Postdoctoral Scientist – Rosen Lab Full-time

About the role:

A Postdoctoral Scientist position is available in the laboratory of Dr. , in the and Howard Hughes Medical Institute at UT Southwestern Medical Center. We seek to recruit individuals who can apply cryoelectron tomography to understand the molecular organization of chromatin and biomolecular condensates in vitro and in cells.

About Department/Lab:

Following on our studies of biochemically reconstituted chromatin condensates (Gibson et al., Cell, 2019; Gibson et al., PNAS, 2023), we have developed methods to determine the higher-order organization of reconstituted and native chromatin in high-pressure frozen, cryoFIB milled samples using cryoET (Zhou, PNAS, 2025; Zhou, bioRxiv, 2025). We now plan to expand this technology to further explore chromatin itself, as well as the structures of various chromatin machines working within condensates. Additionally, we will apply the tools and knowledge to other biomolecular condensates. We will examine both biochemically reconstituted condensates as well as their cellular counterparts, with a goal of relating structural organization to function across a range of length scales (Lyon et al., Nature Reviews Molec Cell Biol, 2021).

Members of the Rosen lab have access to outstanding cryoEM facilities at UTSW, including two Titan Krios microscopes, an Aquilos 2 cryoFIB mill, a Stellaris-5 cryo-confocal light microscope and a Leica EM Ice high pressure freezer; as well as cryoEM instrumentation and expertise at the Janelia campus of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Members also benefit from a deep understanding of condensate biophysics, biochemistry and biology within a leading lab in the field.

What we provide:

• Relocation Assistance
• A competitive compensation package
• Opportunity to work in a small, diverse, and encouraging research environment
• A flexible schedule
• Well-rounded training on techniques and soft skills
• One on one mentorship, and support/training for the next stage of your career.

What you’ll do:

• Performs research and/or development in collaboration with others for projects.
• Makes detailed observations, analyzes data, and interprets results.
• Exercises technical discretion in the design, execution, and interpretation of experiments that contribute to project strategies.
• Prepares technical reports, summaries, protocols, and quantitative analyses.
• Investigates, creates, and develops new methods and technologies for project advancement.
• Maintains high level of professional expertise through familiarity with scientific literature, including both conceptual and technical advances.
• May participate in scientific conferences and contribute to scientific journals.
• May determine methods and procedures on new assignments and may provide guidance to other members of the laboratory.

In addition to the duties specifically identified by this job description, the position will include other duties if and as assigned by the direct supervisor or others with supervisory authority over this position.

Scope :

• May supervise the activities of other staff within the laboratory
• Shares responsibility for results of a work unit or project team.
• Individual able to manage own research project.

What You Bring:

Education:

• Ph.D. degree in a scientific discipline

Experience:

• Must have experience in cryoelectron microscopy, ideally in cryoelectron tomography and complementary cryoFIB milling.

Skills and Abilities:

• Demonstrated working knowledge of scientific principles
• Exercises independent judgment in developing methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria for obtaining results
• Ability to perform highly complex experiments with high levels of reliability and accuracy within time constraints
• Ability to work successfully within a collaborative and collegial environment and foster this ability in others.
• Ability to review goals, analyze processes necessary to achieve those goals, and develop techniques and systems required to meet those goals. Often explores new areas and seeks opportunities to apply new knowledge to work.

Physical Requirements

Remaining in a normal seated or standing position for extended periods of time; reaching and grasping by extending hand(s) or arm(s); dexterity to manipulate objects with fingers, for example using a keyboard; communication skills using the spoken word; ability to see and hear within normal parameters; ability to move about workspace. The position requires mobility, including the ability to move materials weighing up to several pounds (such as a laptop computer or tablet).

Persons with disabilities may be able to perform the essential duties of this position with reasonable accommodation. Requests for reasonable accommodation will be evaluated on an individual basis.

Please Note:

This job description sets forth the job’s principal duties, responsibilities, and requirements; it should not be construed as an exhaustive statement, however. Unless they begin with the word “may,” the Essential Duties and Responsibilities described above are “essential functions” of the job, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

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Compensation and Benefits

Our employees are compensated from a total rewards perspective in many ways for their contributions to our mission, including competitive pay, exceptional health benefits, retirement plans, time off, and a range of recognition and wellness programs. Visit our site to learn more.

Compensation Range
$70,000.00 (minimum) – $80,500.00 (midpoint) – $91,000.00 (maximum)

Pay Type:
Annual

HHMI’s salary structure is developed based on relevant job market data. HHMI considers a candidate’s education, previous experiences, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal consistency when making job offers. Typically, a new hire for this position in this location is compensated between the minimum and the midpoint of the salary range.

We use to confirm the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires.

Tagged as: Life Sciences