Have a great weekend!

This was a wild week, and the first week I think where "the reality of the new year" set in. Here's hoping you had a good week, and you have a great weekend. See you on Monday! (maybe not with that exclamation point, huh CJ?) 

Probably the coolest list you will read today

Thanks to links I don't remember(oh! this piece on animals as pharmaceutical factories by Niko McCarty & Xander Balwit), I ended up on the website of Asimov Press, and I found their pitch list. This is a wild list of pieces they would like to fund (and who knows if someone has taken them up on it?), but it is a fun idea either way.  Seems to me that this article about NSAIDs would be fun to read: 

A Brief History of Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatories

Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) are among the most prescribed medications globally. This class of drug, which includes things like Aspirin and Ibuprofen, was estimated to have a market size of roughly $18,542.5 million in 2024, according to Cognitive Market Research. The same report suggested that in 2024, North America held a major market share, accounting for more than 40 percent of the global revenue, with a market size of $7,417.00 million. As the increasing prevalence of chronic pain conditions, an aging population, and a preference for over-the-counter pain management solutions make this market ever larger, we want to know the history (and contemporary discussions) surrounding this ubiquitous drug. We often forget to marvel at the basic medicine available to us today. However, it deserves acclaim. So whether you want to dive into NSAIDs, or other such “ordinary” and “commonplace” drugs, Asimov Press is looking to extoll the basics in the medicine cabinet.

So why don't you write it! I'd even link it! (Lots of other chemistry related stories listed there.) Best wishes to those interested. 

Job posting: Associate Scientist, Analytical, Lindy Biosciences, Inc., Morrisville, NC

Via ACS Chemistry Careers: 

This is an entry-level position that will assist in and/or perform routine testing in support of Manufacturing, R&D, and Client projects.  The candidate will be responsible for performing testing and analysis in a timely manner.  Candidate must be able to adjust work as priorities can shift quickly as client needs change.  Good communication and time management skills are critical to meeting company expectations and goals. The associate scientist is expected to work independently with guidance from their supervisor and in a group setting in their respective department and larger team. This includes working closely with other scientists and Directors to communicate laboratory activities and updates on projects. 

Responsibilities/Essential Functions

• Essential functions of this position will be preparing samples for testing and performing the following analytical testing including but not limited to: UV-Vis, HPLC, GC-FID, Karl Fischer Analysis.
• Eagar to learn new techniques and perform R&D type analysis for new formulation of proteins.
• Must be very team oriented and willing to communicate openly and work with the team in various capacities.

Full ad here. Best wishes to those interested.

Thanks, Mr. H.

In this week's C&EN, this letter to the editor: 

I really agree with the letter written by Ara Jeknavorian concerning the crisis in undergraduate chemistry that appeared in the Dec. 2/9, 2024, issue (page 5).  The importance of a good teacher cannot be understated. 

In my high school chemistry class in 1963 in the small town of Scranton, North Dakota, I had such a teacher. His name was Sidney Lambert. He used the CHEM Study textbooks written by George Pimentel.  

I did not realize it at the time, but Lambert started a path to my PhD in physical chemistry and a very fulfilling career in industry. 

Glenn E. Martin 

Firestone, Colorado

I really enjoyed my high school AP Chemistry teacher. I remember that he tried so hard to teach us - I think it was his passion that I really responded to. I think I was still determined to be a physician when I took his class, but I still remember many of the rules I learned in his class. Thanks, Mr. H. 

The 2025 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List: 462 research/teaching positions and 77 teaching positions

The 2025 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List (curated by Andrew Spaeth and myself) has 462 research/teaching positions and 77 teaching positions. 

Want to help out? Here's a Google Form to enter positions.

To see trending, go to Andrew Spaeth's visualization of previous years' list.

On January 9, 2024, the 2024 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List had 497 research/teaching positions and 69 teaching positions.

Want to talk anonymously? Have an update on the status of a job search? This is the link to the second open thread. This is the link to the first open thread.

