Postdoctoral Fellow, Synthetic Organic Chemistry

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas – immunology, oncology, neuroscience, and eye care – and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Tik Tok.

Program Overview

AbbVie needs outstanding individuals willing to challenge themselves to find the best solutions for our patients. The AbbVie Postdoctoral Program is one way we are doing just that. AbbVie Postdoctoral Fellows serve as technical experts who investigate, develop, and optimize new methods and techniques to address critical project or functional area needs. Participants will improve existing or develop new laboratory methods and processes, read and adapt literature to accomplish assignments, and should have mastery of a range of experimental techniques and data analysis specific to their area of expertise.

The Postdoctoral Program supports investigational and experimental research where publication is an important component. Participants will be mentored by renowned industry scientists and collaborators at AbbVie and focus on delivering cutting-edge advancements in Discovery, Development Sciences, and Aesthetics which includes fields such as chemistry, biology, pharmaceutical science, and computational information sciences. This enriching training program offers a balance of supervised investigation and work experience in a learning environment that will expose the participant to activities across the drug development process.

We are seeking scientists from U.S.-based academic institutions who can be matched to projects within their area of scientific expertise for this unique 2-3-year assignment. Applicants who are awarded a postdoctoral position will have the opportunity to build a solid career foundation in the pharmaceutical industry while contributing to advancing human health through AbbVie’s industry-leading biopharmaceutical pipeline.

Role Overview

The postdoctoral fellow will be part of the Centralized Organic Synthesis Group within Global Medicinal Chemistry at AbbVie’s headquarters location in Lake County, IL. This team is actively involved in supporting medicinal chemistry programs and engages broadly in the development of innovative organic chemistry solutions to accelerate the early small-molecule pipeline through collaborations across AbbVie discovery research, development sciences, and with external academic partners.

The postdoctoral fellow will be engaged in the development of novel synthetic organic methodologies of interest to AbbVie’s small molecule portfolio. This will include supporting initiatives in novel non-canonical amino acid synthesis to enrich AbbVie’s internal compound collection and impact ongoing and future peptide programs. The publication-quality synthetic methodology developed by the postdoctoral fellow is anticipated to be impactful both internally and across the broader external synthesis community.

Responsibilities

• Conduct high quality synthetic organic chemistry methodology research in a laboratory setting
• Collaborate with AbbVie internal design and synthesis teams and external academic partners to advance research objectives
• Maintain a high level of productivity in the laboratory setting
• Effectively write and communicate research materials
• Proactively seek out new information in the literature and incorporate this into projects
• Publish research in peer-reviewed journals and present work at scientific conferences aligned with business objectives
• Demonstrate a high degree of responsibility in maintaining scientific standards and safe laboratory practices

Basic Qualifications

• PhD in Organic Chemistry or related field (summer and fall graduates are also welcome to apply)
• Broad synthetic experience in natural product synthesis and/or methodology development
• Record of publication in high-impact journal(s). Experience with presenting research at internal and/or external venues (poster presentations and scientific talks)
• Excellent problem-solving skills, including critical and analytical thinking with attention to detail
• Excellent communication, leadership, and project management skills
• Demonstrated scientific writing skills and strong verbal communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to independently design and execute experiments, interpret data, and identify appropriate follow-up strategies
• Proven track record of teamwork, adaptability, innovation, initiative, and integrity. Global mindset to thrive in a diverse culture and environment
• Ability to multitask and work within timelines

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with asymmetric synthesis, metal- or organo-catalyzed transformations, and/or C-H functionalization
• Experience with the synthesis and purification of amino acids and/or peptides

Key Leadership Competencies:

• Builds strong relationships with peers and cross functionally with partners outside of team to enable higher performance
• Learns fast, grasps the "essence" and can change course quickly where indicated
• Raises the bar and is never satisfied with the status quo
• Creates a learning environment; open to suggestions and experimentation for improvement
• Embraces the ideas of others, nurtures innovation, and manages to reality

Candidates progressing to the final round of the interview process will be asked to provide three letters of recommendation (including one from the Thesis Advisor) and a letter of intent to pursue the postdoctoral position.

Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law: ​​

• The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.​​

• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.​​

• This job is eligible to participate in our short-term incentive programs. ​​

Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law. ​

AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community.  Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled. 

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