RESEARCH SCIENTIST IN ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
ONE POSITION IS AVAILABLE
Position Title: Researcher (Investigador Titular A).
Employment Status: Full-Time, 12 months. The appointment is renewable depending
upon performance and funding. After three years, candidates can apply for tenure.
General Description: A highly innovative and productive scientist is required for a newly
established biomimicry-inspired Scientific and Technological Cluster (Biomimic) through
which research institutions share facilities and equipment and exchange scientific
personnel to foster transdisciplinary research. Biomimic is being built at the headquarters
of the Instituto de Ecología A.C., (INECOL) in Xalapa, Veracruz. To foster a broad
understanding of the aims of the Biomimic cluster among the new scientific staff, once
recruited, the candidate will spend a period of 2-6 months in either CIMAV (Centro de
Investigación en Materiales Avanzados) or CIQA (Centro de Investigación en Química
Aplicada) to establish productive collaborations, write collaborative grants, and to foster
long-term collaborative research projects. The candidate will then return to the brand new
facilities at INECOL’s headquarters equipped with state-of-the art technologies to facilitate
high quality academic and technological research.
The successful candidate will develop a highly original line of research on the isolation and
identification of organic molecules from natural sources derived from Mexico’s enormous
natural biodiversity. The identification and characterization of these compounds should
find potential applications in medicine, food science, cosmetics, renewable energies,
agriculture and industrial uses such as the development of novel formulations for
environmentally-friendly paints, polymers, etc. These lines of research will involve
extensive collaboration/team working with other members of the Biomimic cluster in transdisciplinary
projects focused on aspects of Mexico’s most pressing environmental, social
and development issues.
Responsibilities:
Carry out research at the cutting edge of knowledge.
The candidate will be capable of isolation, identification and characterization of
organic molecules with industrial and/or medical applications.
Identify and propose novel uses for organic molecules derived from or inspired by
compounds isolated from plants and microorganisms, in collaboration with an
environmental microbiologist. The identified compounds of interest should offer novel
solutions to recognized problems affecting human and animal health, food science, or
contribute to solving major environmental or development issues in Mexico.
Synthesize novel molecules from naturally-derived precursors to enhance specific
physical or bioactive attributes.
The candidate will collaborate extensively with other researchers of the Biomimic
cluster, both in providing organic chemistry related services to the Biomimic
community and by participation in collaborative studies.
Maintain the laboratory equipment in optimal working condition and compete for
national and international funding to update and extend the range of equipment as
necessary.
Teaching in INECOL Master's and Doctorate programs.
Supervising graduate and undergraduate students.
Write competitive grants to fund research activities submitted to Mexican and
international organizations/government agencies, and also to commercial companies.
Publish high quality papers in internationally recognized scientific journals, and
occasionally in books, national and outreach journals and popular magazines intended
for the general public.
Write or help write patents.
Help recruit talents for science and technology among primary, secondary and high
school students.
Qualifications:
Doctoral degree in organic chemistry.
At least one postdoctoral position in area of expertise.
Special attention will be granted to those candidates having obtained outstanding
research achievements during their doctoral studies.
Ample experience in the isolation and identification of organic molecules of natural
origin, especially plants and/or microorganisms.
Evidence of abilities in organic synthesis and elucidating reaction mechanisms.
Experience in the use and interpretation of analytical tools such as GC, GC-MS,
HPLC-MS, FT-IR, NMR, RAMAN and X-ray diffraction.
Distillation techniques under varying conditions.
Experience living and working in Latin America is desirable but not essential.
Fluency or a willingness to learn Spanish, both spoken and written, is required; as are
written and spoken skills in English.
Excellent interpersonal and multitasking skills, ability to negotiate, to deal with
pressure, complex situations and stress.
Work outside of regular business hours including weekends and travel is occasionally
required.
Commitment to ethics/scientific integrity.
Proven grant-writing skills.
Skills in constructing and working in multidisciplinary teams as part of multidisciplinary
projects.
A spirit of collaboration/team working and service to society.
A driving license.
Authorship of at least 5 recent scientific publications (at least three as first author or
corresponding author), in high quality international indexed journals.
Interested candidates from Mexico and elsewhere in the entire world should send their
updated Curriculum Vitae and additional support material of particular value for members
of the Search Committee (e.g., citation record, relevant awards, narrative of particular
achievements or contributions to science) to Dr. Guillermo Angeles, Secretario Académico
at secretaria.academica@inecol.edu.mx always cc’ing maluja.dirgral@inecol.edu.mx.
Three letters of recommendation are needed as well as the e-mail addresses and
telephones of three established scientists/professors that have agreed to be interviewed
on the candidate’s strengths and weaknesses. An additional letter by the candidate
expressing interest in the job, explaining how exactly her/his training/experience fits the job
description, and expressing her/his willingness to strictly adhere to the principles of
collaboration, team working, networking and scientific integrity is also needed. Any
questions should be addressed to Dr. Guillermo Angeles.