Location

SAINT LOUIS, MO 63110

Position Summary

We have an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic, driven and creative Postdoctoral Research Associate to join the laboratory of Dr Aydan Szeto with the department of Pathology & Immunology at WashU in St. Louis to discover new pathways in the regulation of type-2 immunity.

We have recently used cutting-edge CRISPR screens to identify new regulators of ILC2 and Th2 cell function and produced the first ‘Boolean mouse’ to study ILC2s in vivo (Science 2024 PMID 38935708; Nature Immunol. 2023 PMID 36550322; Immunity 2023 PMID 37285842). You will be able to take advantage of these exciting new techniques and tools to make significant contributions to our fundamental understanding of type-2 immunity. You will initially work closely with Dr Aydan Szeto but have the opportunity to work independently to plan your own work and objectives.

The appointment is viewed as a training or transitional period preparatory to an academic, industrial, governmental, or other full-time research or teaching career. Used when the appointee performs specific services on a grant or contract in exchange for compensation.

Job Description

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

Information on being a postdoc at WashU in St. Louis can be found at https://postdoc.wustl.edu/prospective-postdocs-2/.

Trains under the supervision of a faculty mentor including (but not limited to):

• To foster a passion for scientific discovery and to lead a research project aimed at discovering new biology of ILC2s and Th2 cells.
• To identify, develop and apply a broad range of techniques to pursue the research objectives.
• To draft scientific papers, and contribute to the overall preparation of research for publication.
• To assist in the training of PhD and undergraduate students.

Working Conditions:

This position works in a laboratory environment with potential exposure to biological and chemical hazards. The individual must be physically able to wear protective equipment and to provide standard care to research animals.

Salary Range:

Base pay is commensurate with experience.

Applicant Special Instructions:

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter*, CV, and 3 letters of recommendation to Aydan Szeto at [email protected].

*Some of the following experience would be particularly useful. Please list the relevant experience in the cover letter.

• Extensive experience in immunology.
• In-depth knowledge of human and/or mouse immune cell function.
• Knowledge and/or experience in high dimensional and conventional flow cytometry.
• Mouse handling and tissue processing.
• Generation and analysis of bulk and/or single cell transcriptomic data.
• Computational and bioinformatic skills.
• Experience in microscopy.
• Generation and analysis of mouse models.
• Handling of human samples.
• Molecular biology skills including CRISPR, cloning and qPCR.
• In vitro cell culture including primary immune cells.
• Experience with retroviral, lentiviral and AAV transduction.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by the personnel so classified. Management reserves the right to revise or amend duties at any time.

Required Qualifications

Education:

Ph.D., M.D. Or Equivalent Terminal Or Doctoral Degree.

Certifications/Professional Licenses:

No specific certification/professional license is required for this position.

Work Experience:

No specific work experience is required for this position.

Skills:

Not Applicable

Driver's License:

A driver's license is not required for this position.

More About This Job

At WashU, postdoctoral appointments:

• Have a 5-year term limit that includes previous experience. 

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

No additional education unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.

Certifications/Professional Licenses:

No additional certification/professional licenses unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.

Work Experience:

No additional work experience unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.

Skills:

Collaboration, Data Analysis, Data Interpretations, Experimentation, Laboratory Operations, Laboratory Techniques, Researching, Results Reporting, Scientific Writing

Questions

For frequently asked questions about the application process, please refer to our External Applicant FAQ.

Accommodation

If you are unable to use our online application system and would like an accommodation, please email [email protected] or call the dedicated accommodation inquiry number at 314-935-1149 and leave a voicemail with the nature of your request.

All qualified individuals must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.

Pre-Employment Screening

All external candidates receiving an offer for employment will be required to submit to pre-employment screening for this position. The screenings will include criminal background check and, as applicable for the position, other background checks, drug screen, an employment and education or licensure/certification verification, physical examination, certain vaccinations and/or governmental registry checks. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening.

Benefits Statement

Washington University in St. Louis is committed to providing a comprehensive and competitive benefits package to our employees. Benefits eligibility is subject to employment status, full-time equivalent (FTE) workload, and weekly standard hours. Please visit our website at https://hr.wustl.edu/benefits/ to view a summary of benefits.

EEO Statement

Washington University in St. Louis is committed to the principles and practices of equal employment opportunity. It is the University’s policy to provide equal opportunity and access to persons in all job titles without regard to race, ethnicity, color, national origin, citizenship (where prohibited by federal law), age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information.