Post-Doc Research Associate

Department
Pharmacology - 424001
Posting Open Date
03/13/2026
Open Until Filled
Yes
Position Type
Postdoctoral Scholar
Position Title
Post-Doc Research Associate
Vacancy ID
PDS004799
Full-time/Part-time
Full-Time Temporary
Hours Per Week
40
Fte
1
Work Location:
Chapel Hill, NC
Position Location:
North Carolina, US
Proposed Start Date
03/30/2026
Estimated Duration Of Appointment
12 Months
Be a Tar Heel!:
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 and is among is the top ten research universities in the nation for federal research expenditures as well as for federally funded social and behavioral sciences research and development.Here at Carolina, our highly skilled postdocs play a vital role in our research enterprise and towards our overall commitment to research excellence. Across many disciplines, postdocs contribute to the intellectual vitality of the University. They provide innovative ideas and perspectives, foster a stimulating research environment and advance knowledge within their fields. Postdocs are crucial members of our scientific research workforce, contributors to our research outputs and an important reason why Carolina is one of the leading public research institutions in the country.UNC-Chapel Hill offers postdocs comprehensive medical and vision coverage , paid leave, and benefits and services that support professional development and a healthy work/life balance. Chapel Hill regularly ranks as one of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, a reputation guided by the diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.
Primary Purpose Of Organizational Unit
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.
Position Summary
The Miao Lab in the Department of Pharmacology and Computational Medicine Program at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill ( http://miaolab.org ) invites applications for a Postdoctoral position in AI driven drug discovery and accelerated molecular simulations. This role will support innovative research at the intersection of Artificial Intelligence, Computational Biophysics and Chemistry, and Drug Discovery. The successful candidate will contribute to the development of novel theoretical and computational methods as well as advanced AI techniques to accelerate simulations of biomolecular recognition and cellular signaling. The position also offers opportunities to collaborate with world-leading experimental researchers and participate in high impact drug discovery efforts targeting therapeutically important biomolecules including G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), membrane embedded proteases and RNA.
Research projects in the Miao Lab include development of novel theoretical and computational methods and AI techniques for accelerated simulations of biomolecular recognition (such as drug binding and protein-protein interactions) and cellular signaling, and cutting-edge applications in drug discovery of critical targets including G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), membrane-embedded proteases, RNA-binding proteins and RNA. In collaboration with world-leading experimentalists in pharmacology, structural biology, biochemistry and medicinal chemistry, the new postdoc will have the opportunity to work on unprecedented simulations and AI-driven drug discovery of functionally important biomolecules for treatments of neurological disorders, heart failure and cancers.
Minimum Education And Experience Requirements
PhD and/or MD in biomedical or related sciences is required.
Required Qualifications, Competencies, And Experience
The position requires knowledge and training in computational biophysics/chemistry and drug design. The researcher will conduct research to forward the developments of biomolecular modeling and computer-aided drug design. The researcher will also be engaged in developing proposals for new funding sources, publishing and presenting research topics as applicable.
Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, And Experience
Candidates are expected to have strong publication record in biomolecular modeling and computational biophysics/chemistry. Programming skills (e.g., bash scripting, python, Fortran, C++ and CUDA), expertise in computational modeling (such as Molecular Dynamics, virtual screening, free energy calculations and Deep Learning), successful experimental collaboration experiences and excellent communication skills are preferred.
Special Instructions
For information on UNC Postdoctoral Benefits and Services click here