Position description

Reporting to the Chair of the Department of Nuclear Medicine and Theranostics, the Director of Radiochemistry Research (Director) will have the opportunity to expand and strengthen UCLA's rapidly growing theranostics program through innovation, collaboration, and successful clinical translation. The Director will work closely with multidisciplinary teams of chemists, radiochemists, physicists, biologists, and clinicians to develop and translate next-generation small-molecule, peptide, and radiometal-based imaging and therapeutic agents labeled with positron-, beta-, gamma-, and alpha-emitting radionuclides.

The Director of Radiochemistry Research will primarily provide scientific leadership to create a world class academic radiochemistry program. In addition, the Director will serve in an operational capacity for UCLA's cyclotron and PET radiochemistry facilities, providing guidance for the production of clinical and preclinical imaging biomarkers and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals in compliance with institutional procedures, current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP), FDA regulations, United States Pharmacopeia standards, and ALARA radiation safety principles. In addition, the Director will contribute to the educational mission of the Department by teaching and mentoring residents, fellows, faculty, research associates, and students in radiopharmaceutical production, quality assurance, regulatory compliance, and translational radiochemistry.

The ideal candidate will be a highly accomplished scholar and innovative scientist with a PhD (preferably in Chemistry), or an equivalent degree, and a demonstrated record of excellence in radiochemistry, theranostics, molecular imaging, and translational research. The successful candidate will have extensive expertise in radiochemical synthesis, organic chemistry, analytical methods, and the development of novel radiopharmaceuticals, together with an outstanding publication record in leading journals and a proven track record of extramural funding.

Candidates should also possess outstanding leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills, a demonstrated ability to work effectively within multidisciplinary teams, and bring a vision for building and advancing a world-class radiochemistry and theranostics program.

Required Qualifications
• PhD or equivalent degree (preferably in Chemistry or a related field)
• Appropriate academic credentials for a Regular Professor Series faculty appointment within the DGSOM at UCLA, with rank commensurate to academic credentials and accomplishments.
• Strong academic record of peer-reviewed publications
• Consistent track record of extramural funding
• Demonstrated success with clinical translation
• Expertise in radiochemical synthesis, radiopharmaceutical development, and associated analytical techniques
• Knowledge of cGMP-compliant PET radiopharmaceutical production and ALARA radiation safety procedures
• Evidence of multidisciplinary collaborations
• Proven leadership, organizational, and collaborative skills
• Documented program building capability

Confidential inquiries, nominations or submissions of interest (candidates should submit a curriculum vitae, informative personal statement and response to UCLA's mission statement) are invited and will be considered until an appointment is made.

Christine Mona, PhD (committee chair)
c/o Executive Search Team
Email: [email protected]
Apply: Apply

Qualifications

Basic qualifications
PhD or equivalent degree

Preferred qualifications
Appropriate academic credentials for a Regular Professor Series faculty appointment within the DGSOM at UCLA, with rank commensurate to academic credentials and accomplishments.

Application Requirements

Document requirements

• Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
• Cover Letter
• Statement of Research (Optional)
• Reference check authorization release form - Complete and upload the reference check authorization release form
• UCLA Mission Statement - As the nation's premier public research university, UC's mission is the creation, dissemination, preservation and application of knowledge for the betterment of our global society. We have a particular responsibility to the people of California which we express in the excellence of the education we provide, the impact of the research we do, the comprehensive, life-saving medical services we provide, and the public service mission we are devoted to. The University of California promotes the social mobility of its students, equips them with the tools and experience that furthers their ambitions, and regards their accomplishments across the life span as evidence of the profoundly positive impact of higher education.
  
  The UCLA campus has expressed these goals in its strategic plan as follows:
  
  Deepen our engagement with Los Angeles
  Expand our reach as a global university
  Enhance our research and creative activities
  Elevate how we teach
  Become a more effective institution
  
  Prompt for candidates for recruitment:
  
  Reflecting on your personal and professional experiences, highlight your past contributions and future commitments to advancing UCLA's mission as embodied in the 2023-28 strategic plan. These accomplishments and ambitions may be discussed in the context of describing your teaching, scholarship, and service
• Statement of Teaching (Optional)

Reference requirements

• 0-3 letters of reference required

Referencing will be done with candidate permissions at the appropriate time in the search process, and we will request letters of recommendation if a candidate is deemed a finalist.
Apply link: https://recruit.apo.ucla.edu/JPF11137

Help contact: [email protected]

Job location

Los Angeles, CA