Postdoctoral Research Associate - Genetics

Washington University in St. Louis - St. Louis, MO

Full-time - Entry Level

St. Louis, MO

Educational Services

About the position

We are currently seeking a postdoctoral fellow to lead a research project (wet and/or dry) focused on abnormal pregnancy (pre-eclampsia) and/or craniofacial birth defects (craniofacial microsomia). The research involves analyzing GWAS variants using functional genomics and mouse genetics. Our laboratory is part of the departments of Genetics at Washington University, an institution at the forefront of genetics/genomics research, embedded in the vibrant and livable city of St. Louis. Our institution is characterized by phenomenal research support facilities in a variety of domains and a hard-working yet friendly and collaborative scientific culture. The Ushiki lab will start in January 2025 at the Department of Genetics at Washington University in St. Louis. Our lab aims to gain a deeper understanding of the function of enhancers in placenta and skeletal development, diseases, and evolution. We employ in vivo functional characterization techniques, such as in vivo Massively Parallel Reporter Assays (MPRAs), supported by an NHGRI K99/R00 grant. Our research integrates mouse developmental biology, functional genomics, and human genetics to elucidate how genetic variation in non-coding regions leads to abnormal placental or craniofacial development. For more information, please visit our lab website at https://sites.wustl.edu/ushikilab/. Information on being a postdoc at Washington University in St. Louis can be found at https://postdoc.wustl.edu/prospective-postdocs-2/.

Responsibilities

• Manages their own project, which should lead to a first-author publication.
• Develops proficiency in career skills, including writing, public speaking, networking, and critical evaluation of scientific literature.
• Presents scientific work both inside and outside the university with excellent oral communication skills.
• Assists with grant preparation and reporting.

Requirements

• Recent PhD and/or MD in a relevant field or equivalent experience in field (mouse genetics, genomics, developmental biology, molecular biology, computational biology, etc.).

Nice-to-haves

• Motivated candidates with experience in mouse genetics and/or computational genomics.
• Experience in biology-related areas.

Benefits

• Comprehensive and competitive benefits package, eligibility subject to employment status, full-time equivalent (FTE) workload, and weekly standard hours.