Job Title: Research Fellow (Pharmaceutics) Department: School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences Reporting to: Dr Sam Maher Location: St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2 Contract/Duration: Specified purpose contract 12 months (With potential for an additional 6 months) Remuneration: Aligned with IUA Postdoctoral Researcher Salary Scale (commensurate with experience (up to Level 3 Point 1) Closing Date: 23:45pm on Sunday 28th of September Summary of Post Renovate Pharma is a pipeline start-up venture at RCSI that aims to repurpose an established oral drug as a novel inhalable antifibrotic for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and related interstitial lung diseases.
By repurposing a drug with an established safety profile, Renovate aims to reduce development risk while using inhaled delivery to enable targeted lung dosing and maximise therapeutic benefit.
We are seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher with relevant experience in academic research, industry or both.
The ideal candidate will be confident working on an industry-focused project that integrates academic research with pharmaceutical development and commercialisation objectives.
The candidate will work closely with internal team members and external CROs to deliver on project objectives, and will have the opportunity to take on increasing responsibility through leadership of independent work packages, helping to advance the project towards spin-out.
The principal responsibilities of the postdoctoral researcher span four core areas: Formulation Development: The candidate will design, develop, and optimise inhalable formulations of the lead compound, including pre-formulation studies, dosage form development, and physicochemical characterisation to support pre-clinical testing.
They will also oversee analytical testing, batch preparation, and formulation refinement for in vivo studies In Vitro Testing and Mechanistic Studies: The candidate will plan and conduct in vitro mechanistic and molecular biology assays including potency, efficacy, cytotoxicity, pharmacokinetic profiling, cellular signalling and gene expression analysis to investigate the antifibrotic activity of the repurposed compound Liaison with External Contract Research Organisations (CROs): Working closely with the Principal Investigator, the candidate will coordinate with external CROs on the planning, design, and execution of confirmatory pre-clinical testing.
This will require strong project management skills and an understanding of the regulatory, logistical, and scientific aspects of outsourced studies.
Team Collaboration and Supervision: Working closely with the Principal Investigator, the candidate will help coordinate and oversee the weekly activities of the Research Assistant to ensure timely delivery of project tasks.
They will also contribute to project management, documentation, and cross-functional communication, including collaboration with the Business Case Manager on subcontracted activities such as orphan designation, regulatory planning, and patent reporting.
The successful candidate will play a key role in intellectual property generation, commercialisation activities, and the overall progression of the project toward spin-out.
Given their central contribution, they will be strongly positioned for a leadership role within the start-up as the technology transitions beyond RCSI.
Key Duties: Design and optimise inhalable drug formulations Perform physicochemical and analytical testing (qualitative and quantitative) Assess aerosol performance and conduct device compatibility studies Prepare and refine batches for pre-clinical testing Conduct in vitro assays (efficacy, cytotoxicity, PK, gene expression) Coordinate with CROs for outsourced pre-clinical studies Collaborate with team members on project and regulatory deliverables Present findings through technical reports and team updates Qualifications We encourage candidates with a PhD degree in pharmaceutics, drug delivery, pharmaceutical sciences, pharmacology, cellular and molecular therapeutics, bioengineering/tissue engineering, biomedical science, chemical/biomedical engineering, or a related field to apply.
Knowledge & Experience Experience with molecular biology techniques, including gene expression analysis is desirable Previous postdoctoral or post-PhD industry experience is desirable Experience with inhalation drug delivery systems is desirable but not essential Experience in pharmaceutical sciences, pharmaceutics, formulation sciences, drug delivery, pharmacology, biomedical sciences, or bioengineering is advantageous Familiarity with analytical methods used in pharmaceutical analysis is preferred An interest in translational research and commercialisation is highly valued Knowledge of regulatory requirements is advantageous Experience working in the pharmaceutical or medical technology sectors, or within a translational start-up environment, is desirable but not essential.
Skills Ambitious, self-driven and highly motivated Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team Strong experimental design, data analysis and interpretation skills Excellent written and verbal communication skills Organised with meticulous attention to detail robust record keeping abilities We are all too aware that imposter syndrome and the confidence gap can sometimes stop fantastic candidates putting themselves forward, so please do submit an application - we'd love to hear from you.
Application Process: Please apply online through the RCSI careers portal on the closing date with your CV and cover letter.
Click here to read our Recruitment and Selection Policy for Researcher.
Informal Enquiries: Informal enquiries are invited in the first instance through Florencia Raimondo, Human Resources Department (email: ).
All applications for this post must be made through the career's webpage Florencia Raimondo can arrange for relevant queries on the academic aspects of the role to be addressed by the hiring manager.
Please note we do not accept CVs directly.