Research Specialist ; McHugh

Special Instructions to Applicants

All interested applicants should attach a resume in the Supporting Documents section of the application, preferably in PDF format to avoid any formatting issues.

Boasting a 300‑acre tree‑lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio and a residential college system that supports students intellectually, emotionally, and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lecture series, courses, and student government. Developing close‑knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.

Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Faculty, staff, and students share values essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and shape Rice’s culture. They are embodied in the name RICE—Responsibility, Integrity, Community, and Excellence.

The George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing ranks among the top 20 undergraduate engineering programs (U.S. News & World Report) and is strongly committed to nurturing the aspirations of faculty, staff, and students in an inclusive environment. We seek greater representation of women, minorities, people with disabilities, veterans, and international students, and we support a community that fosters interaction and understanding.

The McHugh Lab in the Department of Bioengineering at Rice University seeks to hire a Research Specialist I laboratory technician to support research focused on the development of novel vaccine and drug delivery platforms. The lab focuses on translational drug delivery platforms that address a variety of conditions, from prophylaxis for infectious diseases to cancer therapies. This position will support an interdisciplinary project funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, focused on controlled‑release vaccine delivery systems.

The research aims to enable combination vaccines by using particle‑based encapsulation strategies to offset antigen release timing and mitigate immunological interference between co‑delivered vaccines. The project involves encapsulating a next‑generation polio vaccine within microparticles fabricated using the Particles Uniformly Liquified and Sealed to Encapsulate Drug (PULSED) platform, in coordination with a soluble vaccine component. Under supervision of the Principal Investigator and senior lab members, the Research Specialist I will assist with microparticle fabrication, in‑vitro release studies, biochemical characterization of vaccine stability, and in‑vivo experimental work, as well as data collection and analysis.

The role requires close collaboration with postdoctoral researchers and graduate students and provides hands‑on experience in biomaterials‑based vaccine delivery within a multidisciplinary academic research environment.

The ideal candidate holds a bachelor’s degree in biology, chemistry, or a related field and is interested in gaining hands‑on research experience in translational vaccine and drug delivery systems. They are detail‑oriented, reliable, and comfortable working in a laboratory environment under supervision, following established protocols, learning new techniques, and collaborating effectively with graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty on interdisciplinary research projects.

This position is exclusively on‑site; all duties must be performed in person. Work arrangements may be subject to change per Rice policy 440.

$46,000 – $52,900. Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime. This position is a one‑year appointment funded by grant, soft, and/or restricted funds. Continued employment is contingent on satisfactory performance and renewal of funding.

• Bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering, bioengineering, chemical engineering, biology,…