Have a great weekend

Well, this has been a tough week for an unexpected reason, but here's hoping things get better. I hope that you had a good week. I hope that you have a great weekend. See you on Monday. 

Network with The Polymerist!

Friend of the blog Tony (and writer of The Polymerist) has a generous offer for any of his readers to self-promote in the comments and get to know people. (Are you familiar with The Polymerist? It is truly a great newsletter.) Hope you take the opportunity! 

There's a trademark on 'slime'????

Via Bloomberg, this funny story: 

Mack Toys Inc. asked the US Federal Communications Commission to put conditions on Paramount Global’s pending merger with Skydance Media to prevent the two media companies from controlling the word “slime.”

Paramount’s Nickelodeon kids channel has long used green slime as a gag in its programming. The 157-page filing says Paramount’s “restrictive” enforcement of its trademark on the word creates barriers to fair competition for small businesses like Mack Toys.

Mack Toys is a family-run business selling edible toy putty called Wildputty, according to its website. A photo in the filing shows the company selling a slime product from a stand.

Paramount plans to merge in a deal that would give Skydance founder David Ellison control of the combined operation. Ellison is the son of Oracle Corp. founder Larry Ellison, the world’s fourth richest person. Mack contends Paramount’s control of the word “slime” restricts its ability to market its products.

“If the proposed Paramount Global-Skydance Media merger is approved, Larry Ellison would gain significant control over these advertising channels while also holding monopolistic control over the generic and merely descriptive mark ‘slime,’” according to the filing.

Who knew there are a thousand little chemistry kits in America violating this trademark? 

(the grown of slime as a kids' entry into science-related activities is genuinely strange to me)  

Job posting: Senior Scientist - Medicinal Chemistry, Integrated Drug Discovery, Sanofi, Cambridge, MA

Via Indeed, this posting: 

Job overview

An accomplished synthetic organic and medicinal chemist, with a good track record of being a key project contributor, to design and synthesize small molecule targets.

Responsibilities

• Design and synthesize small molecule targets to drive programs to clinical candidate nomination.
• Use reaction and reagent databases to select effective techniques/routes to maximize productivity and provide solutions to complex multi-step synthetic problems.
• Prepare and characterize high purity target compounds and intermediates to meet aggressive project timelines...

Requirements & Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree with minimum 8 years of relevant research experience in an academic or biopharmaceutical setting OR Master’s Degree with minimum 5 years of relevant research experience in an academic or biopharmaceutical setting OR PhD with minimum 3 years of relevant research experience in an academic or biopharmaceutical setting.

Full ad here. Best wishes to those interested. 

Politico: "Science funding agency threatened with mass layoffs"

Via Politico, this news: 

One of the United States’ leading funders of science and engineering research is planning to lay off between a quarter and a half of its staff in the next two months, a top National Science Foundation official said Tuesday.

The comments by Assistant Director Susan Margulies came at an all-hands meeting of the NSF’s Engineering Directorate, according to two program managers who attended.

Marguiles, NSF and the White House didn’t respond to detailed questions about the layoffs and their potential implications.

“A large-scale reduction, in response to the President’s workforce executive orders, is already happening,” a spokesperson for the Office of Personnel Management said in an email. “The government is restructuring, and unfortunately, many employees will later realize they missed a valuable, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in the deferred resignation offer.”

I don't have much to say about this other than the obvious: this is bad, real bad. Derek has a pretty comprehensive post that is, like so much these days, overtaken by events with this latest. Nevertheless, the last lines are good and important: 

We are in a Constitutional crisis whether we like it or not, the worst of my own lifetime by far, and the more voices that are raised against it all, the better. That's what we can do for now. If it gets worse, it gets worse, and we'll revisit the topic, God help us.

But most of all, don't give in to cynicism or apathy. That's what the people promulgating these horrible policies want - a bored, indifferent public who figures that who cares, nothing matters any more, it's gonna happen no matter what. But it doesn't have to. Never forget that: it doesn't have to happen.

Best wishes to the scientists and engineers of the NSF, and to all of us.

The 2025 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List: 476 research/teaching positions and 80 teaching positions

The 2025 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List (curated by Andrew Spaeth and myself) has 476 research/teaching positions and 80 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 30, 2024, the 2024 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List had 513 research/teaching positions and 72 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: 116 research/teaching positions and 17 teaching positions

The Chemical Engineering Faculty Jobs List (by Heather LeClerc and Daniyal Kiani) has 116 research/teaching positions and 17 teaching positions. 

