Research Scientist

A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation's top public universities. Known for its beautiful campus, world-class medical care, commitment to the arts and top athletic programs, Carolina is an ideal place to teach, work and learn.

One of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, Chapel Hill has diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.

University employees can choose from a wide range of professional training opportunities for career growth, skill development and lifelong learning and enjoy exclusive perks for numerous retail, restaurant and performing arts discounts, savings on local child care centers and special rates on select campus events. UNC-Chapel Hill offers full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package, paid leave, and a variety of health, life and retirement plans and additional programs that support a healthy work/life balance.

Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of North Carolinians and others whom we serve. We accomplish this by providing leadership and excellence in the interrelated areas of patient care, education and research.

Patient care: We promote health and provide superb clinical care while maintaining our strong tradition of reaching underserved populations and reducing health disparities across North Carolina and beyond.

Education: We prepare tomorrow`s healthcare professionals and biomedical researchers from all backgrounds by facilitating learning within innovative and integrated curricula and team-oriented interprofessional education to ensure a highly skilled workforce.

Research: We develop and support a rich array of outstanding health sciences research programs, centers and resources. We provide infrastructure and opportunities for collaboration among disciplines throughout and beyond our university to support outstanding research. We foster programs in the areas of basic, translational, mechanistic and population research.

The Research Scientist will join the Metabolomics and Proteomics ( MAP) Core at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a collaborative shared research facility that supports investigators across UNC and external partners through advanced metabolomics, proteomics, mass spectrometry, and data analysis services. This position offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge translational and biomedical research while working with multidisciplinary teams on a wide range of sponsored research projects.
The Research Scientist will provide scientific expertise in metabolomics, mass spectrometry, analytical method development, bioinformatics, and multi-omics data integration. Responsibilities include designing and conducting complex research studies; developing and implementing specialized analytical and computational approaches; analyzing, integrating, and interpreting metabolomics and multi-omics datasets; and communicating findings through publications, presentations, and collaborative research activities.
Working closely with faculty investigators, MAP Core leadership, and research teams, the Research Scientist will serve as a key scientific resource supporting multiple research programs. The position works with a high degree of independence, exercising independent scientific judgment in experimental design, analytical methods, and data interpretation. The successful candidate will contribute to the advancement of metabolomics and multi-omics technologies and applications and help further UNC's research mission through innovation, collaboration, and scholarly contributions.

Master's or Bachelor's and 0-2 years' experience; or will accept a combination of related education and experience in substitution.

Demonstrated experience conducting independent scientific research, including designing and executing complex research studies and experimental workflows.
Demonstrated scholarly productivity through peer-reviewed scientific publications.
Extensive experience conducting LC-MS/MS-based metabolomics and/or lipidomics research on high-resolution mass spectrometry platforms, including acquiring, analyzing, and interpreting complex datasets.
Experience preparing biological samples, such as tissues, cells, plasma, or serum, for mass spectrometry analysis
Experience with metabolomics data processing and analysis software (e.g., Compound Discoverer, LipidSearch, Skyline, MetaboAnalyst).
Experience collaborating on multidisciplinary research projects and sponsored research activities.

Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry, Bioanalytical Chemistry, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, or a closely related scientific discipline.
Two to four years of postdoctoral, research scientist, or equivalent advanced research experience in metabolomics, mass spectrometry, analytical chemistry, computational biology, or translational biomedical research.
Experience developing and validating targeted quantitative LC-MS/MS assays, including use of stable isotope-labeled internal standards and calibration curves.
Experience in computational data analysis and bioinformatics, including proficiency in R, Python, or a comparable programming language for data processing, statistical analysis, and visualization.
Experience developing reproducible computational workflows, including version control and high-performance computing environments.
Demonstrated experience integrating multi-omics datasets (e.g., metabolomics, lipidomics, proteomics, transcriptomics) to address biological questions, including use of data integration methods and tools and multivariate statistical or machine learning approaches for high-dimensional biological data.
Experience in systems biology, such as pathway and network analysis, metabolic modeling, or metabolic flux analysis.
Experience supporting multiple investigators and translational, clinical, or biomedical research programs, such as in a core facility.
Strong record of peer-reviewed publications, including first-author publications, in metabolomics, lipidomics, mass spectrometry, bioinformatics, analytical chemistry, or related fields, and of presenting scientific findings at regional, national, or international scientific meetings.
Experience contributing to successful grant applications.
Demonstrated experience mentoring students, trainees, postdoctoral scholars, or research staff.

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.