Don't forget to click on "load more" below the comment box for the full thread. 

Are you having problems accessing the Google Sheet because of a Google Documents error? Email me at chemjobber@gmail.com and I will send you an Excel download of the latest sheet. 

Job posting: Data Steward (Research Engineer), Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Paris (Chimie ParisTech), Paris, France

From the inbox: 

Job Summary: Within the framework of the recently funded ChemAI major research program, PSL University is seeking a data steward/research engineer, with a background in chemistry and computer science. The goal of the ChemAI project is to bring PSL University to the forefront of the on-going data

science/artificial intelligence revolution in chemistry, by transforming the way data is produced, collected, processed and shared across the chemistry/chemical engineering departments. The data steward is expected to play an active, supporting role in achieving this goal, through the deployment

and upkeep of data management infrastructure and the development of user-friendly tools – to interact with this infrastructure, on one hand, and to build AI models based on the stored/collected data, on the other hand. 

Additionally, the data steward is expected to organize training sessions on the use of these tools, and digital chemistry more broadly, for the PSL community. Finally, the data steward is also warmly encouraged to assist in the identification and development of new research lines related to AI in chemistry, in close collaboration with the individual research groups. Interactions with other academic institutions across the wider Paris region are also foreseen, e.g., through the Paris Artificial Intelligence Research Institute (PR[AI]RIE) and the DIM MaTerRe research program of the Ile-de-France region. 

This position offers a unique opportunity to gain skills and expertise that are highly valued in both industry and academia, providing a strong foundation for pursuing diverse career paths....

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ph.D./M.Sc. in Chemistry, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent experience in a relevant discipline.

Deadline is February 7 for application. Full ad here. Best wishes to those interested. 

The Chemical Engineering Faculty Jobs List: 114 research/teaching positions and 17 teaching positions

The Chemical Engineering Faculty Jobs List (by Heather LeClerc and Daniyal Kiani) has 114 research/teaching positions and 17 teaching positions. 

Here is a link to the open thread for the year.

NYT: Israeli academics determine gene for producing furanocoumarins in grapefruit

Via the New York Times: 

...High levels of furanocoumarins interfere with human liver enzymes, among other processes. In their presence, medications can build up to unhealthy levels in the body. And grapefruits and some related citrus fruits are full of them.

But there is no such warning for other kinds of citrus, such as mandarins and other oranges. Citrus researchers at the Volcani Center in Israel reported Wednesday in the journal The New Phytologist that, by crossing mandarins and grapefruit, they’ve uncovered genes that produce furanocoumarins in some citrus fruits. It’s a finding that opens the possibility of creating grapefruit that doesn’t require a warning label.

Scientists had worked out the compounds’ structures and pieced together a basic flowchart of how they are made years ago, said Yoram Eyal, a professor at the Volcani Center. But the precise identities of enzymes catalyzing the process — the proteins that snip off a branch here, or add a piece there — remained mysterious. He and his colleagues knew that one way to identify them was to breed citrus high in furanocoumarins with those without. If the offspring of such a cross had varying levels of the substances, it should be possible, by digging into their genetics, to pinpoint the genes for the proteins.

...When they examined the offspring of a mandarin and a grapefruit, the researchers saw something remarkable. Fifty percent of the young plants had high levels of furanocourmains, and 50 percent had none. That particular signature meant something very specific, in terms of how the ability to make these substances is inherited.

“We saw there was only one gene that could have controlled it,” said Livnat Goldenberg, a Volcani Center researcher who is the lead author of the new study.

...The researchers soon identified the gene controlling the production of furanocoumarins in leaves and fruit, which produces an enzyme called 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase, or 2OGD for short. Mandarins, it turns out, have a mutated form of this gene that keeps the enzyme from functioning properly. This version cropped up in all the mandarin and orange varieties the researchers checked, explaining why they do not cause the same problems as grapefruit in people taking prescription medications. In these plants, furanocoumarin production is paused.

