Assistant Professional Researcher – Department of Laboratory Medicine – Lynch Laboratory Full-time

Assistant Professional Researcher – Department of Laboratory Medicine – Lynch Laboratory

Assistant Professional Researcher position available in the Dept. of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco. Availability: November 2026.

Description: We are currently seeking a highly qualified candidate as an Assistant Professional Researcher in the Department of Laboratory Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. The position will be under the direction of Kara Lynch, PhD, Professor of Laboratory Medicine. The Lynch Laboratory is located in the Pride Hall Research and Academic Building on the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital (ZSFG) campus.

The Lynch Laboratory develops and applies advanced analytical technologies to improve clinical diagnostics and advance the understanding of substance use and disease. The laboratory specializes in identifying and quantifying endogenous and exogenous compounds in biological specimens using mass spectrometry and translating these measurements into clinically meaningful information. Major areas of research include clinical toxicology, emerging illicit drugs and novel psychoactive substances, biomarker discovery, pharmacology, and disease-associated metabolic changes. The laboratory collaborates extensively with clinical and translational investigators on studies of substance use, HIV, cardiovascular disease, and other public health and laboratory medicine questions.

The role will have four major areas of responsibilities: 1) independent and collaborative translational research using LC-MS/MS and LC-HRMS to measure drugs, metabolites, biomarkers, and other endogenous and exogenous compounds in biological specimens; 2) development, optimization, validation, and application of targeted and broad-spectrum mass spectrometry methods; 3) scientific and technical leadership of the laboratory mass spectrometry program, including management of LC-MS/MS and LC-HRMS instrumentation, troubleshooting, maintenance, quality control, data workflows, SOPs, and training of laboratory users; and 4) scientific leadership and coordination of collaborative research projects, including federally funded collaborative grants, industry-sponsored research studies, and clinical trials.

The ideal candidate will thrive in a highly collaborative environment and work closely with Dr. Lynch, laboratory members, clinical and translational investigators, and academic and industry collaborators. Additional responsibilities will include coordinating multiple research projects, mentoring and providing scientific and technical guidance to junior researchers and trainees, contributing to laboratory organization and research operations, and assisting with research-related administrative activities that support the scientific program. The candidate will participate in the development and execution of collaborative grant-funded research, industry-sponsored research studies, and clinical trials, and will contribute to funding acquisition through collaborative grant writing and preparation of scientific concepts, study designs, preliminary data, analytical approaches, figures, methods, and other components of funding proposals. Extensive opportunities are available to lead or contribute to abstracts, presentations, and peer-reviewed publications.

Qualifications: Qualified applicants will hold a PhD and have post-doctoral research experience in analytical chemistry, chemistry, biochemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, clinical chemistry, or a closely related field at the time of application. Candidates must have extensive hands-on experience with both LC-MS/MS and LC-HRMS instrumentation, including independent operation, troubleshooting, maintenance, data acquisition, data processing, and interpretation. Candidates must also have demonstrated experience in mass spectrometry method development, optimization, and validation for small molecules in biological matrices; the ability to independently design experiments and interpret complex analytical data; evidence of research productivity and scientific writing; and strong organizational, project-management, communication, and collaborative skills.

Experience with targeted quantitative bioanalysis; LC-HRMS/MS metabolomics or lipidomics; formal bioanalytical method validation; multiple mass spectrometry platforms; clinical toxicology, translational or clinical research, substance-use research, pharmacology, or biomarker discovery; mentoring junior researchers; grant writing; and academic or industry collaborations is preferred.

Environment: UCSF is a leading academic medical center with a strong environment for clinical, translational, and basic research. The Lynch Laboratory is based in the Pride Hall Research and Academic Building on the ZSFG campus and is closely connected to the clinical laboratory and Department of Laboratory Medicine. The laboratory serves both as an independent research program and as an analytical and scientific partner for investigators at UCSF and other institutions, providing expertise in method development, clinical toxicology, biomarker measurement, and interpretation of complex analytical data.

Funding: The Lynch Laboratory is supported primarily through collaborative federal grants, including projects on which Dr. Lynch serves as a co-investigator, as well as industry-sponsored research studies and clinical trials. The laboratory partners extensively with investigators across UCSF and other institutions to develop and apply analytical methods for funded translational and clinical research.

See UC Academic Salary Scale Table 13B for the salary range for this position. A reasonable estimate for this position is $96,700-$126,400.

Please apply online through UCSF Academic Personnel Recruit, including a CV, cover letter, and references, as specified in the recruitment.

Application Requirements Document requirements

• Curriculum Vitae – CV must clearly list current and/or pending qualifications as applicable.
• Cover Letter
• Statement of Research (Optional)

Reference requirements

• 2 required (contact information only)