Job Description

The Department of Computational Biology at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is seeking exceptional candidates for a Postdoctoral Research Associate position focused on pediatric cancer genomics, biomarker development, and precision medicine.

The successful candidate will develop and apply computational methods to analyze large-scale genomic, transcriptomic, epigenomic, and clinical datasets from pediatric cancers. The research will emphasize identifying molecular drivers of disease, discovering diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers, and translating genomic findings into precision-medicine strategies for children with cancer.

This position offers opportunities to work with interdisciplinary teams of computational scientists, cancer biologists, clinicians, and translational researchers. Candidates will have access to extensive molecular and clinical datasets, advanced computational infrastructure, and collaborative research programs spanning discovery science and clinical translation.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and apply computational approaches for analyzing genomic, transcriptomic, epigenomic, and other high-dimensional molecular data from pediatric cancers.

• Integrate molecular, clinical, and treatment-response data to identify cancer drivers, therapeutic vulnerabilities, and biomarkers of diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment response.

• Design and conduct studies that support biomarker development and precision-medicine applications.

• Develop reproducible analytical workflows, statistical models, and computational tools for large-scale cancer genomics research.

• Collaborate with laboratory scientists, clinicians, statisticians, and other computational researchers to formulate research questions and interpret findings.

• Evaluate results using independent cohorts, orthogonal datasets, or experimental validation in collaboration with research partners.

• Communicate research findings through peer-reviewed publications, scientific presentations, and national and international conferences.

• Contribute to collaborative grant proposals and other research-funding applications.

Research Environment

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is a leading pediatric research institution with exceptional resources for cancer genomics, computational biology, translational research, and precision medicine. Postdoctoral fellows interact with leaders in basic, computational, clinical, and translational research both within and outside the institution.

The position provides substantial flexibility for fellows to develop independent research directions while receiving mentorship and participating in highly collaborative projects. Fellows have access to advanced computational infrastructure, large-scale genomic and clinical datasets, institutional core facilities, and opportunities to work closely with experimental and clinical research teams.

St. Jude provides a highly interactive and supportive environment for career development. Postdoctoral fellows receive a competitive salary, professional-development support, and a comprehensive benefits package in accordance with current institutional policies.

Eligibility and How to Apply

Candidates must hold, or be nearing completion of, a doctoral degree such as a PhD, MD, or equivalent. Applicants with training in computational biology, bioinformatics, genetics or genomics, statistics, data science, mathematics, computer science, biomedical engineering, or a related quantitative discipline are encouraged to apply.

Applicants with primarily experimental or clinical training who have demonstrated quantitative experience and wish to expand their computational expertise may also be considered.

Strong candidates will have:

• A record of scientific productivity, such as first-author publications or substantial contributions to collaborative research projects.

• Experience analyzing genomic, transcriptomic, or other high-dimensional biomedical data.

• Proficiency in at least one programming language commonly used in biomedical research, such as Python or R.

• A strong foundation in statistics, data analysis, or computational methods.

• The ability to work effectively in an interdisciplinary and collaborative research environment.

• Strong scientific communication and writing skills.

Experience in one or more of the following areas is preferred but not required: cancer genomics, pediatric oncology, biomarker discovery, precision medicine, multi-omic data integration, machine learning, single-cell genomics, spatial genomics, or analysis of linked molecular and clinical data.

The initial appointment will typically be for one to two years and may be renewed for up to a total of five years, subject to institutional policies, performance, funding, and the fellow’s career goals.

Interested candidates should complete the online application and submit a curriculum vitae, cover letter describing their research experience and interests, and contact information for professional references.

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.