"Research Science Support Specialist - Mellon College of Science - Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center"

Research Science Support Specialist

- Mellon College of Science - Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center

Job Details

Carnegie Mellon University is a private, global research university that stands among the world’s most renowned education institutions. With ground-breaking brain science, path-breaking performances, creative start-ups, big data, big ambitions, hands-on learning, and a whole lot of robots, CMU doesn’t imagine the future, we invent it. If you’re passionate about joining a community that challenges the curious to deliver work that matters, your journey starts here!

The Mellon College of Science (MCS) is home to four departments and many programs and research centers that cross disciplines. We approach scientific problems from fresh angles using creative interdisciplinary approaches while drawing on our departmental strengths in the core sciences.

Our Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center (PSC) within MCS is seeking a Research Science Support Specialist. This position offers an exciting opportunity to collaborate with top researchers, contribute to impactful scientific applications, and help advance cutting-edge computing technologies.

Core Responsibilities:

• Utilize realistic, biologically accurate computer simulations to test the hypothesis that aging-related changes in active zone (AZ) protein density and distribution can predict both single AZ and whole synapse function at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ).
• Adapt and convert an existing, experimentally validated MCell simulation of mammalian NMJ AZs into Python for compatibility with MCell4.
• Integrate calcium-activated potassium channels into the python mouse NMJ AZ model to expand its physiological relevance.
• Systematically modify parameters such as the density and spatial distribution of voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs), the number of docked synaptic vesicles, and other key features to evaluate whether aging-associated alterations in AZ structure can account for synaptic functional outcomes observed in our collaborators' optical and electrophysiological data.
• Use results from these simulation experiments to elucidate the structural and functional remodeling of AZs during aging and its role in the progression of dynapenia. Insights gained will inform future efforts to target and potentially reverse specific age-related changes in synaptic architecture and function.

Adaptability, excellence, and passion are vital qualities within Carnegie Mellon University. We are in search of a team member who can effectively interact with a varied population of internal and external partners at a high level of integrity. We are looking for someone who shares our values and who will support the mission of the university through their work.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in neuroscience, physics, or related fields is required.
• Minimum 1-3 years of experience in Monte Carlo simulations.
• Strong programming skills in Python.
• Proficiency with Monte Carlo algorithms, reaction-diffusion, MCell and CellBlender.
• Familiarity with Physics Based Rendering.
• Experience with Linux.
• Excellent communication, teamwork, and creative problem-solving abilities.
• A combination of education and relevant experience from which comparable knowledge is demonstrated may be considered.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced experience with Monte Carlo algorithms and MCell and CellBlender tools.
• Hands-on experience with Linux.
• Familiarity with Physics Based Rendering.

Requirements:

• Successful background check

Why Work With Us?

At PSC and Carnegie Mellon University, we are committed to excellence, innovation, and collaboration. You’ll be part of a dynamic team advancing scientific discovery and technology. Flexibility, creativity, and cultural sensitivity are key attributes of our workplace.

Joining the CMU team opens the door to an array of exceptional benefits.

Benefits eligible employees enjoy a wide array of benefits including comprehensive medical, prescription, dental, and vision insurance as well as a generous retirement savings program with employer contributions. Unlock your potential with tuition benefits, take well-deserved breaks with ample paid time off and observed holidays, and rest easy with life and accidental death and disability insurance.

Additional perks include a free Pittsburgh Regional Transit bus pass, access to our Family Concierge Team to help navigate childcare needs, fitness center access, and much more!

For a comprehensive overview of the benefits available, explore our Benefits page.

At Carnegie Mellon, we value the whole package when extending offers of employment. Beyond credentials, we evaluate the role and responsibilities, your valuable work experience, and the knowledge gained through education and training. We appreciate your unique skills and the perspective you bring. Your journey with us is about more than just a job; it’s about finding the perfect fit for your professional growth and personal aspirations.

Are you interested in an exciting opportunity with an exceptional organization?! Apply today!

Location

Pittsburgh, PA

Job Function

Researchers

Position Type

Staff – Fixed Term (Fixed Term)

Full Time/Part time

Full time

Pay Basis

Salary

More Information:

Please visit “Why Carnegie Mellon” to learn more about becoming part of an institution inspiring innovations that change the world.

Click here to view a listing of employee benefits

Carnegie Mellon University is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran.

Statement of Assurance

Carnegie Mellon University challenges the curious and passionate to imagine and deliver work that matters.

A private, global research university, Carnegie Mellon stands among the world's most renowned educational institutions, and sets its own course.

Carnegie Mellon was founded in 1900 by Andrew Carnegie under the premise that a school established to foster and develop the technical skills of its students would soon produce students and graduates whose work would astound Pittsburgh and the world. Over 120 years later, our institution continues to produce talented alumni and draws faculty and staff eager to be a part of the university's creative, passionate and close-knit community. We place emphasis on practical problem solving, interdisciplinary learning, an entrepreneurial spirit, and collaboration.

Over the past 10 years, more than 400 startups linked to CMU have raised more than $7 billion in follow-on funding. Those investment numbers are especially high because of the sheer size of Pittsburgh’s growing autonomous vehicles cluster – including Uber, Aurora, Waymo and Motional – all of which are here because of their strong ties to CMU.

With cutting-edge brain science, path-breaking performances, innovative startups, driverless cars, big data, big ambitions, Nobel and Turing prizes, hands-on learning, and a whole lot of robots, CMU doesn't imagine the future, we create it.

Pittsburgh is home to over 86,000 students from 10 colleges and universities. Pittsburgh was ranked as one of the top U.S. cities for millennials.

Some 177,000 people work in Pittsburgh's tech-related industries, and their ranks continue to grow as the city tops lists for jobs. Networking opportunities, small business accelerators, and an innovative community make the city appealing to entrepreneurs, especially recent graduates.

Pittsburgh is emerging as a tech and culture hub that The Washington Post praises for its "world-class art museums and colorful neighborhoods."

Robotics and software engineering lead the way. The city is home to Google, Uber and Apple offices and a budding ecosystem of tech startups including Duolingo, Modcloth and 4Moms, all of which have CMU roots.

Many seek Pittsburgh for being a hot spot for entrepreneurship and a model for future cities. Others come for the city's burgeoning food scene.

You’ll find CMU locations nationwide — and worldwide. Silicon Valley. Qatar. Africa. Washington, D.C. To name a few.

If your heart is in your work, come work with us.

Carnegie Mellon University isn't just one of the world’s most renowned educational institutions — it’s also a hotspot for some of the most talented doers, dreamers and difference-makers on the planet. When you join our staff, you’ll become an important part of our mission to create a healthier, safer and more just life for all. No matter what your role or location, you’ll connect and collaborate with dedicated, passionate colleagues — and you’ll have the satisfaction of delivering work that truly matters.

Carnegie Mellon University offers a wide range of competitive employee benefits to help you live well. Benefit eligibility varies based on the hours per week employees are scheduled to work and the employee's geographic location

We seek to cultivate diverse populations and perspectives and promote equity and inclusion. Our devotion to these ideals springs from a core belief in the power of education to be a transformative and enriching force for every person, irrespective of their background, identity or life circumstances.

Inclusion and belonging are intricately interwoven into the very essence of our university, helping to shape our values, policies and practices. Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging are not only central to our ethos but also indispensable to our pursuit of academic excellence and innovation.