This is one of those things where 1) it's hilarious that it's taken up to 2025 to determine the gene for furanocoumarin production in grapefruit and 2) it will be really interesting to see if this innovation (pharma-safe grapefruit) is eventually commercialized. 

Have a great weekend

Well, always an adventure on the first full week of the year. It's been a fun year so far, and I hope I will get some important work done. I hope you had a good week, and that you have a wonderful weekend. See you on Monday. 

Job posting: Polymer/Chemistry and Materials Science Technologist/Senior Technologist, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA

Via ACS Chemistry Careers: 

We have an opening for a Polymer/Chemistry and Materials Science (C/MS) Technologist/Senior Technologist working in the Plastics Group in the Materials and Nondestructive Evaluation Section (MNDE). You will provide general technical support of new and ongoing programmatic activities working independently or with team members performing equipment setup, operations, maintenance, and system testing. Tasks may include, but are not limited to, experimental execution, data collection and reporting, and management of hazardous and other materials and wastes; equipment set up and operation; general troubleshooting and maintenance supporting new and ongoing programmatic experiments while practicing good housekeeping in work and office areas. Tasks may include the use of a respirator. Occasional overtime and travel may be required. This position is in the Material Engineering Division (MED) within the Engineering directorate.

This position will be filled at either level based on knowledge and related experience as assessed by the hiring team. Additional job responsibilities (outlined below) will be assigned if hired at the higher level.

You will:

• Provide general technical support to scientists and senior technical personnel in chemical and material sampling, sample preparation, analysis, characterization, experimental execution, data collection and/or in the management of hazardous and/or mixed wastes.
• Provide solutions to moderately complex technical problems under general supervision.
• Use a variety of laboratory mechanical and thermal analysis equipment, and scientific apparatus.
• Maintain documentation of systems and experimental records which include analyzing data, keeping laboratory notes, preparing data summaries of results, and identifying and resolving problems.
• Apply intermediate level skills and knowledge of chemistry/materials science technologies and processes, including interpreting and utilizing laboratory equipment.
• Follow and adhere to written, operational, and safety procedures accordance with ES&H, security, and other laboratory requirements and policies.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Via this link, it looks to be a more junior entry-level position, although I'm not entirely sure. Best wishes to those interested. 

CSB on the Lake Charles Biolab fire

This was pretty grim to watch. I don't think I fully understand how chemical facilities on the Gulf coast prepare for hurricane season, but it seems like there were some aspects overlooked...

The 2025 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List: 459 research/teaching positions and 76 teaching positions

The 2025 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List (curated by Andrew Spaeth and myself) has 459 research/teaching positions and 76 teaching positions. 

Want to help out? Here's a Google Form to enter positions.

To see trending, go to Andrew Spaeth's visualization of previous years' list.

On January 2, 2024, the 2024 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List had 491 research/teaching positions and 64 teaching positions.

Want to talk anonymously? Have an update on the status of a job search? This is the link to the second open thread. This is the link to the first open thread.

Don't forget to click on "load more" below the comment box for the full thread. 

Are you having problems accessing the Google Sheet because of a Google Documents error? Email me at chemjobber@gmail.com and I will send you an Excel download of the latest sheet. 

Postdoctoral position: haptics, Ben-Gurion University, Beer Sheva, Israel

From the inbox: 

Postdoc Position – Chemist for a New Type of Haptics/Soft Robotics

We are seeking a talented and motivated Postdoc for the fully funded position as a part of the new international (France-Israel) IonicHap project: “IonicHap: Sustainable Ionic Interfaces for Immersive Haptic Applications”.

Your profile:

Organic chemist/materials scientist with strong interest in developing new type of haptics based on the advanced functionality of ionic polymers. Experience of research at the nexus between chemistry/materials and haptics/soft robotics is a strong benefit.

What to expect:

You will perform your research at the Physical AI (PAI) lab at Ben-Gurion University in Beer Sheva, Israel (base location; affiliation) and at the RAINBOW Group (Sensor-based and Interactive Robotics) at CNRS/IRISA, The French Laboratory for Research and Innovation in Digital Science and Technology in Rennes, France.

