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Postdoctoral Research Associate I, Translational Drug Delivery and Therapeutic Development
Posting Number
req26799
Department
Medicine
Department Website Link
https://medicine.arizona.edu/deptmedicine
Location
Tucson Campus
Address
Tucson, AZ USA
Position Highlights
The Division of Translational Medicine in the Department of Medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine seeks to establish an interdisciplinary postdoctoral position focused on translational drug development, advanced drug delivery technologies, and preclinical therapeutic development. This position will strengthen the Division's growing emphasis on translating laboratory discoveries into clinically actionable therapeutics through expertise in pharmaceutics, formulation science, nanomedicine, and biomaterials.
The successful candidate will work collaboratively with investigators across the Division to develop innovative therapeutic formulations, optimize drug delivery systems, perform mechanistic and translational studies, and support commercialization of novel therapeutic technologies. The position will also contribute to grant development, manuscript preparation, and multidisciplinary collaborations spanning medicinal chemistry, cancer biology, pharmacology, and pharmaceutical sciences.
This position directly supports the Division's strategic initiative to expand its capabilities in translational drug discovery and therapeutic development.
Visa sponsorship is available for this positions.
Outstanding U of A benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance plans; life insurance and disability programs; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; U of A/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; retirement plans; access to U of A recreation and cultural activities; and more! The University of Arizona has been recognized for our innovative work-life programs. For more information about working at the University of Arizona and relocations services, please click here.
Duties & Responsibilities
Research(70%)

• Design, develop, and optimize nanoparticle, liposomal, lipid nanoparticle, polymeric, and other advanced drug delivery systems for oncology therapeutics.
• Develop novel pharmaceutical formulations to improve pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and therapeutic properties of investigational agents.
• Design and perform experiments evaluating formulation performance in cellular and animal models.
• Conduct physicochemical characterization of drug formulations.
• Analyze experimental data and identify opportunities for optimization.
• Participate in translastional drug development projects from concept through preclinical validation.

CollaborativeScience (15%)

• Collaborate with faculty across the Division of Translational Medicine and the University Cancer Center.
• Assist with technology development and commercialization activities.
• Provide technical expertise in formulation science and nanomedicine to multidisciplinary project teams.
• Mentor graduate students, technicians, and undergraduate researchers.

ScholarlyActivities (15%)

• Prepare manuscripts for publication.
• Present research at scientific meetings.
• Assist in preparation of NIH, DOD, and foundation grant applications.
• Pursue independent fellowship funding (F32, K99, foundation awards when appropriate).

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Skilled in procedures with mammalian cell culture.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Minimum Qualifications

• PhD in Pharmaceutics, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug Delivery, or related biomedical discipline conferred by the start date.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated research productivity through peer-reviewed publications.
• Experience in nanoparticle engineering and nanomedicine.
• Experience with liposomal drug delivery systems.
• Experience with lipid nanoparticles (LNPs).
• Experience with polymer synthesis and characterization.
• Experience with biomaterials development.
• Experience in formulation optimization.
Experience with cancer drug delivery. Experience with molecular biology techniques including PCR, Western blotting, flow cytometry, and confocal microscopy.
• Experience with murine tumor models.
• Experience publishing in high-impact pharmaceutical sciences journals.
• Experience collaborating on translational therapeutic development projects.
• Experience with technology translation or pharmaceutical industry research is preferred.

FLSA
Exempt
Full Time/Part Time
Full Time
Number of Hours Worked per Week
40
Job FTE
1.0
Work Calendar
Fiscal
Job Category
Research
Benefits Eligible
Yes - Full Benefits
Rate of Pay
NIH salary guidelines, Depends on Experience
Compensation Type
salary at 1.0 full-time equivalency (FTE)
Type of criminal background check required:
Name-based criminal background check (non-security sensitive)
Number of Vacancies
1
Target Hire Date
Expected End Date
Contact Information for Candidates
Gerry Flores, gflores007@arizona.edu
Open Date
8/14/2026
Open Until Filled
Yes
Documents Needed to Apply
Curriculum Vitae (CV) and Cover Letter
Special Instructions to Applicant
Application: The online application should be completed in its entirety. Blank or missed information may be considered an incomplete submission.
Cover Letter: Should clearly indicate how your skills and professional employment experience meet the Minimum and the Preferred qualifications (if applicable).
Notice of Availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report
In compliance with the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act (Clery Act), each year the University of Arizona releases an Annual Security Report (ASR) for each of the University's campuses.Thesereports disclose information including Clery crime statistics for the previous three calendar years and policies, procedures, and programs the University uses to keep students and employees safe, including how to report crimes or other emergencies and resources for crime victims. As a campus with residential housing facilities, the Main Campus ASR also includes a combined Annual Fire Safety report with information on fire statistics and fire safety systems, policies, and procedures.
Paper copies of the Reports can be obtained by contacting the University Compliance Office at cleryact@arizona.edu.