Job Summary:

The Pividori Lab (pivlab.org; PI: Dr. Milton Pividori) designs and implements machine-learning methods that are applied to human disease with a systems biology perspective. Our goal is to advance precision medicine by developing a comprehensive, multi-omics approach to enhance our molecular understanding of complex diseases and their therapeutic modalities. As a computational research laboratory, we collaborate with experts in different disease domains to translate our findings to the clinic. Our group deeply cares about open science, and we use the latest software development technologies that enable reproducible research and easy adoption of our tools. 

Our lab seeks a full-time (1.0 FTE) Postdoctoral Fellow in computational biology with a background human genetics and genomics, biostatistics and/or related fields that is interested in developing and/or applying computational methods to disentangle co-occurring conditions using multi-omics data in Down syndrome, such as Alzheimer’s disease, congenital heart defects, leukemias, autoimmune disorders and a range of neurological conditions. The position is funded by the NIH INCLUDE (INvestigation of Co-occurring conditions across the Lifespan to Understand Down syndromE) Project, and we will collaborate closely with Dr. James Costello (Department of Pharmacology) and Dr. Casey Greene (Department of Biomedical Informatics). Individuals from diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply. 

Professional fields: Biomedical Sciences, Human Genetics and Genomics, Data Science, Machine learning, Computer Science 

Key Responsibilities :

·         Research – 70%

o   Design and planning of research projects and literature review.

o   Design/apply computational approaches to analyze and integrate large multi-omics datasets (such as genomics, transcriptomics, prior knowledge/pathways, drug data) to extract testable biological hypotheses.

o   Apply these methods to advance our understanding of the molecular basis of co-occurring conditions in Down Syndrome.

o   Write software and analytical workflows to carry out specific experiments.

o   Analyze and interpret research results.

o   Maintain effective communication with the PI, other team members, and local and international collaborators.

o   Keep an organized record of research experiments and results on GitHub.

o   Write Python/R packages that are easy to install and use.

·         Communication – 15%

o   Present research in progress at lab meetings, project meetings, and one-to-one meetings with the PI.

o   Prepare manuscripts for publication in scientific journals and blog posts for non-experts.

o   Submit abstracts and present results at local and (inter)national conferences.

o   Actively pursue fellowship awards and assist the PI in grant writing.

·         Mentoring and Collaboration – 10%

o   Mentor and train graduate and undergraduate students in the group.

o   Actively pursue computational, experimental, and clinical collaborations.

·         Career development – 5%

o   Attend career development seminars and networking events.

o   Complete an Individualized Development Plan (IDP) to be discussed with the PI annually. 

Why Join Us:

The Department of Biomedical Informatics (DBMI), located in the magnificent new Health Science building with a fabulous view of the Rocky Mountains, provides a fantastic environment for trainees to thrive and pursue their career goals. DBMI has a dedicated team for Grants Development and Scientific Writing, and a Software Engineering Team that can provide invaluable feedback to improve the quality of your code and your programming skills. The position will offer excellent opportunities to develop collaborative research projects with investigators from the Department of Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Informatics, and the Linda Crnic Institute for Down syndrome. The Crnic institute is the premier research institution to study molecular and translational questions for individuals with Down syndrome. 

The PI is committed to providing personalized support according to the candidate’s research and career goals, including the exploration of new research ideas and collaborations. With his experience in grants writing to transition to an independent position in academia (NIH K99/R00), the PI will provide guidance and feedback into this direction if aligned with the candidate’s goals. While this position requires a biomedical computational background with experience in human genetics and genomics, applicants are highly encouraged to apply even if they don’t have all the preferred qualifications, since it is understood that many skills will be learned on the job, including software development, computing environments, genetic studies, or multi-omics data integration and analysis. The lab works in a hybrid in-person/remote setting. 

The University of Colorado offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes health insurance, life insurance, retirement plans, tuition benefits, ECO pass, paid time off – vacation, sick, and holidays and more. To see what benefits are available, please visit: https://www.cu.edu/employee-services/benefits-wellness . 

Diversity and Equity:

The position is open to international applicants, in addition to US citizens/permanent residents.

The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus is committed to recruiting and supporting a diverse student body, faculty and administrative staff. The university strives to promote a culture of inclusiveness, respect, communication and understanding. We encourage applications from women, ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, persons within the LGBTQ+ community and all veterans. The University of Colorado is committed to diversity and equality in education and employment. 

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications: 

Applicants must meet minimum qualifications at the time of hire. 

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a PhD in a relevant science discipline, such as computer science, bioinformatics, genetics, biostatistics, applied mathematics, or related fields. 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced programming skills in Python and/or R with version control (Git) and attributable contributions to source code.
• Experience with handling large, multi-omics datasets, preferably in the context of complex human diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological conditions, congenital heart defects, leukemias, autoimmune disorders and other co-occurring conditions of Down Syndrome.
• Experience with cloud computing (Amazon EC2 and/or Google Cloud).
• Experience with known packages for machine learning, such as scikit-learn or others.
• Experience with deep learning techniques and software packages such as PyTorch or similar.
• Experience in statistical genetics methods, such as genome-wide association studies (GWAS), transcription-wide association studies (TWAS), disease risk prediction (polygenic risk scores), and functional characterization would be a bonus. 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Good communication skills corroborated by peer-reviewed first author publications, and oral presentations at (inter)national conferences).

How to Apply:

For full consideration, please submit the following document(s):

1.    A letter of application that specifically addresses the job requirements, outlines qualifications, and describes why the applicant desires to join the lab.

2.    Curriculum vitae / Resume

3.    The names, addresses, daytime telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses of five professional references. 

Applications are accepted electronically ONLY at www.cu.edu/cu-careers . 

Questions should be directed to: Michelle Fiandra at michelle.fiandra@cuanschutz.edu 

Screening of Applications Begins:

 Immediately and continues until position is filled.

Anticipated Pay Range:

The starting salary range (or hiring range) for this position has been established as HIRING RANGE:

$56,484 to $70,000

The above salary range (or hiring range) represents the University’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting. This position is not eligible for overtime compensation unless it is non-exempt.

Your total compensation goes beyond the number on your paycheck. The University of Colorado provides generous leave, health plans and retirement contributions that add to your bottom line.

Total Compensation Calculator: http://www.cu.edu/node/153125

ADA Statement:

The University will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities throughout the employment application process. To request an accommodation pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact the Human Resources ADA Coordinator at hr.adacoordinator@ucdenver.edu? . 

Background Check Statement:

The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus is dedicated to ensuring a safe and secure environment for our faculty, staff, students and visitors. To assist in achieving that goal, we conduct background investigations for all prospective employees. 

Vaccination Statement:

CU Anschutz strongly encourages vaccination against the COVID-19 virus and other vaccine preventable diseases . If you work, visit, or volunteer in healthcare facilities or clinics operated by our affiliated hospital or clinical partners or by CU Anschutz, you will be required to comply with the vaccination and medical surveillance policies of the facilities or clinics where you work, visit, or volunteer, respectively. In addition, if you work in certain research areas or perform certain safety sensitive job duties, you must enroll in the occupational health medical surveillance program . 

The University of Colorado seeks individuals with demonstrated commitment to creating an inclusive learning and working environment. We value the ability to engage effectively with students, faculty and staff of diverse backgrounds.