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Advertising Summary: VCU School of Pharmacy's Department of Pharmacotherapy and Outcomes Science invites you to apply to the position of Assistant/Associate/Professor (non-tenure) of Nuclear Pharmacy as the Director of Radiopharmacy in the Stravitz-Sanyal Institute for Liver Disease and Metabolic Health (SSI). The faculty member shall be responsible for the development, production, and application of radiopharmaceuticals to support clinical and translational research initiatives at SSI. Duties include the formulation, quality assurance, and documentation of radioactive compounds for research protocols, as well as release of radiopharmaceuticals prior to injection. The faculty member will collaborate with investigators and imaging scientists to facilitate studies in molecular imaging, drug development, and disease characterization.

Unit: School of Pharmacy

Department: Pharmacotherapy and Outcomes Science

About VCU

VCU is a top 50 public research university with a genuine commitment to student success and community service. One of just a handful of universities to receive both a "Very High Research Activity" status and a "Community Engaged" designation from the Carnegie Foundation, VCU also hosts the region's top-rated medical center. The medical campus is home to top-ranked programs in Pharmacy, Medicine, Nursing, Dentistry, Public Health, and Health Professions, as well as the Center for Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Care, the Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research, the Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Pauley Heart Center, the Stravitz-Sanyal Institute for Liver Disease and Metabolic Health, among many other institutes and centers.

About School of Pharmacy

The School of Pharmacy (SOP) has a 127-year tradition beginning with the Medical College of Virginia and continuing to the present. Ranked in the Top 20 of Schools of Pharmacy nationwide, the SOP is dedicated to graduating outstanding future scientists and pharmacists who will develop new medicines and therapies, improve human health, foster exemplary research, and provide sustaining contributions to interprofessional patient care.

As a full-time employee at VCU, you'll have access to a generous benefits package that includes health, vision, and dental coverage, life insurance, short- and long-term disability coverage, retirement plans, flexible spending accounts, tuition benefits, significant paid time off, and more. Explore our benefits here.

About the Department of Pharmacotherapy & Outcomes Science

The Department of Pharmacotherapy & Outcomes Science is one of three academic departments within the SOP and is a nationally recognized leader in pharmacy practice and education, personalized medicine, and health economics and outcomes research. Our faculty integrates expertise in pharmacotherapy, pharmacogenomics, digital health, social and administrative pharmacy, and pharmacoeconomics to advance medication optimization and population health. Faculty lead and collaborate through the Center for Pharmacy Practice Innovation (CPPI) to advance pharmacist-delivered care models and health policy initiatives, the Congressional Healthcare Policy Fellow Program to prepare pharmacists for public service, the Community-Based Pharmacy Residency Program to foster practice transformation across community settings, and the Geriatric Pharmacotherapy Program to enhance the delivery of healthcare to older adults.

About Stravitz-Sanyal Institute for Liver Disease and Metabolic Health (SSI)

The Stravitz-Sanyal Institute (SSI) at VCU aims to be a global leader in liver and metabolic-related research and education. With a team composed of world-renowned Hepatologists, the Institute strives to expand its research programs in changing the landscape of liver disease through research and innovation. Its clinical research imaging facility focuses on the advancement and development of novel imaging biomarkers and PET tracers, imaging methods, and data analysis tools to support the translation of emerging therapeutics in the liver and metabolic disease space. It is supported by a cGMP radiochemistry laboratory that is able to produce 18F, 68Ga (on-site), 64Cu and 89Zr PET biomarkers and radiopharmaceuticals. Our team members will engage in translational molecular research imaging at our new facility, to include a state-of-the-art research PET/CT scanner and radiochemistry laboratory, with the opportunity to engage with industry leaders and principal investigators.

