The Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology is seeking a motivated Staff Research Associate to support translational brain tumor research focused on cellular plasticity and therapeutic resistance. Under the direction of the Principal Investigator, the incumbent will conduct laboratory experiments using genetic barcoding and patient-derived glioma models to evaluate responses to targeted EGFR and RAS pathway inhibitors. Responsibilities include performing experiments, maintaining accurate records, analyzing data, troubleshooting protocols, presenting findings, and contributing to manuscripts, reports, and grant materials. The incumbent will collaborate with laboratory team members to support research objectives and ensure timely completion of projects.

Hourly range: $30.12-$35.92

Required

• Bachelor's Degree and/or equivalent combination of education and experience
• 1 year experience in molecular cloning, plasmid construction, and genetic engineering techniques, including Gibson assembly, sequence verification, and generation of expression vectors.
• 1 year experience in mammalian cell culture and functional genomics approaches, including lentiviral gene delivery, CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, and generation of stable cell lines.
• 1 year experience in investigating adaptive tumor cell plasticity and therapeutic response using genetic barcoding, targeted small-molecule inhibitors, and sequencing-based methods in preclinical cancer models.
• Knowledge of molecular and cellular biology principles and laboratory techniques, including mammalian cell culture, molecular cloning, and nucleic acid manipulation.
• Ability to work under guidance of senior lab personnel with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Ability to analyze and interpret experimental data, maintain organized research records, and communicate scientific findings effectively through written reports and oral presentations.
• Ability to work both independently under the supervision of the PI and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary research environment while managing multiple priorities and meeting project deadlines.
• Experience with functional genomics techniques, including CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, lentiviral gene delivery, genetic barcoding, or next-generation sequencing workflows.

Preferred:

• Knowledge of cancer biology, particularly oncogenic signaling pathways such as EGFR, RAS, and MAPK/ERK.
• Familiarity with computational analysis of genomic or transcriptomic datasets and standard statistical methods for biological research.
• Ability to provide technical support for senior lab personnel in contributing data to scientific manuscripts, grant applications, and presentations of research findings.