Postdoctoral Fellow, Neuroinflammation Full-time

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Discovery Neuroinflammation

Pfizer's purpose is to deliver breakthroughs that change patients' lives. Research and Development is at the heart of fulfilling Pfizer's purpose as we work to translate advanced science and technologies into the therapies and vaccines that matter most. Whether you are in the discovery sciences, ensuring drug safety and efficacy or supporting clinical trials, you will apply cutting edge design and process development capabilities to accelerate and bring the best-in-class medicines to patients around the world.

The Discovery Neuroinflammation group, as part of the Inflammation and Immunology Research Unit, in Cambridge, MA is seeking a highly motivated and innovative Ph.D.-level scientist to join our team as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow. This role will advance therapeutic innovation through the exploration of mechanisms driving neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration.

The Postdoctoral Fellow will work to define cellular and molecular mechanisms of tau mediated neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration, with a specific focus on understanding how myeloid cells sense, process, and propagate pathogenic tau species. This is a unique opportunity to be trained at the interface of inflammation and neurodegeneration, work collaboratively with diverse research teams within Pfizer, contribute to broader neuroinflammation exploration, and publish in high-impact journals.

The ideal candidate will have solid training in either immunology or neuroscience and have a strong understanding of protein biochemistry. At the conclusion of the postdoctoral fellowship, the candidate will have further built upon their expertise in neuroinflammation, while contributing to a greater understanding of tau driven neurodegeneration.

How You Will Achieve It

• Contribute intellectually and at the bench to the project conception, design and execution.
• Independently interpret and analyze data and communicate findings to mentor and Discovery Neuroinflammation team.
• Being proactive in problem solving, by identifying problems and proposing ways to resolve them before the impacts are felt.
• Collaborate and develop close partnerships with Next-Generation Sequencing team members working on developing pipelines spanning cell preparation to sample analysis.
• Present the research work at various internal and external meetings and publish in high-impact journals.
• Ensure all tasks and responsibilities are carried out according to scientific and ethical standards.
• Exercise and build basic team effectiveness skills (e.g., commitment, feedback, consensus management) within context of immediate work group.

Basic Qualifications (Must-Have)

• Ph.D. in cell biology, neurobiology, or immunology.
• No more than 2 years of post-degree experience.
• Willingness to make a minimum 2-year commitment.
• Successful record of scientific accomplishments evidenced by scientific publications and/or presentations with at least one first-author publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
• Experience with in vivo disease models, tissue harvesting, dissociation, and cell isolation.
• In vitro culture of primary cells and cell lines.
• Demonstrated experience in diverse molecular and biochemical laboratory techniques applied to cell characterization at molecular or genetic levels (immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, qPCR, RNA sequencing).
• Well organized, self-motivated, team oriented, ability to multitask with attention to detail.
• Excellent communication and writing skills.
• Proficient in computational analysis and coding pipelines (R Studio, Python, etc.)

Preferred Qualification (Nice-To-Have)

• Experience with protein biochemistry, particularly with tau structures.
• Experience with single-cell RNA sequencing data analysis.
• Experience with complex culture/co-culture systems of primary cells including iPSC cell lines.

Physical/Mental Requirements

• Lifting, sitting, standing, walking, bending, ability to perform mathematical calculations and ability to perform complex data analysis.

Other Job Details

• Work Location Assignment: Flexible. Flexible colleagues are assigned a Pfizer site within a commutable distance where they work about 2-3 days weekly to connect and innovate with their team face-to-face. However, they also benefit from being able to work offsite regularly when it makes sense to do so.
• Work Location Assignment: Hybrid
• Last day to apply October 5th, 2025

The annual base salary for this position ranges from $62,700.00 to $104,500.00. In addition, this position is eligible for participation in Pfizer's Global Performance Plan with a bonus target of 7.5% of the base salary. We offer comprehensive and generous benefits and programs to help our colleagues lead healthy lives and to support each of life's moments. Benefits offered include a 401(k) plan with Pfizer Matching Contributions and an additional Pfizer Retirement Savings Contribution, paid vacation, holiday and personal days, paid caregiver/parental and medical leave, and health benefits to include medical, prescription drug, dental and vision coverage. Learn more at Pfizer Candidate Site – U.S. Benefits.

Pfizer reports payments and other transfers of value to health care providers as required by federal and state transparency laws and implementing regulations. These laws and regulations require Pfizer to provide government agencies with information such as a health care provider's name, address and the type of payments or other value received, generally for public disclosure. Subject to further legal review and statutory or regulatory clarification, which Pfizer intends to pursue, reimbursement of recruiting expenses for licensed physicians may constitute a reportable transfer of value under the federal transparency law commonly known as the Sunshine Act. Therefore, if you are a licensed physician who incurs recruiting expenses as a result of interviewing with Pfizer that we pay or reimburse, your name, address and the amount of payments made currently will be reported to the government.

Pfizer is committed to equal opportunity in the terms and conditions of employment for all employees and job applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, gender identity or gender expression, national origin, disability or veteran status. Pfizer also complies with all applicable national, state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment as well as work authorization and employment eligibility verification requirements of the Immigration and Nationality Act and IRCA. Pfizer is an E-Verify employer. This position requires permanent work authorization in the United States.