Postdoctoral Scholar - Research Associate

About the role

Dr. Longwei Liu’s laboratory at the University of Southern California (USC) is seeking a Postdoctoral Scholar – Research Associate. Jointly supported by the Department of Ophthalmology at the Keck School of Medicine and the Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering at the Viterbi School of Engineering, the laboratory bridges engineering and medicine to develop innovative therapeutic and diagnostic technologies. In this NIH-supported position, the scholar will develop programmable biological systems to investigate cellular signaling and advance therapies for degenerative diseases and cancer.

The successful candidate will be motivated, proactive, resourceful, and detail-oriented, with strong scientific curiosity and a commitment to rigorous, reproducible research. The position offers opportunities to lead an independent project within the laboratory’s research program, collaborate across engineering and medicine, mentor trainees, and develop manuscripts and fellowship applications.

Required Qualifications

• A Ph.D degree in bioengineering, molecular or cell biology, immunology, neuroscience, biomedical engineering, or a closely related field by the start date.
• At least one first-author publication demonstrates expertise relevant to one or more of the research areas listed below.
• Demonstrated expertise in at least one of the following areas: synthetic biology; genetic engineering; ocular biology or vision science; or cellular and molecular engineering.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ability to design controlled experiments, critically analyze data, troubleshoot research problems, and work independently and collaboratively.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, strong organizational skills, and a commitment to research integrity.
• Experience in one or more of the following: synthetic biology, genetic circuit design, genome editing, protein engineering, or cell and gene therapy.
• Proficiency in molecular cloning, mammalian cell culture, viral gene delivery, flow cytometry, or fluorescence imaging.
• Experience with retinal biology, ocular disease models, immune-cell engineering, or preclinical evaluation of therapeutic technologies.
• Strong quantitative skills in biological data analysis, image analysis, or computational modeling.
• Demonstrated ability to lead research projects, collaborate across disciplines, and mentor junior researchers.

Essential job duties include, but are not limited to

• Design, execute, and interpret mechanistic and translational studies; establish experimental priorities and troubleshoot independently.
• Develop and characterize molecular constructs, engineered cells, biosensors, or therapeutic proteins using techniques appropriate to the project.
• Evaluate candidate systems in relevant cell-based assays and, where applicable, preclinical animal models.
• Analyze and document results, maintain accurate research records, and apply appropriate controls and reproducible workflows.
• Prepare manuscripts, present findings at laboratory meetings and scientific conferences, and contribute to grant and fellowship applications.
• Mentor students and research staff, collaborate with colleagues, and help maintain an organized and productive laboratory environment.

Additional information

Follows established USC and department policies, procedures, objectives, performance improvement, attendance, safety, environmental, and infection control guidelines, including adherence to the workplace Code of Conduct and Compliance Plan.

This position is on-site and employee must report to work at the USC Health Science Campus in Los Angeles, CA when scheduled. Work hours and on-site days may be subject to change depending on business needs.

Pay and benefits

The annual budgeted salary range for this position is $70,304 - $72.384. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

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