.

Skills, knowledge and experience 

Essential criteria

• First degree in chemistry or chemical engineering or in a related field in physical sciences
• PhD in chemistry or chemical engineering or equivalent
• Chemical laboratory skills  
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills
• Presentation skills

Desirable criteria

• Skills in flow chemistry
• Basic understanding of organic or medicinal chemistry
• Some experience in crystalisation
• Practical skills in setting up and operating fluid flow control components such as pumps
• Basic skills in process analytical tools and in particular spectroscopy
• Understanding, appreciation and some practical exposure to laboratory risk assesement procedures
• Some basic experience in Design of Experiments methodologies