"Postdoctoral Associate - BioSciences"

Position Summary

Dr. Harini Iyer's lab in the Department of Biosciences is looking to hire a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the field of Biochemistry and Cell Biology.

Members of the Iyer laboratory seek to illuminate the complex interplay between the nervous and immune systems during development, homeostasis, and neurodegeneration from the perspective of microglia. We use the vertebrate model organism, zebrafish, widely appreciated for its amenability to live imaging and functional genomic screens, to tackle some exciting questions in the field of neuroimmunology, including: How are signals of extracellular stress transduced to microglia in vivo? Can we gain a deeper understanding of the biology of microglia by defining the functions of neurodegeneration-associated genes? Are there conserved neuroimmune signatures between pediatric and adult neurological conditions? Collectively, we are a group of curiosity-driven developmental biologists and cell biologists with a shared goal of uncovering fundamental processes in neuroimmunology, thus revealing strategies to prevent or cure neurodegenerative diseases.

The ideal candidate will have prior experience in animal husbandry and tissue culture and have a comprehensive understanding of the basic concepts in molecular biology, genetics, and neuroscience.

Workplace Requirements:

This position is exclusively on-site, necessitating all duties to be performed in-person in Houston, Texas. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.

*Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime.*

This position is funded by a grant, soft and/or restricted funds. Continued employment is contingent on the renewal of funding.

Essential Functions

• Assists in designing CRISPRs targeting genes associated with neurological disorders, generates CRISPR-Cas9 mutants in zebrafish, and maintains fish lines
• Assists with performing molecular biology experiments such as PCR assays, isolation and purification of DNA/RNA, and cloning of transgenes
• Documents, analyzes, and maintains research data
• Assists with proposal development to obtain research funding
• Mentors, oversees, and/or trains junior research team members
• Publishes and presents research findings
• Supports project management and collaboration across institutions or disciplines
• Designs and implements research protocols; adapts new procedures, methods or instrumentation relative to research procedures
• Performs all other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D in Life Sciences or related field

Skills

• Knowledge of tissue culture
• Experience with animal husbandry and maintenance
• Expertise in molecular biology and genetics (for e.g. CRISPR technology, cloning, DNA sequencing, etc.)
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, as well as oral presentation skills
• Organization and time management skills
• Knowledge of modern research methods, data collection, and analyses
• Knowledge of the principles and techniques of Biochemistry and Cell Biology
• Ability to write scholarly papers based on ongoing research in order to submit them to journals for publication
• Able to work in a collaborative environment
• Able to work independently and professionally with minimal supervision and direction

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