Posted: 13-May-23

Location: Houston, TX, United States,

Type: Full-time

Salary: Open

Internal Number: 2404

Position Summary

The Veiseh lab at the Department of Bioengineering at Rice University has an opening for a postdoctoral fellow. The ideal candidates would be an expert in immunology and mammalian synthetic biology. The recruited postdoctoral fellow will lead an independent project focused on immune regulation or engineered cell therapies. All candidates should have strong written and oral communication skills, and will also be expected to aid in the supervision of junior lab members and the preparation of research proposals. We are seeking candidates who have demonstrated ability to lead and/or work collaboratively in teams comprised of individuals of diverse backgrounds, skills, and perspectives.

The Veiseh lab focuses on engineering next generation treatments for a wide range of human diseases by leveraging the latest techniques in synthetic biology, immunoengineering, and materials science to develop innovative cell-based platforms for real-time production of biologics. We are creating translational platform technologies with the goal of improving clinical outcomes for patients. More information about our research and goals can be found on our website: https://veisehlab.rice.edu/

Requirements

• Ph.D. or other doctoral degree in Immunology, Bioengineering or Molecular Biology
• No experience required
• Skills Required
  • Knowledge of the adaptive and innate immune system and how to modulate immune responses.
  • Knowledge of molecular biology, protein biochemistry, bioengineering and chemistry
  • Curiosity, enthusiasm and drive to tackle challenging technical problems and complex biological questions.
  • Ability to analyze information from peer reviewed literature experiments and models.
  • Enthusiasm for leadership, assisting team members and creating a collaborative working environment.
  • Ability to work independently, collaboratively and professionally.
  • Strong listening and verbal communication skills and ability to present your research in in group meetings and conferences.
  • Strong written communication and understanding of manuscript and peer review process in order to publish research outcomes in peer reviewed journals.

Essential Functions

• Leads a project on immune modulation or another discipline relevant to the lab's research.
• Researches how immune modulation impacts disease outcome in translational research models.
• Focuses on creating a clinically translatable project.
• Conducts laboratory experiments on immunology, genetic engineering, protein biochemistry, and/or cellular engineering.
• Develops an independent research interest as a future leader of a research team.
• Publishes papers and presents findings at national and international conferences.
• Mentors and trains junior research team members, such as PhD candidates, masters students and undergraduates.
• Assists with proposal development and grant writing in order to obtain research funding.
• Assists with equipment setup, protocol development and role modeling best practices in rigorous science, record-keeping, lab safety and being a team player in the lab.
• Supports project management and collaboration across institutions or disciplines.
• Performs all other duties as assigned.

Preferences

• • Proficiency in (or ability to learn) mammalian cell culture
  • Proficiency in (or ability to learn) small animal models
  • Proficiency in (or ability to learn) cell phenotyping assays including flow cytometry, and single cell RNA sequencing
  • Proficiency in (or ability to learn) genetic engineering, molecular cloning, molecular biology assays, bacterial culture

About George R. Brown School of Engineering

The George R. Brown School of Engineering ranks among the top 20 of undergraduate engineering programs (US News & World Report) and is strongly committed to nurturing the aspirations of faculty, staff and students in an inclusive environment

We seek greater representation of women, minorities, people with disabilities, and veterans in disciplines in which they have historically been underrepresented; to attract international students from a wider range of countries and backgrounds; to accelerate progress in building a faculty and staff who are diverse in background and thought; and we support an inclusive environment that fosters interaction and understanding within our diverse community.

Workplace Requirements

Rice University HR | Benefits

https://knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits

Rice Mission and Values

Mission and Values | Rice University

Rice University is an Equal Opportunity Employer with commitment to diversity at all levels, and considers for employment qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status.

Faculty and staff are expected (but not required) to have completed a full vaccination series for COVID-19 (currently defined as full course COVID-19 Vaccine (typically two shots of a WHO-approved COVID-19 Vaccine or one J&J) and a COVID-19 booster. Rice does not require documentation for COVID 19 vaccination at this time for faculty and staff. More information can be found here: https://coronavirus.rice.edu/policies