Research Assistant

The National Institute of Education invites suitable applications for the position of Research Assistant on a 6-month renewable contract at the Office of Teacher Education & Undergraduate Programmes.

Project Title: Sustainable catalysts for the synthesis of carbon-heteroatom bonds [RS 7/23 TYC]

Project Introduction: Transition-metal catalyzed carbon-heteroatom strategies for the generation of selective carbon-nitrogen, carbon-sulfur and carbon-oxygen bonds has emerged as a versatile strategy for chemical synthesis. In particular, the intense demand for these strategies has been driven by its applications in producing key intermediates which are prevalent building blocks for the construction of many natural products and pharmaceuticals. Many of the existing protocols for performing this type of transformation have been accomplished using toxic and expensive transition metals such as palladium, nickel, rhodium and ruthenium metal catalysts. In most instances, the catalysts are easily rendered ineffective unless carried out under stringent inert conditions and anhydrous solvents. Generally, the catalytic systems based on such transition metals are perceived as expensive methodologies with higher toxicity.

Despite advances made in carbon-heteroatom bonds formation reactions, there is still a pertinent need to develop new protocols that are less toxic, sustainable, and experimentally simple. In this project, we aim to address this challenge by applying more environmentally benign metal salts as catalysts for carbon-heteroatom bonds formation reactions.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Chemistry or a related discipline.
• Minimum of one year of experience in a chemistry laboratory setting.
• Preferred experience in the synthesis and characterization of organic compounds.
• Familiarity with a broad range of organic synthesis techniques is essential. This includes handling air and/or moisture sensitive chemicals and conducting experiments under inert atmosphere conditions.
• Practical experience in purification methods such as flash chromatography, preparative HPLC and crystallization.
• Ability to interpret results obtained by spectroscopic techniques (IR, UV/Vis, 1H and 13C NMR) to elucidate the structure of synthesized compounds.
• Proficiency in performing literature searches using chemistry databases and applying the findings to solve synthetic challenges in the lab.
• Proficiency in both written and spoken English, with the ability to communicate research findings clearly and effectively.
• Good communication skills are essential for collaboration within the team.
• Ability to work independently and within a team environment.
• Meticulous, systematic, responsible, and accountable for tasks.
• Experience in metal-mediated cross-coupling and/or C-H activation reactions is a plus.

Responsibilities:

• Design and execute organic synthesis routes to create target molecules.
• Utilize various techniques like extraction, chromatography, and crystallization for isolation/purification.
• Use NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance), IR (Infrared Spectroscopy), and elemental analysis to analyze and confirm the structure of synthesized compounds.
• Develop new synthetic methods or optimize existing ones.
• Identify and resolve issues in the synthesis process.
• Prepare detailed manuscripts describing research findings for publication in scientific journals.
• Procure necessary chemicals and equipment for ongoing research.
• Ensure smooth operation of the laboratory by managing resources efficiently.
• Implement and enforce safety regulations and protocols within the laboratory.
• Other research tasks assigned by the PI.

Application

Applicants (external and internal) will apply via Workday. We regret that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

Closing Date

Closing date for advertisements will be set to 14 calendar days from date of posting.