Job Details
Job Summary
The Engle Lab focuses on understanding the etiology and progression of pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer to develop better prevention, diagnostic, and treatment strategies. Our research uses patient-derived organoids, molecular profiling, functional precision medicine, and in vivo models. Recent work established a comprehensive biobank of chronic pancreatitis patient-derived organoids and identified widespread CFTR dysfunction, including in patients without pathogenic CFTR mutations, revealing…
new opportunities to investigate targeted therapies for pancreatic disease.
Position Description
A postdoctoral position is immediately available for a highly motivated scientist to lead the next phase of our patient-derived organoid program. The successful candidate will use patient-derived pancreatic organoids and complementary molecular and functional approaches to investigate CFTR and other ion-transport pathways, characterize mechanisms of disease heterogeneity, and evaluate therapeutic responses across patient-specific models.
Ideal candidates will be intellectually curious, collaborative, highly organized, and skilled in constructive problem solving. Strong project management skills are particularly valued, including the ability to independently drive projects forward, coordinate multiple experimental priorities and collaborations, maintain rigorous organization and documentation, and proactively identify and resolve roadblocks. Experience with mammalian cell culture and molecular biology is preferred; experience with organoids, pancreatic or epithelial biology, CFTR/ion transport, sequencing-based approaches, or mouse models is a plus.
Education
- PhD in a related field.
Job location is in Salk Main Campus
What We Can Offer
The full postdoctoral salary range for wet lab opportunities is $70,500-$78,000 (see below). This range covers the entire postdoctoral training period; recent Ph.D. graduates should expect an offer at or close to $70,500 (minimum of the salary range). Salk Institute provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the institute reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, and external market pay for comparable jobs.
| Experience Level/Tier | Salk Postdoc Salary |
|---|---|
| 0 | $70,500 |
| 1 | $72,000 |
| 2 | $73,500 |
| 3 | $75,000 |
| 4 | $76,500 |
| 5 | $78,000 |
Benefits
Salk Institute offers competitive benefits, including medical, dental, vision, retirement, paid time off, tuition reimbursement, patient advocacy services, and transit/parking program.
Salk Values
The Salk Community, both scientists and administrators, worked together to define values that we believe support Salk's pursuit of excellence. To be truly the best scientific institution requires not only incredible discoveries, but a common understanding of how we should work together to enable those discoveries.
The acronym "I CARE" provides a simple way to remember each of the values and reminds each of us of the importance of what we do each day.
Organization
Working at Salk Institute for Biological Studies
The Salk Institute for Biological Studies is one of the world's preeminent basic research institutions, where internationally renowned faculty probe fundamental life science questions in a unique, collaborative, and creative environment. Focused on both discovery and mentoring future generations of researchers, Salk scientists make groundbreaking contributions to our understanding of cancer, aging, Alzheimer's, diabetes, and cardiovascular disorders by studying neuroscience, genetics, cell and plant biology, and related disciplines.
Faculty achievements have been recognized with numerous honors, including Nobel Prizes and memberships in the National Academy of Sciences. Founded in 1960 by polio vaccine pioneer Jonas Salk, M.D., the Institute is an independent nonprofit organization and architectural landmark.