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

NSF releases funding due to federal court intervention

Via Bluesky, this update on the NSF's website on Sunday: 

1. When will the Award Cash Management Service (ACM$) be restored to allow disbursements on active awards? 

Access to ACM$ has been restored and the system is available to accept payment requests as of 12:00 PM ET on February 2, 2025.

2. On Friday, January 31, 2025, a Federal Court issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) directing Federal grant-making agencies, including the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), to "...not pause, freeze, impede, block, cancel, or terminate... awards and obligations." What is NSF doing to comply with this TRO? 

NSF has restored access to the ACM$ system as of 12:00 PM ET on February 2, 2025 and is in compliance with the TRO...

5. Will Fellows (GRFP, et al) receive their February stipend?

Fellows must log into ACM$ and verify their payment request has been accepted. Most Fellows will have to resubmit a request.

What a mess. I'm glad this situation has been resolved (for now.) 

Dow cutting 1500 jobs

Via the AP, this bad news: 

Dow Inc.'s fourth-quarter profits came in well below Wall Street expectations and the material sciences company said Thursday that it is slashing 1,500 jobs globally in an effort to cut costs as sales stagnate.

The layoffs amount to about 4% of Dow’s workforce, according to data firm FactSet. Dow said the staff reductions are part of a broader plan to cut $1 billion in costs, citing “persistently weak macroeconomic conditions.”

Shares of Midland, Michigan-based Dow tumbled nearly 8% in morning trading.

Dow posted a loss of $35 million in the fourth quarter. Adjusted for one-time expenses, per-share profits in the period were zero. That’s down from last year’s earnings of 43 cents per share and well short of the 24 cents-per-share profit that analysts were expecting. For the full year, Dow recorded profits of $1.71 per share, down from 2023’s $2.24...

Here's hoping things turn around for the folks at Dow. Best wishes to them, and to all of us. 

Have a great weekend

Well, this week has been both great and,,, less than great. I hope that you are all doing all right. If you ever feel like you need some help and don't know who to talk to, you can always email me. I will try to do my best to help. I hope that you have a good weekend. See you on Monday. 

Science: "EXCLUSIVE: NSF starts vetting all grants to comply with Trump’s orders"

This from the news division of Science: 

In a radical break with tradition, the National Science Foundation (NSF) this week began to search through billions of dollars of grants the agency has already awarded for anything touching on topics that President Donald Trump has criticized. And NSF has blocked grantees and trainees from accessing funds while the review is underway, wreaking havoc across the academic research community.

The funding freeze and vetting of research and training projects that NSF previously decided were worthy of support is a response to a slew of presidential directives since 20 January that ban all federal funding for what Trump considers to be “woke gender ideology;” diversity, equity, and inclusion; foreign aid; the green new deal; and support for nongovernmental organizations that undermine the national interest. For academic scientists, the list of banned activities could include efforts to increase diversity in the scientific workforce, collaborations with foreign scientists, and research on more environmentally friendly technologies...

There are reports from NSF-awarded postdocs that they have been cut off from funds. I don't really have anything intelligent to add, other than that this is the worst possible way to go about implementing this. What a horrific mess. Best wishes to those affected, and to all of us.

Job posting: Principal Scientist, Computational Chemistry, Merck, Boston, MA

Via ACS Chemistry Careers: 

We are seeking a creative, self-motivated computational chemist with exceptional interpersonal and problem-solving skills to join the Modeling and Informatics (M&I) department in Boston, MA, US. M&I is a diverse and inclusive team of approximately 50 computational chemists, cheminformaticians, data scientists and machine learning specialists who employ state of the art capabilities to drive drug design. We are an integral arm of both discovery and process chemistry and collaborate seamlessly with teams across the globe to innovate and invent better molecules faster. We are looking for a strategic thinker and accomplished computational drug hunter to take on a position that carries significant influence across our Company chemistry from target identification through delivery of clinical candidates.

Education Minimum Requirement:

• Ph.D. or M.S. in chemistry, biochemistry, biophysics, or equivalent with a computational emphasis

Required Experience and Skills:

• 7+ years of professional experience with a Ph.D., or 9+ years with a M.S.
• Evidence of creative application of computational approaches to problems of pharmaceutical interest...

Full ad here. Best wishes to those interested. 

NYT at global mathematics convention

Via the New York Times, this cool story: 

The world’s largest gathering of mathematicians convened in Seattle from Jan. 8 to Jan. 11 — 5,444 mathematicians, 3,272 talks. This year the program diverged somewhat from the its traditional kaleidoscopic panorama. An official theme, “Mathematics in the Age of A.I.,” was set by Bryna Kra, the president of the American Mathematical Society, which hosts the event in collaboration with 16 partner organizations. In one configuration or another, the meeting, called the Joint Mathematics Meetings, or the J.M.M., has been held more or less annually for over a century.

