Postdoctoral Researcher

The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) is Texas' first academic health center, established in 1891. UTMB comprises four campuses, five health sciences schools, six institutes for advanced study, and a renowned research enterprise including one of only two national laboratories dedicated to infectious threats to human health. UTMB offers a full range of primary and specialized medical services throughout the Texas Gulf Coast region and is a member of the University of Texas System and the Texas Medical Center.

Ph.D., M.D. or Doctoral equivalent in any field. Scientific research experience.

The postdoctoral fellow will conduct, report and present research in his/her field of study under the supervision of a faculty mentor. This is a training position, and is not expected to be a permanent position.

• Drive this NIH funded project under the direct supervision of PI.
• Perform the proposed experiments and collect the experimental data.
• Work with a group of scientists for trouble shooting and brainstorming.
• Design and develop new research protocols and experimental procedures.
• Analyzes data and write the findings up together with PI for publication.
• Present research findings at local/national/international meetings.
• Be part of the integral team, mentoring junior lab members.
• Open for collaboration and work in a team based environment.
• Conduct and/or direct routine and complex microbiome/virome-based research projects in a genetic and molecular epidemiology laboratory.
• Evaluates, suggests alternative methods, modifies, or develops new procedures and techniques to aid in the investigation of microbiome/virome-based assays and biomarkers
• Implementation of new anaerobic procedures and techniques for an anaerobic microbiology lab, including work with model organisms, drug metabolism assays, and preparing samples for 2nd and 3rd generation sequencing assays.
• Analyzes research data generated from the experiments. Plan new avenues of investigation and conduct investigations into research projects
• Scientist will be expected to help maintain the molecular epidemiology lab and the anaerobic microbiology lab
• Maintain records and large databases for molecular epidemiologic studies.
• Conduct quality checks and generate reports for the lab databases
• Collaborate with a dynamic team to analyze demographic, clinical and genetic data
• Manage sequencing data needed for genetic and microbiome research projects.
• Oversee data storage and data transfer of genetic and microbiome data on high performance database servers
• Communicating research findings to scientific community.
• Present research findings at local and national research conferences
• Co-author and First author manuscripts for publications
• The scientist will be trained in writing skills as needed
• Drafting proposals to procure research funding.
• May orient, train or teach, and give work direction to less experienced professionals
• The scientist must be able to work with a dynamic team-oriented science focus. The team consists of statisticians, pharmacologists, clinicians, nurses, molecular geneticists, human biologists and bioinformatician.
• The scientist will have the opportunity to become the microbiome/virome specialist of this team.
• The scientist will also work with clinical coordinators who collect clinical data in REDCap and analysts using databases such as the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients.

• MD or PhD in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, or a related field.
• Experience with bioinformatical analysis of sequencing data (including single-cell and bulk genomic and epigenomic data).
• Willingness to learn new laboratory techniques and innovative scientific strategies is essential, as is working with human specimens, such as blood, saliva, urine, feces, etc.. Skill in utilizing anaerobic chambers (Coy, Bactron, Anoxomat), PCR protocols (rt-qPCR) and enzymatic assays preferred.

Commensurate with experience

UTMB Health strives to provide equal opportunity employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or any other basis protected by institutional policy or by federal, state or local laws unless such distinction is required by law. As a Federal Contractor, UTMB Health takes affirmative action to hire and advance protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.