Staff Scientist - Toronto, Canada - University of Toronto

University of Toronto

Verified Company

Toronto, Canada

2 weeks ago

Posted by:

Sophia Lee

beBee Recruiter

Description

Date Posted:03/20/2024

Req ID:30501

Faculty/Division:
Faculty of Arts & Science

Department:
Acceleration Consortium

Campus:
St. George (Downtown Toronto)

Description:

The Acceleration Consortium received a $200M Canadian First Research Excellence Grant for seven years to develop self-driving labs for chemistry and materials, the largest ever grant to a Canadian University.

This grant will provide the Acceleration Consortium with seven years of funding to execute its vision.

The AC is developing seven advanced SDLs

These include:

Inorganic solidstate materials,
Organic small molecules for advanced materials,
Drug discovery with chemical probes,
Formulations for pharmaceuticals, consumer products, and coatings,
Biocompatibility (organonachip), and
Synthetic scaleup of materials and molecules.

We are hiring staff scientists to develop the hardware and software needs for each of these SDLs and to conduct research programs levering these labs for materials and molecule discovery.

The Staff Scientists involved in the AC are highly skilled and experienced researchers who will work independently to develop the AI and automation technologies required to build robust and scalable self-driving labs, manage these SDLs, and design and implement research programs (based on the direction of the AC's scientific leadership team) that leverage the SDL platforms to discover materials and molecules.

This role will report to the Academic Director and Executive Director of the Acceleration Consortium.

We are looking for individuals with diverse backgrounds and expertise to support the development of Self-Driving Labs and materials discovery.

The Staff Scientists will work with a diverse team of leading experts at the U of T, including: Alàn Aspuru-Guzik, Christine Allen, Cheryl Arrowsmith, Frank Gu, Jason Hattrick-Simpers, Anatole von Lilienfeld, Milica Radisic, Sophie Rousseaux, Florian Shkurti, Dwight Seferos, Dave Sinton, and Helen Tran.

Artificial Intelligence / Automation

Machine Learning for Molecules and Materials
Physical, theoretical and/or computational chemistry
Robotics
Experimental planning and design/optimal control
Programming and highperformance computing
Cheminformatics

Automated Chemical Synthesis and Characterization

Highthroughput materials synthesis and processing (polymers, inorganic and organic molecules (including lipids))
Nanomaterial synthesis and characterization
Polymer physics
Structural, electrochemical, and microstructural characterization of materials and molecules
Screening electrocatalytic conversion
Analytical chemistry and separation method development
Chemical reactions and analytics
GLP formulation skills
Electrochemistry
Organic synthesis methodology development

Drug Discovery / Medicinal Chemistry

Medicinal chemistry
Protein biophysics/biochemistry
Mass spectrometry
Controlled release properties and processes

Organ on a chip / Organoid

Pluripotent stem cell differentiation
Molecular biology
Toxicology pharmacology

The components and duties of the work include:

SDL and Automation Development

Working with the AC community, including faculty and partners, to determine the required capabilities of the SDLs to be built.

Developing SDL plans to meet user requirements and designing novel instruments for automated material synthesis and characterization. Developing customized hardware and Python software packages to build SDLs. Selecting, procurement, and installation of the equipment required for SDLs.
- **Research Direction**Tasks include:

Managing the research and development projects of AC's industry partners when implemented in AC labs.
Developing plans supporting research collaborations and estimating financial resources required for programs and/or projects.
Working with Product Managers to ensure research outcomes meet partner requirements.
Promoting AC's research capacity, including delivering presentations at conferences.
Collaboration in preparing and submitting research proposals to granting agencies and progress reporting.
Preparing manuscripts for submission to peer review publications/journals and stewarding them through the process.

- **Other*

Support researchfocused events such as Annual Symposium

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Education

D. in Physical/Material Chemistry or related discipline

Experience

Five (5) to 10 years of experience in research and development, preferably with significant experience in Physical, Material, Medicinal, and/or Analytical Artificial Intelligence for Chemistry.
Experience working with industry partners and on industry lead research and development projects.
Expert knowledge of AI and automation and experience with the development of Selfdriving Laboratories.
Experience presenting research at academic conferences
Demonstrated track record of academic and/or research excell