Research Assistant

Position Objective

Working under limited supervision, coordinate research work in medical and related technical areas. The Research Assistant 3 will play an important role in advancing our understanding of the cancer immune microenvironment and response to immunotherapy by leveraging leading computational methods to analyze complex biological data. Positioned within a dynamic research lab committed to uncovering novel therapeutic targets for brain tumor patients, this role focuses on the computational exploration of immunomodulatory activity programs within immune cells in tumors, with an initial focus on myeloid cells.

The research assistant will apply specialized bioinformatics skills to interpret high-dimensional datasets, including single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), spatial transcriptomics, and genomic sequencing, contributing directly to the identification of key molecular drivers and therapeutic vulnerabilities in glioma. Through close collaboration with experimental biologists and clinical researchers, this position aims to bridge the gap between computational insights and clinical applications, ultimately enhancing the efficacy of immunotherapies for brain tumors.

• Coordinate laboratory/research activities in computational research and carry out complex computational research assignments of a non-routine nature, including single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis, spatial transcriptomic analysis, and image analysis. Evaluate adequacy of techniques; study and test new procedures and analyzes data. Conduct data analytics and statistical analysis for research projects; provide input and recommendation to principal investigator regarding significant developments. Perform data analyses including but not limited to scRNA-seq, spatial transcriptomics, survival, regression, univariate, multivariate, machine learning and related analyses.
  
  Determine the appropriate computational requirements for the given research project and help design and execute the analysis pipeline. May perform required programming and analysis for multiple research studies as assigned. (55%)
• Work closely with the principal investigator to provide data visualization for academic publication and research presentations. Present data and findings at laboratory meetings and scientific meetings, seminars, etc. Prepare manuscripts and contribute data analysis and interpretation for grant proposals. May co-author research projects. (20%)
• Devise new protocols and techniques for research projects involving a high degree of skill and training. In consultation with the investigator(s) and collaborators, design bioinformatic projects, as well as their hypotheses and analytical needs. Design, manage, and analyze the bioinformatic components of projects and experiments. Provide interpretation of various statistical and spatial/mapping outputs, develop predictions, and make recommendations on study design.
  
  Keep track of current methods for molecular datasets and update pipelines as necessary with version tracking. Document and implement version control for all pipelines. Monitoring of public datasets and databases. Testing novel analysis pipelines and methods. (10%)

• Prepare result summaries. Generate analysis reports including the results and documentation of the pipeline. Apply appropriate statistical methods and/or collaborate with the team to ensure statistical rigor of results. Maintain pipeline. Understand and maintain current knowledge of related databases and analysis tools. (5%)
• May monitor laboratory budget. (5%)
• May supervise and train students and lower-level technicians who are conducting computational analysis in the lab. (4%)
• Perform other duties as assigned. (1%)

• Department:
  Frequent interactions with the principal investigator to provide status of ongoing projects and summary of completed tasks. Regular interactions with members of the department to help with data analysis support. Contact with administrative staff as needed.
• University:
  Regular contact with collaborators in other university departments and centers. Occasional contact with the CWRU UTech for computing support.…