Research Assistant; Computational Biology – Srivastava Lab

Research Assistant Position

The Wistar Institute has an opening for a Research Assistant to join Dr. Avi Srivastava's laboratory. The Srivastava Lab is a hybrid computational-experimental group developing novel single-cell genomics technologies and applying them to questions in RNA biology and cancer. The projects span microfluidics-free single-cell long-read RNA sequencing platform development, isoform-level transcriptomics, and multi-omics data analysis, offering a genuinely broad training environment at the intersection of wet lab and computation.

The Research Assistant will contribute directly to ongoing lab projects and will have the opportunity to develop skills across both experimental and computational domains. Responsibilities may include library preparation and molecular biology experiments supporting single-cell sequencing workflows, processing and quality control of sequencing data, maintenance of lab pipelines and databases, and general research support under the mentorship of the PI and senior lab members.

A bachelor's or master's degree in molecular biology, computational biology, bioinformatics, computer science, or a related field is required. Some hands-on experience in a research setting is preferred, whether computational (e.g., Python, R, Linux/command line) or experimental (e.g., RNA or DNA library preparation, cell culture, basic molecular biology techniques). Candidates do not need to be experts in both; curiosity and a genuine drive to learn across the wet/dry interface are equally valued.

Strong communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced research environment are essential.

The Wistar Institute is located in the University City area of Philadelphia, in the heart of the University of Pennsylvania Campus. Wistar provides resources to its faculty and staff that enable them to conduct cutting-edge collaborative research and provide outstanding intellectual environments and state-of-the-art facilities.

We offer a competitive salary and excellent benefits package.