For information about the labs, visit the following websites:

PAI Lab: http://www.labpai.com

RAINBOW Group: https://team.inria.fr/rainbow/

For inquiries, please contact Dr. Aslan Miriyev at miriyev@bgu.ac.il.

To apply:

1. Please email your application to (single email, sent to both addresses):

• Dr. Aslan Miriyev: miriyev@bgu.ac.il
• Dr. Claudio Pacchierotti: claudio.pacchierotti@irisa.fr

2. In the email, please attach the following documents:

• Letter of motivation (also mention the earliest date of your availability for the position)
• Full CV, including your current position and address, and a full publication list
• List of three references who can provide recommendation letters (provide full details)
• PDFs of two of your select publications.

3. Title your email “Postdoc Candidate for IonicHap”.

Best wishes to those interested.  

The Chemical Engineering Faculty Jobs List: 114 research/teaching positions and 17 teaching positions

The Chemical Engineering Faculty Jobs List (by Heather LeClerc and Daniyal Kiani) has 114 research/teaching positions and 17 teaching positions. 

Here is a link to the open thread for the year.

Domestic saffron?

For the first post of 2025, an exploration of saffron via the New York Times: 

...In 2021, Peace and Plenty harvested 700,000 flowers, which yielded about 3.5 kilograms of saffron. Ms. Price sold it to home cooks, and to chefs.

...Despite her success, Ms. Price now cultivates a smaller saffron crop. She has battled weeds and aggressive gophers. Harvesting saffron is backbreaking work. First, the tiny flowers are picked on hands and knees in the dark; saffron crocuses are best harvested before the sun rises and the flowers open. Then each stigma must be meticulously removed by hand.

“I was doing one flower per five seconds at my fastest, which sounds good,” she said. “But when you have 50,000 to do, it’s daunting.”

$10,000/kilogram for the global price, wow! Pretty interesting - read the whole thing.

Merry Christmas

Wishing you and your family a healthy and very Merry Christmas. Back on Monday.

The 2025 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List: 451 research/teaching positions and 74 teaching positions

The 2025 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List (curated by Andrew Spaeth and myself) has 451 research/teaching positions and 74 teaching positions. 

Want to help out? Here's a Google Form to enter positions.

To see trending, go to Andrew Spaeth's visualization of previous years' list.

On December 26, 2023, the 2024 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List had 490 research/teaching positions and 64 teaching positions.

Want to talk anonymously? Have an update on the status of a job search? This is the link to the second open thread. This is the link to the first open thread.

Don't forget to click on "load more" below the comment box for the full thread. 

Are you having problems accessing the Google Sheet because of a Google Documents error? Email me at chemjobber@gmail.com and I will send you an Excel download of the latest sheet. 

The Chemical Engineering Faculty Jobs List: 113 research/teaching positions and 17 teaching positions

The Chemical Engineering Faculty Jobs List (by Heather LeClerc and Daniyal Kiani) has 113 research/teaching positions and 17 teaching positions. 

Here is a link to the open thread for the year.

Postdoctoral position: haptics, Ben-Gurion University, Beer Sheva, Israel

From the inbox: 

Postdoc Position – Chemist for a New Type of Haptics/Soft Robotics

We are seeking a talented and motivated Postdoc for the fully funded position as a part of the new international (France-Israel) IonicHap project: “IonicHap: Sustainable Ionic Interfaces for Immersive Haptic Applications”.

Your profile:

Organic chemist/materials scientist with strong interest in developing new type of haptics based on the advanced functionality of ionic polymers. Experience of research at the nexus between chemistry/materials and haptics/soft robotics is a strong benefit.

What to expect:

You will perform your research at the Physical AI (PAI) lab at Ben-Gurion University in Beer Sheva, Israel (base location; affiliation) and at the RAINBOW Group (Sensor-based and Interactive Robotics) at CNRS/IRISA, The French Laboratory for Research and Innovation in Digital Science and Technology in Rennes, France.

