Viral Vector Engineering

Postdoctoral Research Associate

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Position Description

A Postdoctoral Research Associate position is available in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering to support a research program aiming at using methods from synthetic biology to rationally design gene delivery systems for biomedical applications.
We are seeking an exceptional and innovative individual with a doctoral degree in virology, microbiology, biochemistry, biomedical engineering, or related field to lead a project to rationally optimize the Vesicular Stomatitis Virus as vectors for vaccine development.
This position is located at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO.

Required Qualifications

  • Graduate degree in virology, cell biology, microbiology, molecular biology, biochemistry, chemical engineering, biomedical engineering, or other related fields.
  • No more than 3 years of postdoctoral experience.
  • Demonstrated proficiency with molecular biology techniques such as DNA purification, vector construction, cloning, and DNA fragment assembly methods. 
  • Experience with the culture and transfection of mammalian cell lines such as HEK293, CHO, HeLa, Vero cells.
  • Demonstrated ability to publish research results in peer-reviewed journals.
  • Effective oral and written communication skills
  • Demonstrated ability to work in a team environment.
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Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience working with VSV or other RNA viruses.
  • Familiarity with computational tools to analyze and model large sets of experimental data.
  • Experience with automated instruments used in high-throughput genetic workflows.
  • Experience with flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy
  • Ability to use different media to communicate scientific and technical issues to different audiences including members of the general public.
  • Track record of successful applications to scholarships, grants, and other sources of financial support. 
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Essential Job Duties

Research (70%)

  • Contribute to the design and execution of experiments.
  • Contribute or lead to the analysis of data generated by experiments.
  • Train and supervise students participating in the research project.
  • Keep laboratory notebooks and other research records.
  • Lead or contribute to the writing of scientific articles.
  • Assist with the development of research proposals.
  • Participate in the activities of the relevant scientific organizations.

Teaching (20%)

  • Assist with teaching graduate-level classes on biomanufacturing and genetic design.
  • Guide journal-club style discussions in class
  • Provide feedback to students on project presentations
  • Host guest lecturers and accompany students to site visits
  • Assist with the grading of student assignments

Communication and outreach (10%)

  • Contribute articles to the research group websites
  • Assist with the management of the group’s social media channels.
  • Work with the CSU communication team to communicate research results to the general public using different media including written articles or videos.