"Research Scientist, Department of Cancer Biology, College of Medicine"

Job Overview

A Research Scientist position is available in the laboratory of Dr. Xiaoting Zhang in the Department of Cancer Biology at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, to study transcriptional and epigenetic gene regulation in breast cancer metastasis and therapeutic resistance. The Zhang laboratory (https://med.uc.edu/zhanglab) currently focuses on elucidating the role and molecular mechanisms of gene- and tissue-specific transcriptional cofactors, small RNAs and liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) in the above processes [Estrogen Receptor and Breast Cancer – Celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the Discovery of ER (1st ed, 2019, Springer Nature), Dev Cell (2021)56(3):341, Cell Reports (2021) 34(10):108822, Cancer Drug Resist 2022; 5(2): 498, Autophagy (2023) 19(6):1662, Cancers (2024) 16(23):3992 ]. We are using a combination of biochemical, molecular, genomic, and mouse genetic (conditional knockout, mutant knockin, and overexpression) approaches. We are also currently developing RNA-based nano-therapeutics to target these cofactors and small RNAs to overcome the therapeutic resistance of human breast cancer.

Essential Functions

• Independently design and conduct the research required by the faculty supervisor to a high standard and in accordance with all institutional and federal regulations.
• Prepare research results, write manuscripts independently, and engage in the dissemination and presentation of the results of the research.
• Support the development of proposals and write research-related funding and grants.
• Partaking in appropriate training and professional development opportunities.
• May provide direct and/or indirect supervision to exempt and non-exempt staff and perform additional related duties as needed.

Required Education

PhD and/or MD required.

Required Experience

Additional related work experience may be required depending on field or discipline.

Additional Qualifications Considered

Prior experience and in-depth knowledge in cancer biology, molecular cellular biology, protein biochemistry, small RNAs, or LLPS is ideal.

Physical Requirements/Work Environment

• Sitting - Continuously
• Repetitive hand motion (such as typing) - Often
• Hearing, listening - Often
• Talking - Often
• Standing - Often
• Walking - Often
• Bending - Seldom
• Stooping - Seldom
• Climbing stairs/ladders - Seldom
• Kneeling, squatting - Seldom
• Crouching - Seldom
• Crawling - Seldom
• Reaching overhead - Seldom
• Lifting - up to 20 pounds - Seldom
• Lifting - up to 50 pounds - Seldom
• Lifting - over 50 pounds - Seldom

Compensation and Benefits

UC offers an exceptional benefits package designed to support your well-being, financial security, and work-life balance. (UC Benefits Link) Highlights include:

Comprehensive Tuition Remission

UC provides tuition remission for you and your eligible dependents, covering tuition costs for nearly all undergraduate and graduate programs offered by the university.

Robust Retirement Plans

As a UC employee, you won’t contribute to Social Security (except Medicare). Instead, you’ll choose between state pension plans (OPERS, STRS) or an Alternative Retirement Plan (ARP), with UC contributing 14–18% of your salary based on position.

Real Work-Life Balance

UC prioritizes work-life balance with a generous time-off policy, including:

• Vacation and sick time
• 11 paid holidays and additional end-of-year paid time off (Winter Season Days)
• 6 weeks of paid parental leave for new parents

Additional Benefits Include:

• Competitive salary based on experience
• Comprehensive health coverage (medical, dental, vision, prescription)
• Flexible spending accounts & wellness programs
• Professional development & mentorship opportunities

To learn more about why UC is a great place to work, please visit our careers page at https://www.uc.edu/careers.html

Important: To apply you must create a profile and submit a complete job application through the UC applicant portal. We are unable to consider “easy apply” applications submitted via other websites. For questions about the UC recruiting process or to request accommodations with the application, please contact Human Resources at jobs@uc.edu.

The University of Cincinnati is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

REQ: 98991