Assistant research officer/research officer

Applications are invited for appointment as Assistant Research Officer/Research Officer in the Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine (Ref.: 537726), to commence as soon as possible on a one-year temporary basis or a two-year fixed-term basis, with the possibility of renewal subject to funding availability and satisfactory performance.

We are recruiting an Assistant Research Officer/Research Officer to join an antiviral drug discovery project focused on developing small-molecule approaches to target conserved viral RNA elements.

Requirements

Applicants should possess a Ph.D. degree and have at least 3 years of relevant postdoctoral research experience working on related projects. Prior experience in virology is preferred. They should demonstrate excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a proven ability to work effectively both independently and within multidisciplinary teams. We are particularly interested in candidates with expertise in medicinal chemistry, chemical biology, RNA structural biology, RNA–small molecule interactions, computational chemistry, cheminformatics, or AI-assisted virtual drug screening. Experience in RNA-targeted therapeutics, molecular docking, RNA binding assays, structure–activity relationship analysis, or computational drug discovery would be highly advantageous.

Duties

The appointee will contribute to viral RNA target analysis, RNA structure modeling, virtual screening, compound prioritization, small-molecule design, assay development, and early-stage drug discovery. He/She will lead and execute end-to-end research projects in RNA-targeted therapeutics, antiviral drug discovery, medicinal chemistry, RNA structural biology, computational drug screening. He/She will design and implement translational research strategies and also conduct biostatistical analysis to interpret experimental data. He/She will be expected to collaborate closely with colleagues, proactively share knowledge, and consistently deliver high-quality results in a fast-paced and deadline-driven research environment. The appointee will work mainly in the Hong Kong Science Park but occasionally in HKU.

What We Offer

A highly competitive salary commensurate with qualifications and experience will be offered, in addition to annual leave and medical benefits. The appointment on fixed terms will attract a contract-end gratuity and University contribution to a retirement benefits scheme at 15% of basic salary for Research Officer; 10% of basic salary for Assistant Research Officer. Housing benefits will also be provided to Research Officer as applicable.

How to apply

The University only accepts online application for the above post. Applicants should apply online and upload an up-to-date C.V. Review of applications will start from November 9, 2026 and continue until December 31, 2026, or until the post is filled, whichever is earlier.