Senior Scientist – Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Kellogg Lab

Be at the forefront of the gene editing revolution and contribute to developing next generation therapies for children. Top-tier compensation and benefits, supportive and collaborative team environment with unique opportunities and exciting potential for career advancement.

Job Description

Overview

As part of the Structural Biology Department at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the Kellogg lab seeks a talented computational biologist who is looking to make high-impact contributions on exciting challenges at the scientific frontier of genome-editing. The Kellogg lab uses cutting edge  genetics, cryo-electron microscopy, machine-learning, and protein design to develop novel transposon-based genome-editing tools. Located on the 6^th floor of the new Inspiration4 Advanced Research Center (opened in 2021), the Kellogg lab leads the forefront of research in understanding the biology of CRISPR-associated transposons (Science, 2023, Molecular Cell, 2023, Science, 2023, Nature, 2023, PNAS, 2022, Science, 2021, and more) and is well supported by the NIH, Pew Biomedical Foundation, and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to develop novel approaches to engineer programmable transposons for clinical gene replacement therapy. The Kellogg lab is a highly interdisciplinary scientific environment, routinely working with generously supported St. Jude research core facilities: Cryo-EM Center, the Protein Technology Center, the Single-Molecule Imaging Center, the Center for Advanced Genome Editing, and the Cell & Tissue Imaging Center. The Kellogg lab is a scientifically enriching environment with regular CRISPR supergroup discussions with Dr. Shengdar Tsai. In addition, the Kellogg lab is an active member of RosettaCommons and the Rosetta community. In this position, the candidate will be exposed to multiple, cutting edge techniques spanning cryo-electron microscopy, computational protein design, machine learning, and advanced genomics in a world class research environment aimed at advancing cures for genetic disorders.

About you

The successful candidate will be an independent learner with strong critical thinking skills and excellent communication skills. We are looking for someone with an outstanding independent track-record and stellar academic background. The ideal candidate is passionate about research and committed to developing tomorrow’s cures for children with devastating genetic disorders.

Our ideal candidate has extensive experience in one of the following (or more): bioinformatic analyses (metagenomic mining is a major plus), reconstructing evolutionary trajectories, mining transposable element databases, etc.. Scientists are expected to operate independently by leading new research directions in the Kellogg lab. The candidate will be mentored in manuscript preparation and be given opportunities for career advancement via conference attendance and oral presentation sponsorship.

Responsibilities:

• Develop new research directions under close mentorship of Dr. Kellogg.
• Stay up to date with latest CRISPR and transposon literature, conduct regular literature reviews in collaboration with Dr. Kellogg and other Kellogg lab members.
• Collaborate with other Kellogg lab members to design & clone large DNA libraries using state of the art machine learning methods
• Map phylogenetic relationships of transposons and associated systems to map functional interactions.
• Develop innovative sequence profile machine-learning based protein design pipelines in collaboration with Dr. Kellogg
• Collaborate with Kellogg lab members to develop novel tools/assays to collectively advance lab research goals.
• Mentor Kellogg lab members in executing internally developed computational analyses and pipelines.
• Prepare manuscripts and present research at relevant conferences, including but not limited to: CRISPR, transposon evolution, or genome-engineering conferences.

Opportunities for Professional Growth

• The candidate will be given opportunities to participate in interdisciplinary scientific research and be mentored in developing leadership skills.

• The candidate will be given opportunities to develop new skills in collaboration with Kellogg lab members.

• The candidate will be given opportunities to attend diverse scientific conferences in the areas of computational protein design (including the Rosetta community), machine learning, genome-editing, and transposon biology.

• The candidate will be given opportunities for oral presentations at local and national venues as well as opportunities to develop independent research directions.

St Jude Children’s Research Hospital is consistently named as one of Fortune magazine’s “Best Companies to Work for” and top 10 “Best Places to Work in Academia” by the Scientist Magazine. St Jude is located in Memphis, Tennessee, the 28^th most populous city in America. Memphis is a historic city with an affordable cost of living along with world class dining and strong cultural tradition in music and theater. Memphis enjoys a mild, sunny climate year-round and has some of the largest outdoor green spaces of any big city.

St. Jude Employees receive:

• Competitive compensation packages commensurate with experience.
• Excellent healthcare plans with zero to low health premium costs.
• Generous retirement benefits with contributions from St. Jude
• Onsite health clinic, pharmacy, and exercise facilities.
• Paid parental leave and adoption assistance.
• Immigration Services
• Tuition Reimbursement

The Kellogg lab is committed to building a lab culture that is based on respect, diversity, and inclusion which contributes to a dynamic, innovative, and creative scientific environment that is fundamentally based on empathy and intellectual curiosity. The Kellogg lab is known for their rigor and fast pace, consistently aiming for ambitious goals that greatly expand the boundaries of human knowledge. The Kellogg lab is proud to be home to ambitious, curious, and fun-loving scientists of all nationalities and backgrounds.

Minimum Education

Ph.D. in a relevant scientific field is required.

Minimum Experience

• At least one first author publication from a reputable journal.
• Strong candidates from a related field (evolutionary biology, ancestral sequence reconstruction, or mining metagenomic databases) are encouraged to apply.

This Position May be Ideal For:

• Scientists who love doing science and mentoring junior scientists but hate looking for stable sources of funding.

• Scientists who love the curiosity-driven environment of academia and the resources and support that come with industry

• D.s with post-degree experience looking to expand in ambitious new directions in a translationally focused environment.

• Experienced Computational Biologists looking for a stimulating, collaborative, and interdisciplinary lab environment committed to creating tomorrow’s genome-editing tools.

To virtually meet Dr. Kellogg, check out The Plunge, a Cryo-EM Podcast she and two colleagues hosted. Dr. Kellogg was also recently featured on Cryo-Talk to talk about her life & work.

Click on website link to apply or email us to learn more! 

Tagged as: Data Science, Life Sciences