For information about the labs, visit the following websites:

PAI Lab: http://www.labpai.com

RAINBOW Group: https://team.inria.fr/rainbow/

For inquiries, please contact Dr. Aslan Miriyev at miriyev@bgu.ac.il.

To apply:

1. Please email your application to (single email, sent to both addresses):

• Dr. Aslan Miriyev: miriyev@bgu.ac.il
• Dr. Claudio Pacchierotti: claudio.pacchierotti@irisa.fr

2. In the email, please attach the following documents:

• Letter of motivation (also mention the earliest date of your availability for the position)
• Full CV, including your current position and address, and a full publication list
• List of three references who can provide recommendation letters (provide full details)
• PDFs of two of your select publications.

3. Title your email “Postdoc Candidate for IonicHap”.

Best wishes to those interested.  

Have a good weekend

This was a busy week, but I think I got most of what I needed to do done. I hope that you had a sufficiently accomplished week, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend. See you on Monday! 

Reuters on the Chinese-Mexican illicit chemical trade

Via Reuters, interesting details on the fentanyl manufacturing supply chain: 

...Javier said the Chinese supplier sends some precursors by air in small packages to Mexico City’s international airport. Many are piperidines, compounds at the core of fentanyl’s structure. A little goes a long way. Javier declined to go into details about where the packages go immediately after clearing customs. He did say they’re often flown out of the capital on small planes to Sinaloa.

Chemicals needed in greater volumes, such as propionyl chloride, often come via cargo ship. Javier said his group moves “tons” of precursors through the Port of Manzanillo each year. In addition, he says his team pays millions of dollars in bribes annually to officials at the port — including to customs agents and, more recently, naval officers — to ensure the goods exit the port smoothly.

“We spring the chemicals out without problems,” Javier said.

Interdiction efforts when significant bribery is in play is probably pretty tough. 

Job posting: AI Agents Engineer Molecule Discovery, Lilly, Indianapolis/San Diego

Via C&EN Jobs, this interesting position: 

The Discovery Chemistry Research and Technologies (DCRT) organization within Lilly Research Labs is a small-molecule drug discovery organization with responsibilities spanning target identification to candidate selection for clinical studies. We are looking to grow our diverse team of scientists.

Position Summary

We seek a motivated researcher with expertise in Large Language Models and an interest in planning and decision-making algorithms to join Lilly’s Discovery Chemistry Research and Technologies (DCRT) organization. You will evaluate commercial and open-source AI agentic platforms to determine their applicability and effectiveness in optimizing chemistry and bioinformatics workflows. Your work will accelerate our medicine discovery processes by identifying and integrating the most suitable AI tools.

This position offers the opportunity to work at the forefront of AI-driven drug discovery, collaborating with experts across AI@Lilly and Tech@Lilly. Your efforts will directly impact the development of life-changing medicines.

Key Responsibilities

• Assess and compare commercial and open-source AI agent frameworks for optimizing chemistry and bioinformatics workflows
• Contribute to engineering systems that enable cross-disciplinary agentic system development
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate selected AI agent frameworks into existing workflows.

Basic Qualifications

• BS/MS in Computer Science, Computational Chemistry, Bioinformatics, Engineering or a related field
• Familiarity with agent-based modeling and agentic frameworks in scientific domains
• Demonstrated experience in LLM engineering through coursework and portfolio projects
• Familiarity with developing on cloud computing platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure)

Additional Skills/Preferences

• Proven experience with training, fine-tuning, and deploying large-scale transformer-based models.
• Understanding of chemistry or bioinformatics multi-modal data
• Experience deploying AI-based chemistry workflows (e.g., REINVENT, chemprop, etc).

"The anticipated wage for this position is $63,000 - $92,400." Full ad here. Seems a little low, but it also seems like there's a solid chance this position won't exist in 3 years when LLMs go away as the flavor of the month, but hey, maybe I'm wrong.