Dr. Kra intended the A.I. theme as a “wake-up call.” “A.I. is something that is in our lives, and it’s time to start thinking about how it impacts your teaching, your students, your research,” she said in an interview with The New York Times. “What does it mean to have A.I. as a co-author? These are the kinds of questions that we have to grapple with.”

I feel like I've been reading the Science section of the Times for many years, but I've yet to see a dedicated story about the ACS National Meetings? Maybe we need to invite them? Anyway, read the whole thing, it's pretty cool, especially the picture of the crochet art.

C&EN: "Some chemists fear delays in NIH funding"

Via C&EN's Krystal Vasquez, this news: 

Scientists are on edge following the Jan. 22 cancellation of multiple meetings with the US National Institutes of Health (NIH). There’s no tally of how many meetings were cancelled, but some included NIH study sections and advisory councils, which review grant and fellowship applications.

Chrystal Starbird, a professor of biochemistry and biophysics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, received an email stating that her study section, which was scheduled for the following week, would be canceled. The email from the federal health agency was vague and didn’t provide any reason for the cancellation, she says.

Meanwhile, Rebecca Pompano, a professor of chemistry and bioengineering at the University of Virginia, was supposed to attend a training session that day for an upcoming study section. The training session was canceled 20 min before it was set to start.

The cancellations came a day after the new administration of President Donald J. Trump put a temporary external communications freeze on all federal health agencies, though it’s not clear if the two are related. “It’s very concerning that everything has been stopped for review, which hasn’t happened in prior presidential transitions,” Pompano says. “It tells you there’s some major changes happening.”

The communications freeze at NIH, according to CNN, extends to purchases?: 

Scientists at the National Institutes of Health have been told the communications pause announced by the Trump Administration earlier this week includes a pause on all purchasing, including supplies for their ongoing studies, according to four sources inside the agency with knowledge of the purchasing hold.

The supply crunch follows a directive first issued on Tuesday by the acting director of the Department of Health and Human Services, which placed a moratorium on the release of any public communication until it had been reviewed by officials appointed or designated by the Trump Administration, according to an internal memo obtained by CNN. Part of this pause on public communication has been widely interpreted to include purchasing orders to outside suppliers. One source noted they had been told that essential requests can proceed and will be reviewed daily.

Researchers who have clinical trial participants staying at the NIH’s on-campus hospital, the Clinical Trial Center, said they weren’t able to order test tubes to draw blood as well as other key study components. If something doesn’t change, one researcher who was affected said his study will run out of key supplies by next week. If that happens, the research results would be compromised, and he would have to recruit new patients, he said.

I have a very difficult time imagining that someone in the Trump White House wanted this to happen, but nevertheless, it's happened. Here's hoping that it's only the long-term prospects of grad students, postdocs and faculty that have been affected, and that the short-term, life-and-death aspects of the patients at the NIH Clinical Center will not actually been impacted by this stupidity. Best wishes to them, and to us all.

Have a good weekend

Well, this was a more chill week than I expected, all things considered. I hope that all is well with you, and that you have a good weekend. See you on Monday. 

Help out this young PhD inorganic chemist

Via Bluesky, this sad story from r/chempros:

I had a job as a chemist for the US Government, but was let go today due to the onslaught of executive orders. (I was on a mandatory new-hire probation and my agency head decided to let all probationary employees from my division go to hopefully spare some cuts elsewhere.) I’m obviously devastated, but I have to find work to support my wife and her medical treatments. She has Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which fortunately is not a death sentence as long as treatment is consistent.

So, I’m hoping some of you fine folks out there might know of some positions that would hire a PhD inorganic/organometallic chemist with a lot of computational experience. I graduated just barely over a year ago with my PhD from a large R1 state school and have ~10 publications (3 first author and 1 co-first author). I’ve googled “chemist jobs” in every major metropolitan area in my state and adjacent states and looked on LinkedIn and Handshake. I did not find many positions for which a PhD in organometallic chemistry would be competitive. I’m not really sure how to search every open position in the country (because at this point I’m willing to relocate if necessary to gain employment), so I’m asking in earnest for help from kind strangers like you. If you know of any positions that might be available, I’d love to hear about them.

There are many people negatively impacted by the transition to the Trump Administration, but this hiring freeze is really crummy. If you can help out the OP, please do. Best wishes to them, and to us all. 

