"Senior Scientist - Genetics"

Position Summary

The Senior Scientist in the Cremins Lab will work with a dynamic team to conduct research in the area of the generation and analysis of new multimodal imaging data for mapping the neural connectome at synapse resolution using RNA barcodes.

Candidate will work as a sub Team leader over the progression of connectome projects and be responsible for maintaining and organizing lab records, training junior scientists on technical assays, working with the PI to prepare and review manuscripts, and help with writing content for grant applications. Will collaborate with the team to design, optimize, and standardize experimental and analysis pipelines to accelerate high-quality publications. Conduct in situ sequencing experiments with custom microscopy equipment to image RNA barcodes. Standardize imaging pipelines for high quality data and collect data as well as mentor trainees on the microscopes. Participate in protein and barcode design teams to adjust constructs in single variable manner to solve technical challenges creatively. Ensure all imaging infrastructure is in place to support trainees building constructs and stimulating neurons. Responsible for all image acquisition and the development of pipelines for the analysis of images. Help facilitate discussions about protein design based on outcomes of imaging data – and lead the analysis of the data once acquired while helping ensure the graduate students or postdoc papers have the highest quality data and analysis. Participate in the teams to develop new code and statistical methods to analyze in situ sequencing and spatial transcriptomics datasets to map the neural connectome. Facilitate integration of the data to assess synapse connections and strength and integrate with RNA molecules throughout the neurons.

Successful candidates will possess strong image acquisition skills, reasonable molecular biology skills, and strong data processing skills in the UNIX/Linux environment and familiarity with high-performance computing clusters. They will learn quickly and adapt to the scientific data and have experience in learning diverse data types generated by various platforms and technologies, including genomics, proteomics, imaging, and spatial transcriptomics data.

Candidate will also advise and support the technical scientist responsible for running the lab’s bread and butter molecular sequencing library preparation, quantification, and pooling pipelines. Experience previously in linkering genomics libraries and conducting kappa assays is a plus.

This role is ideal for you if you enjoy the excitement of a bleeding-edge scientific laboratory and welcome the challenge of serving as a steady consistent imaging and computational scientist role in a fast-paced environment. Those who will thrive in the role are dedicated to collaboration and keen on playing an active role in maintaining excellent protocols, a clean, organized, and safe laboratory, and eager to lead themselves and others toward maintaining a warm, positive, and inclusive lab climate. Organized individuals with a can-do attitude, a passion for building unity and community within a larger laboratory, a knack for independent problem-solving and getting things done, and the ability to independently and positively create molecular and cellular data with attention to detail would excel in this role.

Job Description

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

• Collaborates on designing, conducting and reporting of research projects and assists with grant preparation.
• Supervises and conducts Illumina linkering, library preparation for all genomics experiments, quantification, library pooling, and placing sequencing runs for the lab.
• Generates novel in situ sequencing imaging datasets to understand structure-function relationships of neuronal connectomes using confocal microscopy and microfluidics.
• Processes and analyzes imaging and sequencing data (image registration, segmentation, feature detection, clustering, anchoring to single cell datasets).
• Oversees and writes established SOPs for new and existing molecular sequencing technologies, computational algorithms.
• Prepares and reviews papers on research.
• Develops new algorithms for analysis of RNA FISH, DNA FISH, and neural connectome in situ sequencing technologies.
• Collaborates fluidly with other computational experts to conduct efficient analyses leading to discovery in mammalian neuron genome structure-function data.
• Complies with established safety procedures and maintains required documentation on laboratory and specimen conditions.
• Performs other duties as assigned. 

Working Conditions:

• Works in a laboratory environment with potential exposure to biological, chemical and radioactive hazards.
• Must be physically able to wear protective equipment and to provide standard care to research animals.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by the personnel so classified. Management reserves the right to revise or amend duties at any time.

Required Qualifications

Education:

Phd Or Terminal Degree Or Combination Of Education And Experience May Substitute For Minimum Education.

Certifications:

No specific certification is required for this position.

Work Experience:

Postdoctoral (3 Years)

Preferred Qualifications:

• PhD in cell biology, imaging, computational biology or neuroscience.
• 3+ years of postdoctoral experience is highly preferred.
• Experience in imaging and technology development is highly preferred.
• Experience in multi-modal genomics omics, spatial transcriptomics, computational biology, in vivo AAV or lentivirus injections, behavioral neuroscience, or electrophysiology is a plus.
• Experience with Illumina library preparation and handling NextSeq1000/2000 and Novaseq instruments is a plus from the perspective of mentoring someone else for genomics sequencing.
• Experience in Python/R programming language, Linux environment, and cluster computing is strongly preferred.
• Experience in statistical analysis of imaging data is strongly preferred.
• Ability to work independently and apply critical thinking and sound judgment.

Skills:

Analytical Problem Solving, Cell Cultures, Cluster Computing, Computational Biology, Fluorescence Microscopy, Genomics, Histology, Imaging Techniques, Laboratory Instrumentation, Linux, Linux Programming, Mouse Genetics, Neuroscience Research, Omics, Oral Communications, Python (Programming Language), R Programming, Statistical Analysis, Teamwork, Working Independently, Written Communication

Grade

R12

Salary Range

$63,400.00 - $115,000.00 / AnnuallyThe salary range reflects base salaries paid for positions in a given job grade across the University. Individual rates within the range will be determined by factors including one's qualifications and performance, equity with others in the department, market rates for positions within the same grade and department budget.