Chief Purpose of this position:​

VCU School of Pharmacy's Department of Pharmacotherapy and Outcomes Science invites you to apply to the position of Assistant/Associate/Professor (non-tenure) of Nuclear Pharmacy as the Director of Radiopharmacy in the Stravitz-Sanyal Institute for Liver Disease and Metabolic Health (SSI). The faculty member shall be responsible for the development, production, and application of radiopharmaceuticals to support clinical and translational research initiatives at SSI. Duties include the formulation, quality assurance, and documentation of radioactive compounds for research protocols, as well as release of radiopharmaceuticals prior to injection. The faculty member will collaborate with investigators and imaging scientists to facilitate studies in molecular imaging, drug development, and disease characterization.

Position Responsibilities:

Research:  Research responsibilities will be centered on the development, oversight, and advancement of radiopharmacy-related research within SSI, including the operation of the clinical research Imaging Center as it pertains to radiopharmacy areas. Significant effort is expected from the candidate to establish and sustain a nationally and internationally recognized research program in the areas described above by securing extramural funding and demonstrating an exceptional record of scholarship.

Teaching:  Significant effort is also expected to be devoted to teaching at the professional, graduate, and/or undergraduate levels in the School of Pharmacy.

Service:  The faculty member is expected to serve on departmental, School, and/or University committees as assigned, as well as in a professional capacity in their field, e.g., reviewer, conference organizer, etc.

Other:  Administrative duties.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree and completed training to become an authorized nuclear pharmacist (ANP)
• Licensed or eligible for licensure in Virginia
• Board certified in Nuclear Pharmacy is required or must sit within 1 year of onboarding
• Must meet all requirements described in 10CFR35.55 to be listed as an Authorized Nuclear Pharmacist on VCU RAM license
• Demonstrated ability to work in and foster an environment of respect, professionalism, and civility with a population of faculty member, staff, and students from all backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a faculty member at VCU

Preferred Qualifications:

• Leadership experience overseeing programs in the preparation and delivery of PET radiopharmaceuticals for use in research applications, as well study design/feasibility for studies that include radioactive substances
• Regulatory experience with regard to state and/or federal compliance on FDA-approved PET drugs, production, and use
• Experience with research protocols and clinical trials
• Regulatory experience with regard to state and/or federal submissions on RDRC or IND research studies and responding to FDA inquires related to CMC information
• Experience in developing and maintaining SOPs consistent with requirements set forth in 21CFR212, USP<823>, USP<825>, and USP<797>. Including components of aseptic manufacturing, environmental monitoring, vendor selection and qualification, material specification for ordering and associated review of relevant testing on receipt as part of quarantine procedures, continuous improvement, experience with QMS systems
• Experience as member of a Radioactive Drug Research Committee
• Experience in Radiochemistry development, quality control processes and cGMP compliance
• Experience in dose production and dispensing of novel radiotracers including long-lived and short-lived isotopes
• Experience with the receipt, storage, formulation, dispensing, and destruction of clinical test material and ensuring regulatory compliance within a compounding laboratory
• Experience in regulatory insight to GMP, USP, GCP requirements surrounding Phase I research
• Experience in formulating and compounding investigational drugs for use in Phase I studies with a focus on radiolabeled compounds
• Experience in writing research grants
• Preclinical research experience

Salary Range: Commensurate with experience

Benefits: All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU’s robust benefits package that includes comprehensive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave, generous tuition benefits, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, employee discounts, well-being resources, abundant opportunities for career development and advancement, and more.

FLSA Exemption Status: Exempt

Restricted Position: Yes

ORP Eligible: Yes

Flexible Work Arrangement: Fully Onsite

Rank: Open

Tenure: Ineligible

Months: 12 months

Contact Information
Contact Name: Dr. Elvin T. Price
Contact Email: etprice@vcu.edu

The search committee will begin reviewing applications immediately and will continue until the position is filled. 

Applicants should submit the following materials:

1. Cover Letter
2. Curriculum Vitae
3. Summary of Research Interests and Plans
4. Names and contact information for three references

Please contact the search committee chair, Dr. Elvin T. Price (etprice@vcu.edu), for questions/clarifications regarding this position.