Job Title

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Agency

Texas A&M University Health Science Center

Department

Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

Bryan, Texas

Job Type

Staff

Job Description

What we believe

Texas A&M University is committed to enriching the learning and working environment by promoting a culture that respects all perspectives, talents & identities.  Embracing varying opinions and perspectives strengthens our core values which are: Respect, Excellence, Leadership, Loyalty, Integrity, and Selfless Service.

Who we are

As one of the fastest-growing academic health centers in the nation, the Texas A&M University Health Science Center encompasses five colleges and numerous centers and institutes working together to improve health through transformative education, innovative research and team-based health care delivery.

What we want

The Health Science Center (HSC) is looking for a Postdoctoral Research Associate to serve as a member of the Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics team. We desire an individual who subscribes to and supports our commitment as stated above. The successful applicant will bring an expert level of research experience to the position and understand the demands of supporting executives in a fast-paced environment. This person must be professional, enjoy working in a high-volume environment and be able to apply strong organizational skills while being flexible in their daily routine. If this is you, we invite you to apply to become a member of our team.

Job Description Summary: The postdoctoral research associate will be responsible for performing the fluid percussion traumatic brain injury model including anesthesia and post-operative monitoring. The postdoctoral research associate will also be responsible for performing behavioral testing, including monitoring of weight and overall health of the subjects. The postdoctoral research associate will also be responsible for tissue harvest, including isolation of splenocytes, liver, lymphatics and brains. The postdoctoral research associate will be responsible for sending peripheral samples to our collaborator, and for the in-house preparation and analysis of brain tissue, including multiplex analysis and immunohistochemical analysis.

Required Education:

• Appropriate doctoral degree.

Required Special Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to multi-task and work cooperatively with others.

Preferred Education:

• PhD or MD

Preferred Experience:

• Experience with diverse individuals and communities.
• Neuroscience lab experience for which PhD was awarded or equivalent lab experience with MD
• Experience in vivo models.
• Experience in data collection, analysis, write-up and grant submissions.
• Experience with molecular biology/neurobiology.
• Experience with models of central nervous system injury

Preferred Special Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Skills in animal handling, animal surgeries, neuroanatomy, immunohistochemistry.
• Expertise in traumatic brain injury and models of traumatic brain injury.
• Expertise in stereology Quantitative neuroanatomical assessments.
• Expertise in molecular analysis of the brain and peripheral organs.

Job Responsibilities

Fluid percussion model

• Including pre and post-operative monitoring.

• Monitor animal weight and health prior to TBI surgery.

• Induce anesthesia, perform fluid percussion injury, post-operative monitoring.

Behavioral testing

• After surgery, over the course of the following 3 months, perform open field, object recognition, water maze, anxiety, social behavior and other behavioral analysis.

• This includes manual and computer assisted analysis. Data will need to be configured into spreadsheets and statistical analysis performed.

Tissue processing and analysis

• Multiplex and immunohistochemistry including statistical analysis.

• Brains will be processed in-house, via perfusion, and serial sectioning.

• Once sectioned, tissue will need to be labeled using immunohistochemical methods (including immunofluorescence), mounted onto slides, cover slipped and imaged on a microscope.

• Once imaged, quantitative neuroanatomical methods will be employed to assess specific brain regions.

• Once the data is collected, it will need to be arranged in spreadsheets, and statistical analysis will be performed.

Write-up results

• Write-up results, submit manuscripts and apply for post-doctoral grants.

• Once data analysis has been performed, it will be necessary to write-up the results in the form of manuscripts that will be submitted for peer-review.

• In addition, it is vital that the postdoctoral research associate applies for postdoctoral grants.

Intellectual Contributions

• This is to ask and test additional scientific questions.

• In addition to the specific aims of the funded projects, it is important that the postdoctoral research associate also thinks critically about the work being done and formulate additional hypotheses that can be tested.

• This will enable the research associate to work towards independence, a fundamental part of the postdoctoral experience.

Tissue harvest

• Upon experimental end points, tissue will need to be harvested, via perfusion and/ or fresh dissections.

• Peripheral tissue and blood will need to be prepared, frozen and then sent to grant collaborators.

Breeding Colonies

• Monitor and maintain breeding colonies.

Present Work

• Present work at local, national and international conferences.

• In addition to submitting manuscripts, it is vital that the postdoctoral research associate presents data at conferences, in order to promote the science and to grow the scientific network, which is another important aspect of the postdoctoral experience.

Other Duties

• Performs other duties as assigned.

In accordance with the  federal contractor vaccination mandate , specific facilities at Texas A&M University may be considered a covered contractor workplace with covered contractor employees. Therefore, successful applicants for this position may be subject to the federal mandate and will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment unless an approved medical or religious accommodation is in place.

Instructions to Applicants: Applications received by Texas A&M University must either have all job application data entered or a resume attached. Failure to provide all job application data or a complete resume could result in an invalid submission and a rejected application. We encourage all applicants to upload a resume or use a LinkedIn profile to pre-populate the online application.

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer committed to diversity.