Postdoctoral Fellow Full-time

Postdoctoral Fellow

The Postdoctoral Fellow reports to Dr. Maria Croyle in the College of Pharmacy to facilitate a funded research project to evaluate the physical and biochemical properties of materials that sustain the viability of primary cells and established cell lines when stored at ambient and elevated temperatures. A secondary focus will be the evaluation of the performance of a panel of stabilized vaccines (viral, mRNA, protein subunit) after administration in several in vivo models of infectious disease.

Responsibilities include:

• Perform general experiments, some of which may require design of protocols to optimize and characterize formulations in which vaccines and cells are stored
• Perform in vivo experiments including preparation and characterization of vaccine candidates, collection and processing of samples, data analysis
• Publish and present work in high quality peer reviewed journals and at national/international meetings
• Provide support in writing and preparation of grant applications (NIH, NSF, DOD etc)
• Maintain records of safety and other administrative documents required for continual operation of the lab
• Additional duties as assigned.

Required qualifications include:

• A Ph.D. degree in Materials Science, Bioengineering, Drug Delivery, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Immunology, or other related life sciences. PhD must have been earned within three years of start date.
• Demonstrated ability to adapt to diverse interdisciplinary research projects
• Superior time management, critical thinking, documentation and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to publish novel research in peer reviewed journals.

Preferred qualifications include:

• 1-2 years post-PhD research experience
• Experience in aseptic technique, working under BSL II conditions and animal work a plus
• Experience with virus-based assays (infectious titer, neutralizing antibodies)
• Experience in performing flow cytometry with primary cells
• Experience in working with mRNA based vaccines a plus
• Some experience in bioinformatics / analysis of RNA-Seq datasets a plus

Salary range is $56,484+ depending on qualifications.

Working conditions include:

• BSL II Virology Laboratory
• Open office environment
• Repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation
• Use of manual dexterity
• Ability to lift 20 pounds regularly

Required materials include:

• CV
• Letter of Interest
• List of 3 Professional References; at least one must be from a supervisor

The University of Texas at Austin is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.