Australia: Postdoc position to study antiviral polymer-based prodrugs for the treatment of Hepatitis C

• Establish the use of high-throughput techniques in the accelerated discovery of antiviral polymer-based prodrugs for the treatment of Hepatitis C
• Design, develop and characterise novel functional copolymers
• Join CSIRO, Australia's leading scientific research organisation

Applications are invited for an Postdoctoral Fellowship in a project that will establish the use of high-throughput techniques (HTT) in the accelerated discovery of antiviral polymer-based prodrugs for the treatment of Hepatitis C. This disease affects over 200 million people worldwide yet the available treatment suffers from poor effectiveness and significant side effects.

To address this global challenge, there is an opportunity to identify successful polymer carriers for delivery of antiviral drugs to the liver and accomplish this using HTT for polymer synthesis, characterisation and evaluation.

Location: Clayton, Victoria, Australia
Salary: $81k - $88k plus up to 15.4% superannuation
Reference Number: VIC13/01482

Key Responsibilities:

• Design, develop and characterise of novel functional copolymers.
• Develop a protocol for a high-throughput platform (Chemspeed) to prepare libraries of statistical copolymers.
• Define available macromolecular space (eg. achievable loadings of drug and targeting monomers).
• Achieve expertise in biodistribution studies, in vitro efficacy of these polymers and in vivo targeting data, nominate the lead candidates for clinical trials.
• Provide support and supervision to junior staff or students, contribute to the effective functioning of the research team and help deliver on CSIRO's organisational objectives.
• Produce high quality scientific and technical outputs including journal articles, conference papers and presentations, patents and technical reports. Regularly review relevant literature and patents.
• Develop innovative concepts and ideas for further research.
• Participate in CSIRO's postdoctoral training program.

The successful candidate will have:

• A PhD, or will shortly satisfy the requirements for a PhD degree in a relevant scientific discipline. Must not have more than 3 years related postdoctoral experience.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct innovative research in synthetic organic chemistry and organic structure characterisation applied to small molecule and/or polymer synthesis.
• Demonstrated ability to develop experimental plans and pursue novel research approaches.
• Demonstrated originality, creativity and innovation in solving problems and introducing new directions and approaches.
• Ability to work with a broad range of people from varying research backgrounds and evidence of strong communication skills including the ability to publish results in scientific journals.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently while contributing to overall team performance and ability to meet performance deadlines.

About CSIRO: Australia is founding its future on science and innovation. Its national science agency, CSIRO is a powerhouse of ideas, technologies and skills for building prosperity, growth, health and sustainability. It serves governments, industries, business and communities across the nation. Visit: www.csiro.au

About CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering (CMSE): CMSE's innovation in new materials occurs at the intersection of biology, chemistry and physics. Our research is making an impact for Australians in manufacturing, health, automotive and aerospace, defence and resource exploration.

To apply

For further information and to apply online please visit our website at CSIRO CAREERS, choose "Positions Vacant" then "Job Search" and insert Reference Number VIC13/01482 where indicated or go directly to:
http://csiro.nga.net.au/?jati=f5d74d57-1518-3c53-67b9-769e43d046bb


Applications close: 2 June 2013