Postdoctoral Scholar, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Greninger Lab
Position Overview
Organization: Laboratory Medicine and Pathology
Title: Postdoctoral Scholar, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Greninger Lab
Position Details
Position Description
The University of Washington, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology is a broad and dynamic department that strives for a consistent level of high achievement in all of its activities. The Department offers full diagnostic services in all areas of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, is a top ranked research organization as measured by research awards from the National Institutes of Health and offers an array of specialized educational training programs.
The UW Medicine Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology brings together state-of-the-art technology and highly trained, world renowned personnel to provide comprehensive diagnostic and personalized service to physicians, community hospitals, independent laboratories, and other health care organizations. Our operations are based at the University of Washington Medical Center, Harborview Medical Center, South Lake Union, Northwest Hospital and the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. Faculty members also serve at Seattle Children's Hospital, the Veteran’s Administration Puget Sound Healthcare System, and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. These collaborative efforts have generated innovative, translational studies in the basic mechanisms of disease as they apply to diagnostic laboratory medicine and pathology.
The Greninger Lab has an outstanding opportunity for a 1.0 FTE Postdoctoral Scholar.
Dr. Greninger oversees three laboratories, including clinical virology, virology clinical trials, and virology basic sciences, so the job can be fluid depending on the rigors at the time. This is a highly involved position desirous of an applicant with tremendous energy, combining wet-lab and dry-lab work in the area of emergent viruses. The work generally involves excellent molecular biology, biochemistry, virology, and informatics skills to take on a multitude of responsibilities associated with protecting humans from viral disease. This specific position will involve research involving viral discovery and construction of metagenomic next-generation sequencing libraries along with high content phage display for serological profiling and analysis of said libraries. Viral characterization work will involve work in viral replication, viral-host protein-protein interactions, drug efficacy, viral evolution, and viral genome sequencing. Responsibilities include constructing and teaching others on the generation of next-generation sequencing libraries, analyzing sequencing data, visualizing data and programming figures, drafting of manuscripts and grants for submission, combined with follow-on wet-lab experiments involving gene synthesis, pseudovirus neutralization and entry assays, and protein purification.
- Term of appointment: This full-time, 12-month position has immediate availability for an initial one-year appointment. The position will be renewable annually contingent on performance and available funding.
- The base salary range for this position will be $5,705 per month ($68,460 annually), commensurate with experience and qualifications, or as mandated by a U.S. Department of Labor prevailing wage determination.
- Postdoctoral scholars are represented by UAW 4121 and are subject to the collective bargaining agreement, unless agreed exclusion criteria apply. For more information, please visit the University of Washington Labor Relations website.
General Duties:
· Creation and optimization of metagenomic next-generation sequencing libraries for unbiased pathogen detection and viral genome recovery. Genome finishing of novel viruses, including optimization of high-throughput methods.
· Development of next-generation sequencing analysis pipelines for taxonomical analysis and viral genome visualization.
· Development of phage display serological profiling tools to investigate high-resolution interrogation of serological response, including creation of analysis tools.
· Perform high-level viral culture in novel culture models and reverse genetics work, analyze data compile results and draft reports for incoming research awards and contracts
· Supervise and analyze quantitative viral load determination using RT-qPCR, qPCR, ddPCR, including optimization of new assays
· Supervise performance of molecular procedures including but not limited to real-time PCR, Sanger sequencing, PCR product detection DNA sequencing and next generation sequencing;
· Perform work accurately, precisely and meet test completion deadlines;
· Maintain complete, accurate, legible, secure records. Thoroughly document any modifications using appropriate document and version control.
· Analyze experimental data and report to PI; determine what modifications and follow-up experiments are necessary to generate relevant data;
· Identify long and short-term goals; initiate research program/projects;
· Contribute technical knowledge when initiating new projects to determining feasibility of goals and objectives of the study;
· Contribute data and analyses for grant submissions;
· Perform preliminary experiments for assay development;
· Work with R, python, Geneious, Excel, and bash command line;
· Collaborate with research team to create opportunities and ancillary research projects to enhance technical assay methodology or content through the expansion of existing or development of new projects;
· Review the scientific process of each research project, analyze issues, understand scientific procedures and statistical analysis; report data using graphs and charts;
· Provide ongoing feedback; identify development opportunities and actively solicit input on work methods;
· Prepare manuscripts for publication;
· Perform other duties as required.
Qualifications
Requirements:
Education requirement, minimum: PhD in molecular biology, virology, genomics, or foreign equivalent
Additional Requirements:
· Prior mammalian cell culture experience.
· Prior first-author publications
· Prior coding experience with R, python, and/or UNIX.
· Able to program/code data visualization and figure generation.
· Previous experience with next-generation sequencing analysis and genomics
· Strong written and communication skills;
· Ability to problem-solve and troubleshoot.
Desired:
· Proficient at R, python, and/or bash.
· Experience with virus reverse genetics systems.
· Data analysis skills beyond basic statistical knowledge.
Instructions
Applicants should send (via Interfolio) their CV, cover letter, and contact information for at least three references addressed to Alex Greninger, MD, PhD, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA - agrening@uw.edu
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, gender identity or expression, age, disability, or protected veteran status.
Benefits Information
A summary of benefits associated with this title/rank can be found at https://hr.uw.edu/benefits/benefits-orientation/benefit-summary-pdfs/. Appointees solely employed and paid directly by a non-UW entity are not UW employees and are not eligible for UW or Washington State employee benefits.
Commitment to Diversity
The University of Washington is committed to building diversity among its faculty, librarian, staff, and student communities, and articulates that commitment in the UW Diversity Blueprint (http://www.washington.edu/diversity/diversity-blueprint/). Additionally, the University’s Faculty Code recognizes faculty efforts in research, teaching and/or service that address diversity and equal opportunity as important contributions to a faculty member’s academic profile and responsibilities (https://www.washington.edu/admin/rules/policies/FCG/FCCH24.html#2432).
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Disability Services
To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or dso@uw.edu.