Adjunct Series Position in the Pasarow Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences

An Adjunct Assistant Professor is sought to conduct mass spectrometry research to analyze and identify small molecules in various research areas, including scientific research, pharmaceutical development, environmental monitoring, and biomolecular archaeology. The successful candidate will have experience in liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight MALDI-TOF applications for targeted and non-targeted analysis. Experience in the characterization and quantification of small molecules in biological, environmental, and archaeological matrixes is also required. In conjunction with the PI and collaborators, the successful candidate will be responsible for taking projects from conception through execution to publication. The candidate will also be accountable for daily instrument maintenance and troubleshooting.

The candidate will be expected to be committed to teaching. Teaching responsibilities include teaching in formal classes and informal settings, such as mentorship and training to introduce students and scholars from other laboratories to the principles and applications of mass spectrometry.
The successful candidate is expected to fulfill his obligation to faculty service, contributing to the department, university, the broader community, and his profession.

The candidate will be expected to develop their grant writing skills and hopefully start to fund part of the laboratory.

Specifically, the appointee will be responsible for and have experience in:

• Designing and contributing to the development and execution of experiments and protocols.
• Maintaining accurate records of procedures and collected data.
• Experience with the mass spectrometric quantification of small molecules in biological samples such as plasma and tissues.
• Ability to conduct pharmacokinetic analysis.
• Computing results for a variety of research procedures, tests, and techniques.
• Ability to design and perform experiments for LC-MS, GC-MS, and MALDI-TOF analysis.
• Experience in fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) analysis in environmental and archaeological samples.
• Ability to independently design and carry out experiments.
• Experience in writing grants and a record of publication in analytical chemistry.
• Supervising and training others in the laboratory to conduct mass spectrometric analysis.
• Experience in writing grants and papers relevant to mass spectrometry.
• Running appropriate statistical analysis of multiple forms of collected data.
• Maintaining and calibrating lab equipment; contributing to compliance of the laboratory environment with UCLA mandates.
• Following applicable safety policies/procedures.
• Maintaining the research facility in orderly, operable condition.
• Maintaining the security/safety of equipment, samples, specimens, and data.
• Maintaining security/safety of personnel; ensuring researchers comply with safety policies/procedures.
• Working independently to develop new projects on mass spectrometric analysis of small molecules. This will include designing experiments, collecting pilot data, and identifying funding mechanisms.
• Attending research group meetings and preparing manuscripts, grant applications, and reports.
• Ability to teach in structured classes, mentor and train students and scholars
• Fulfilling the faculty service requirements

The successful candidate will be able to write and publish research findings, attend scientific meetings, and grow professionally. A Ph.D. or equivalent terminal degree in the biological sciences or related fields and a minimum of 3 years of experience in a mass spectrometry laboratory are required. Candidates with experience designing and conducting mass spectrometry research and previous publications will be highly preferred. The successful candidate should be competent in metadata processing, Microsoft Office, and statistical software.

Salary will be consistent with the UCLA Professorial Series. The posted UC salary scales (https://www.ucop.edu/academic-personnel-programs/compensation/2025-26-academic-salary-scales.html) set the minimum pay determined by rank and step at appointment. See Table 5. The salary range for this position is $121,900 - $135,000 annually.

Interested candidates should submit i) a cover letter outlining academic interests, ii) a CV and bibliography, and iii) the names and contact information of three references (do not send letters) to the application portal at https://recruit.apo.ucla.edu/JPF10510. For further information, please contact Dr. Julian Whitelegge at julianw@ucla.edu.

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