Infection Biology | Immunology | Virology | Host-Pathogen Research

Join a department building the future of pediatric infectious diseases, where discovery, prevention, and treatment converge to improve outcomes for the world's most vulnerable children.

The Department of Infectious Diseases at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital seeks innovative laboratory-based and computational investigators to advance fundamental understanding of infection, immunity, and host-pathogen biology.

Candidates will join a collaborative scientific environment in which mechanistic discovery is connected to urgent clinical questions and translational opportunity. We welcome scientists at all career stages who are prepared to establish or expand rigorous, externally recognized programs with the potential to change how infectious diseases are understood, prevented, and treated.

Opportunity

Appointments may be made at the Assistant Member, Associate Member, or Member level based on experience and accomplishments. Faculty will be expected to develop an independent research program that complements and extends the department's discovery and translational portfolio.

·         Establish and sustain a rigorous, innovative, and externally funded research program

·         Publish influential scholarship and communicate discoveries to scientific and clinical audiences

·         Build productive collaborations across disciplines and research platforms

·         Mentor trainees, postdoctoral fellows, staff scientists, and junior investigators

·         Contribute to graduate education, scientific programs, and departmental strategy

·         Advance discoveries with potential relevance to diagnosis, prevention, treatment, or immune health

Areas of Strategic Interest

·         Host-pathogen interactions

·         Viral, bacterial, or fungal pathogenesis

·         Innate and adaptive immunity

·         Early-life immunity and immune development

·         Vaccine science and systems vaccinology

·         Antimicrobial resistance

·         Immune reconstitution and recovery

·         Translational immunology

·         Computational infection biology

·         Artificial intelligence and data science for infectious diseases

·         Genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and other multi-omic approaches

·         Biomarkers, precision diagnostics, and systems biology

Why St. Jude Infectious Diseases

·         A direct connection between basic discovery, translational research, and pediatric clinical questions

·         Strategic collaboration with the Department of Host-Microbe Interactions and investigators across Immunology, Cancer Biology, Pathology, Genomics, Bioinformatics, and Clinical Research

·         Advanced shared-resource platforms, computational capabilities, and scientific infrastructure

·         Substantial opportunity to build interdisciplinary teams and shape new areas of departmental growth

·         Tailored mentorship and sponsorship supporting funding success, visibility, leadership, and advancement

·         A mission-centered environment in which scientific excellence is directed toward improving outcomes for children

·         Competitive compensation and a comprehensive faculty benefits program

Qualifications

Required

·         PhD, MD, MD/PhD, or equivalent doctoral degree

·         Record of scientific achievement and scholarly productivity appropriate to rank

·         Demonstrated ability or strong potential to lead an independent research program

·         Commitment to rigorous, collaborative, and multidisciplinary science

·         Commitment to mentorship and development of the scientific workforce

Preferred

·         History of or strong potential for sustained extramural funding

·         Experience integrating experimental, translational, or computational approaches

·         Evidence of leadership in collaborative research or scientific program development

To apply: please submit the following materials directly via the online application

Application Materials

·         Curriculum vitae

·         Cover letter describing scientific fit and career objectives

·         Research statement outlining accomplishments and future directions

·         Mentorship and training statement, if required by the application system

·         Names and contact information for three professional references

About St. Jude

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is a mission-driven research and clinical institution dedicated to advancing cures and improving outcomes for children with catastrophic diseases. The Department of Infectious Diseases brings together clinical care, discovery science, translational research, implementation, and education to address the infectious threats facing children locally and worldwide.

St. Jude values different perspectives, thoughtful dialogue, and an intellectually diverse community. Recognized by Forbes as the No. 1 employer for healthcare professionals in 2026, St. Jude offers highly competitive compensation, generous benefits, and strong institutional support. Its home in Memphis combines the energy of a historic crossroads for music, food, culture, and commerce with an accessible cost of living, mild winters, abundant green space, and a welcoming quality of life—making it an exceptional place to build both a career and a life.

Ask the questions that open new fields of discovery. Build the science that makes prevention and treatment possible for children everywhere.

We are committed to a human-centered hiring experience. Technology may support portions of our process, but recruiting decisions involve human review and engagement. Learn more about our approach to AI.

St. Jude is an Equal Opportunity Employer

No Search Firms

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. Please do not call or email. All resumes submitted by search firms to any employee or other representative at St. Jude via email, the internet or in any form and/or method without a valid written search agreement in place and approved by HR will result in no fee being paid in the event the candidate is hired by St. Jude.