What are the responsibilities and job description for the Postdoctoral Research Associate - Pediatrics Hematology and Oncology position at Washington University in St Louis?
Position Summary
The Mavers Lab is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate to investigate the role of human and murine invariant natural killer T cells in GVHD/GVT, which have particular promise as a therapeutic. The appointment is viewed as a training or transitional period preparatory to an academic, industrial, governmental, or other full-time research or teaching career. The successful candidate will take ownership of their research project(s) and drive the project(s) forward through well-designed experimentation and data interpretation, while maintaining high work ethics. In this position, the candidate will have the opportunity to engage in research using advanced immunologic techniques, including mouse and xenograft models, transgene delivery and/or gene editing, immunologic assays, and single-cell transcriptomics and proteomics. In addition to further technical training opportunities, Dr. Mavers assists in growing your scientific acumen and professional repertoire, as well as career mentorship and sponsorship.Our laboratory focuses on immune regulation in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and on developing novel platforms for cellular therapies. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation can cure high-risk malignancies and other hematologic diseases, yet success is limited when patients develop graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), an immune-mediated complication, or when the graft-versus-tumor (GVT) effect fails and their primary disease relapses. Through transcriptomic, proteomic, and functional analyses, and rational engineering of immune cells, the Mavers Lab aims to elucidate the biological mechanisms underlying immune tolerance in HSCT. The laboratory has the additional goal of using a bench-to-bedside approach to develop novel cellular therapies for GVHD prevention and for targeting cancer.
Job Description
Primary Duties & Responsibilities:
Information on being a postdoc at WashU in St. Louis can be found at https://postdoc.wustl.edu/prospective-postdocs-2/.
Trains under the supervision of a faculty mentor including (but not limited to):
- Independently performs experiments and data analysis, putting results into context within the literature of the field (with guidance from PI).
- Designs experiments employing immunologic assays and GVHD/GVT models to evaluate invariant natural killer T cell function.
- Optimizes transgene delivery to engineer invariant natural killer T cells for enhanced GVHD suppression and/or cancer targeting (i.e., CAR-iNKT).
- Presents data at conferences and writes research papers.
- Writes and submits grant proposals.
- Facilitates collaborative projects in which the laboratory is engaged, as related to the post-doctoral research associate’s project(s).
- Assists the PI in maintaining a laboratory environment of growth and support with an inclusive culture, including training and mentoring research staff and students.
Working Conditions:
This position works in a laboratory environment with potential exposure to biological and chemical hazards. The individual must be physically able to wear protective equipment and to provide standard care to research animals.
Salary Range:
Base pay is commensurate with experience.
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by the personnel so classified. Management reserves the right to revise or amend duties at any time.Required Qualifications
Education:
Ph.D., M.D. Or Equivalent Terminal Or Doctoral Degree.
Certifications:
Work Experience:
Skills:
Driver's License:
More About This Job
Required Qualifications:
- At least one peer reviewed first-author research article and experience in presenting at national meetings.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Extensive research experience in immunology and/or cell biology/molecular biology.
- Previous experience with analysis of immune cells, use of pre-clinical GVHD models, and/or lentiviral transduction/CRISPR will be considered an advantage.
Preferred Qualifications
Education:
No additional education beyond what is stated in the Required Qualifications section.
Certifications:
Work Experience:
Skills:
Questions
For frequently asked questions about the application process, please refer to our External Applicant FAQ.
Accommodation
If you are unable to use our online application system and would like an accommodation, please email CandidateQuestions@wustl.edu or call the dedicated accommodation inquiry number at 314-935-1149 and leave a voicemail with the nature of your request.
All qualified individuals must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.Pre-Employment Screening
All external candidates receiving an offer for employment will be required to submit to pre-employment screening for this position. The screenings will include criminal background check and, as applicable for the position, other background checks, drug screen, an employment and education or licensure/certification verification, physical examination, certain vaccinations and/or governmental registry checks. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening.Benefits Statement
Washington University in St. Louis is committed to providing a comprehensive and competitive benefits package to our employees. Benefits eligibility is subject to employment status, full-time equivalent (FTE) workload, and weekly standard hours. Please visit our website at https://hr.wustl.edu/benefits/ to view a summary of benefits.EEO/AA Statement
Washington University in St. Louis is committed to the principles and practices of equal employment opportunity and especially encourages applications by those from underrepresented groups. It is the University’s policy to provide equal opportunity and access to persons in all job titles without regard to race, ethnicity, color, national origin, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information.Diversity Statement
Washington University is dedicated to building a diverse community of individuals who are committed to contributing to an inclusive environment – fostering respect for all and welcoming individuals from diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. Individuals with a commitment to these values are encouraged to apply.
