Postdoctoral Researcher: Microfluidics and Organs on a Chip (100% On-Site)

Postdoctoral research opportunities are available at the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI) for outstanding candidates. TIBI is actively developing technology platforms that utilize micro- and nanoscale technologies to study human disease and develop therapeutics on a personalized level. To enable this vision, TIBI works closely with clinicians, including interventional radiologists, cardiologists, and surgeons. TIBI is a highly multidisciplinary research institute with numerous projects that utilize organ-on-a-chip systems to mimic human physiology and pathology and enable patient-specific evaluation of drug candidates.

For this particular position, we are looking for a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher who can work on developing organs-on-a-chip technologies for modeling various human organs (brain, lymph node, liver, blood vessels, skin, and/or eye) and their associated diseases (cancer, neurodegeneration, wound healing, and allo/autoimmunity) for drug screening application. The applicant is expected to work in a highly interdisciplinary environment and drive scientific and technical innovation with other group members and with TIBI’s community.

Required Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in biomedical engineering or related disciplines.
• A strong record of publications in organs-on-chip technologies, including microfluidics (fabrication and simulation), cell biology (cancer, immunology, and in vitro modeling), and/or biomarker detection (ELISA and biosensors).
• Outstanding communication skills, both oral and written, and ability to work in a highly multidisciplinary environment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with microfabrication, including soft lithography, metal deposition, and computational fluid dynamics.
• Experience with organs-on-a-chip technologies, including design, characterization, and validation.
• Experience with cell cultures (immortalized cells, primary cells, or stem cells) and cell characterization (microscopic imaging, flow cytometry, and gene/protein expression).
• Experience with biomarker detection, including ELISA, ELISPOT, Luminex, and electrochemical biosensors.

Responsibilities:

• Conduct research in the field of organs-on-a-chip, which includes cell biology, tissue engineering, microfabrication, and biomaterials, for funded NIH research grants.
• Propose creative and novel solutions to current biomedical problems by developing hypotheses, designing experimental plans, carrying out experiments, analyzing results, and writing research papers.
• Keep track of the current literature in organs-on-a-chip and related fields and write comprehensive review papers.
• Engage in the dissemination of the research in regular group meetings, internal seminars, national/international scientific conferences, and journal publications.
• Conceive ideas for grant proposals, submit postdoctoral fellowship applications, and assist faculty in grant proposal writing (NIH, NSF, DoD, Private Foundations, and Industry Sponsored Research).
• Manage other researchers, including trainees, junior fellows, and visiting students in the fields of organs-on-a-chip and bioengineering.
• Engage in appropriate training of lab personnel and lab maintenance, including equipment maintenance and ordering supplies as required by the principal investigators.
• Work closely with other members of TIBI to conduct and carry out the research, share research ideas, and come up with solutions for scientific/clinical problems.

What We Offer:

• Competitive compensation
• Access to cutting edge engineering and state of the art laboratory facilities..
• Opportunity to collaborate with accomplished experts across diverse disciplines.
• Initial 1-year appointment, with potential for renewal.
• Company contribution and access to best-in-class health benefits for you and your dependents (Medical, Dental, Vision, AD&D, and Life insurance)
• FSA (Commuter and Childcare)
• 401(k) with employer match upon hire
• Paid Time off/Sick Leave
• Paid Holidays (including the entire last week of December!)

Applications – Please include the following documents into ONE DOCX or PDF File:

• Research statement, including a summary of previous research experiences, along with motivation and specific fit for the mission of TIBI. Suggested length: 1-3 pages
• Curriculum Vitae
• Names and contact information of at least three references

TIBI is an Equal Opportunity employer. The Institute undertakes affirmative action to assure equal employment opportunities for underutilized minorities and women, for persons with disabilities, and for covered veterans. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status.

Salary : $65,000