Job posting: Analytical Scientist-Synthetic Molecule Design and Development, Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN

Via ACS Chemistry Careers: 

Synthetic Molecule Design and Development has an exciting opportunity for an analytical chemist to join our development group. You will be part of a diverse team of analytical chemists, organic chemists, pharmaceutical scientists, and engineers delivering product and process understanding across a broad range of platforms (e.g. small molecule, peptides, and oligonucleotides). Top candidates for this position will be able to:

• Engage with scientists across Eli Lilly's Development and Manufacturing organizations to develop and implement robust analytical methods and control strategies
• Evaluate and/or deploy new analytical technologies/methods to advance Lilly's current analytical capabilities

The ideal candidate will possess a breadth of analytical experience, a proven track record of success in conducting laboratory experiments, and a solid foundation in analytical data analysis. Candidates should excel in technical problem-solving, demonstrate learning agility, and collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.

Position Responsibilities:

• Independently generate data to inform development activities using HPLC, UHPLC, GC, and LCMS
• Develop robust analytical methods (e.g., HPLC purity, potency) and collaborate with other functions or external partners to enable the successful transfer and implementation of those methods...

Basic Qualifications:

• BS or MS in Analytical Chemistry, Biochemistry, Chemistry, or a related field

Additional Skills/Preferences:

• Prior experience with the analysis of pharmaceutical products (e.g., drug substances, solid oral dosage forms) or similar laboratory activities
• Experience with chromatographic separations and a strong working knowledge of other techniques commonly used for the analysis of synthetic molecules (e.g., FTIR, NMR, UV-Vis, KF, ICP, DSC, TGA, XRPD)
• Deep understanding of analytical method characterization and the associated performance attributes (e.g., linearity, precision, LOD/LOQ)...

Full ad here. Best wishes to those interested. 

WFAE: "Violent polymerization" causes two-alarm fire in Charlotte

Credit: Charlotte Fire

Via a Google News search, this news: 

Charlotte firefighters battled a two-alarm fire Tuesday morning at a truck cleaning facility in northwest Charlotte.

Firefighters said they encountered heavy flames shooting through the roof of the warehouse on Tar Heel Road when they arrived around 7:30 a.m.

According to a news release, a tanker trailer had caught fire inside the warehouse.

An employee who answered the phone Tuesday confirmed the fire took place at the Express Container Service truck-cleaning facility at 1730 Tar Heel Road. The employee declined to give additional information.

Reached by phone, an employee for JCI Jones Chemicals, Inc., which maintains a chemical plant on the same road, told WFAE their warehouse was untouched by the fire.

Fire investigators say the fire was accidental, and was likely caused by the improper thawing of a known chemical, which resulted in a "violent polymerization." Damage was estimated at $425,000.

I would like to know what kind of violent polymerization causes a large fire? That feels unusual...

The 2025 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List: 471 research/teaching positions and 79 teaching positions

The 2025 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List (curated by Andrew Spaeth and myself) has 471 research/teaching positions and 79 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 16, 2024, the 2024 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List had 505 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: Assistant/Associate Professor of Chemistry, Tusculum University, Tusculum, TN

From the inbox: 

Tusculum University is seeking applications for an Assistant/Associate Professor of Chemistry for the Fall 2025 academic year. This position is open to a variety of chemistry specialties. This is a full-time faculty position, responsible for teaching a minimum of 12 credit hours in each of the fall and spring semesters, advising, service, scholarship, and professional development.  The specific designation will be determined by the credentials a candidate possesses.

Founded in 1794, Tusculum is the first university in Tennessee and the twenty-eighth oldest in the nation. Located in the foothills of the Southern Appalachians, Tusculum provides successful applicants the opportunity to foster experiential learning in undergraduates. Each faculty member is an integral part of teaching and mentoring students and enacting the University’s mission; “Building on a rich Presbyterian heritage and a pioneering spirit, Tusculum University provides an active and experiential education within a caring Christian environment to inspire civic engagement, enrich personal lives and equip career-ready professionals.” With that in mind, faculty are responsible for providing quality in-class instruction, mentoring students outside the classroom, serving on university committees, and helping to further every aspect of the university’s mission.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Candidates with a PhD or those who are ABD in the discipline are preferred; prior teaching experience is strongly preferred, along with experience in online teaching and course development. Candidates with at least 18 master’s level (or higher) credits in the discipline may be considered. Professional experience outside academics is preferred but not required. All applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.

