Director of Radiochemistry Research

The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA invites applications and nominations for an internationally recognized leader and scholar to join the Department of Nuclear Medicine and Theranostics as the inaugural Director of Radiochemistry Research to help build a world class academic radiochemistry program at one of the world’s leading universities. This position would be a tenured faculty appointment in the Regular Professor Series at UCLA, with rank commensurate with academic credentials and accomplishments.

UCLA is proud to be ranked the #2 public university in the nation, with UCLA Health recognized as the #1 hospital in both California and Los Angeles by U.S. News & World Report. The David Geffen School of Medicine (DGSOM) at UCLA is home to 36 members of the National Academy of Medicine and 20 members of the National Academy of Sciences, reflecting a legacy of excellence in research, education and patience care.

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 fundingDemonstrated 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: View email address on click.appcast.io

The shared values of the DGSOM are expressed in the Cultural North Star, which was developed by members of our community and affirms our unswerving commitment to doing what’s right, making things better, and being kind. These are the standards to which we hold ourselves, and one another. Please read more about this important DGSOM program at DGSOM UCLA Medical School Cultural North Star Program.

All aspects of searches are confidential and all candidates are expected to review and abide by UC Regents Policy 1111 on Statement on Ethical Values and Standards of Conduct.

The University of California is committed to creating and maintaining a community dedicated to the advancement, application, and transmission of knowledge and creative endeavors through academic excellence, where all individuals who participate in University programs and activities can work and learn together in a safe and secure environment, free of violence, harassment, bullying and other demeaning behavior, discrimination, exploitation, or intimidation. With this commitment as well as a commitment to addressing all forms of academic misconduct, UCLA conducts targeted employment reference checks for finalists to whom departments or other hiring units would like to extend formal offers of appointment into Academic Senate faculty positions. The targeted employment reference checks involve contacting the finalists’ current and prior places of employment to ask whether there have been substantiated findings of misconduct that would violate the University’s Faculty Code of Conduct. To implement this process, UCLA requires all applicants for Academic Senate faculty positions to complete, sign, and upload the form entitled “Authorization to Release Information” into RECRUIT as part of their application. If the applicant does not include the signed authorization to release information with the application materials, the application will be considered incomplete. As with any incomplete application, the application will not receive further consideration. Although all applicants for faculty recruitments must complete the entire application, only finalists (i.e., those to whom the department or other hiring unit would like to extend a formal offer) considered for Academic Senate faculty positions will be subject to targeted employment reference checks.

PhD or equivalent degree