Post-Doctoral Research Associate: Synthetic Organic Chemistry - UTK

The department of Nuclear Engineering within the Tickle College of Engineering is seeking a Post Doctoral Research Associate in the field of Synthetic Organic Chemistry.

Required Qualifications:

Education:

Ph.D. in organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, radiochemistry, materials chemistry or a closely related field Demonstrated expertise in multi ‑ step small ‑ molecule synthesis and analytical characterization.

Experience:

Designing and executing complex organic syntheses, Preparing intermediates and analyzing compounds, and A record of peer ‑ reviewed publications in organic synthesis, separations science or radiopharmaceutical development.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Candidates should be familiar with ligand design for metal separations Experience with advanced analytical methods such as NMR, LC/MS, GC and spectroscopy. Excellent communication skills, teamwork and mentoring ability are essential

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience:

Familiarity with separation science involving rare ‑ earth and actinide elements or harsh chemical environments Experience with radiolabeling chemistry and bioorthogonal reactions Demonstrated ability to innovate in ligand or materials design

Work Location Location:

Knoxville, TN Onsite Compensation and Benefits Anticipated hiring range: $72,000 - $78,000 Find more information on UT Benefits here Application Instructions Interested candidates should submit: A letter of interest Curriculum vitae For questions or inquiries, please contact Prof. Ilja Popovs, email: ipopovs@utk.edu. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. This role centers on experimental research in the design, synthesis and application of novel small ‑ molecule ligands for separating lanthanide, actinide and medically important radioisotopes. The synthetic chemist will plan and execute organic synthesis projects, developing multi ‑ step routes to new chelators or extractants and optimizing reaction conditions to maximize yield and selectivity. They will prepare novel chelators and perform structure-activity studies to understand how molecular modifications affect metal binding, radiolabeling efficiency and physicochemical stability. The chemist will characterize products using techniques such as NMR, LC ‑ MS, ICP ‑ MS and other spectroscopies, and evaluate the separation performance of these ligands under relevant environmental and radiological conditions. This includes designing liquid-liquid extraction, chromatographic or membrane ‑ assisted tests to measure selectivity, permeability and stability for f ‑ element separations, then using those results to support mechanistic studies of ion-ligand interactions. For radiopharmaceutical applications the researcher will synthesize radiolabeling precursors and participate in labeling and imaging experiments. The position requires collaboration with a multidisciplinary team across the University of Tennessee, including mentoring graduate students, maintaining thorough laboratory records, preparing technical reports and peer ‑ reviewed publications, and contributing to proposals and future research initiatives.