Tusculum is an Equal Opportunity Employer, participates in E-Verify, and observes guidelines as a Tennessee Drug-Free Workplace employer. The Division of Math and Sciences is particularly interested in applications for this position from underrepresented populations. If chosen, the candidate will be subject to successfully completing a pre-employment background check and substance abuse testing, verification of employment, and licensing (if applicable).

HOW TO APPLY:

Priority application deadline is 02/10/25.  The position will be open until filled. For questions, please contact Dr. Chuck Pearson at cpearson@tusuculum.edu

Contracts are on a five-year renewable basis. Full ad here. Best wishes to those interested. 

The Chemical Engineering Faculty Jobs List: 115 research/teaching positions and 17 teaching positions

The Chemical Engineering Faculty Jobs List (by Heather LeClerc and Daniyal Kiani) has 115 research/teaching positions and 17 teaching positions. 

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

Predictions for a second Trump Administration

Well, it's been (a fast) two months. I have delayed this post as long as possible, and here we are. Donald Trump will be sworn in as the 47th president of the United States today. I have some thoughts, and maybe even some predictions for the second Trump Administration. 

In the last two months, I don't think we've gotten significant clarity on where the Trump Administration is leaning. We have seemingly learned who will be very influential (Elon Musk). It's pretty clear that immigration will probably be a very high profile issue. 

I proposed five areas that I wanted to think about - I'll put four of them below*: 

• Tariffs: How will Trump’s threatened tariffs impact American chemists? 
• Regulation: How will the EPA and the FDA be impacted under their new leadership? EPA/FDA
• Immigration: What will immigration policy be under the second Trump Administration? 
• Employment: How will this change the long-term trajectory of employment for American chemists? 

On the tariffs issue, I don't feel that we've heard sufficient specifics to know how this issue will impact chemists. The BIOSECURE Act did not pass, and I felt that was an issue that might have caused a tit-for-tat battle with China. Tariffs are an issue where a President Trump could have the most direct impact. At the moment, I can't think of a specific sector where chemists are employed in the US that would be impacted yet. I grade this as a place where tariffs will have a low direct impact to chemists. We should check in again in six months. 

Regulation: We now know that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will be the nominee for HHS, that former New York representative Lee Zeldin will be EPA Administrator and physician Marty Makary will be the head of FDA. Of these three men, it seems most clear to me that Zeldin will deregulate aggressively. I predict (with 60% certainty) that the dichloromethane rules that have been put into place by the Biden Administration will be reversed within 12 months of inauguration. I'm sure there are other rules that will be reversed, but this is the one that I am tracking and most interested in. 

I have no idea what Marty Makary will be like as FDA Commissioner, but he seems to be more focused on food than drugs. No predictions from me on the direction of FDA, although I do wonder with the advent of HHS Secretary Kennedy, if the forces of alternative medicine will be unleashed even further on America. (Why is Kennedy HHS Secretary - how exactly is he going to make America healthy/ier? What statutory authority does he have to bring to bear?) 

Immigration: In the interests of time and clarity, I am going to divide this subject between undocumented and documented immigration. Undocumented immigration is well outside the scope of this blog. It is difficult to fully understand what the Trump Administration plans to do regarding immigration that affects typical scientists because we have two different bits of evidence. The first is that Stephen Miller seems to be well-entrenched in the second Trump White House; I believe that his intentions are to decrease all immigration into the United States. The second signal is the prominence of Elon Musk in the second Trump Administration, and the weird contretemps on Twitter between Musk and Vivek Ramaswany and other activists about the H1b visa system, which resulted in Trump making a statement in favor of the visas. Will Stephen Miller attempt to crimp down on the H1b system? If he did, I could imagine this being part of a move against student visas. However, I think this is a relatively low priority for the second Trump Administration; I rate this (moves against H1b visas or student visas) as a 40% probability to happen in the first 12 months of the second Trump Administration. 

Employment: I really don't know for now, so I'm going to refrain from a prediction. However, I can't imagine that a second Trump Administration will do great things for what I feel is the one remaining strong industry for chemists, i.e. the pharmaceutical industry. The reason that the pharmaceutical industry is strong in the United States is that we have the best academic and industrial biomedical science complex in the world, aided by the in-migration of many of the brightest minds in the world. I feel much less confident that the United States is an attractive place to work for international scientists now, and this does not bode well for the long-term trajectory of our country. 

*I've decided to leave academic funding out of this set of predictions, because funding levels are set by Congress and not the president. This Republican congress does not love scientists, and does not love the NIH nor the NSF. That being said, I don't feel we will see full-scale gutting of the federal R&D complex, but I genuinely have no idea yet. 

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.