Postdoctoral Associate - Chemistry

Please attach a CV and a brief statement of research experience and interests in the Supporting Documents section of the application in a PDF format. Please note that the applicant tracking system does not convert attachments in Word format successfully.

Position Summary

The group of Dr. Han Xiao at Rice University is looking for Postdoctoral Research Associates with experience in cell and protein engineering to join this project. Please check some of our previous works:

• Chem, doi.org/10.1016/j.chempr.2020.07.013
• PNAS, doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1507741112

The focus of our research is the development of innovative chemical tools that allow us to understand complex biological systems as well as develop novel therapeutic strategies. More information on the research program can be found at http://xiao.rice.edu.

Rice University is one of the top private research universities in the United States, ranked 17th in the 2024 U.S. News & World Report for national research universities. Located in Houston, the fourth largest city in the U.S., the laboratory is adjacent to the world’s largest biomedical center, including MD Anderson Cancer Center and Baylor College of Medicine among over a dozen top biomedical research institutions. Rice University has made significant contributions in the fields of materials science, nanoscience, and artificial heart research.

Workplace Requirements:

This is a full-time in-person position at Rice University in Houston, Texas. Weekends and evenings are not required, though the candidate may work at these times at their discretion.

Travel outside of Rice University is not required for the position, though the successful candidate will be encouraged to attend at least one relevant scientific conference during their tenure in order to further their professional development.

Finally, this position is funded by a grant, soft and/or restricted funds. Continued employment is contingent on the renewal of funding.

Required Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in chemistry, biology, bioengineering, or related fields

Required Skills

• Knowledge of modern research of concepts and principles of biological systems and data collection/analyses, including: mammalian cell culture, microscopy, gel electrophoresis, flow cytometry, and transfection
• Able to purify/characterize enzymes/antibodies and isolate/analyze DNA, RNA, proteins
• Able to perform genome sequencing and editing
• Skilled in different directed evolution techniques
• Well-developed verbal and written communication skills, oral presentation skills, and a desire to develop these to a high level
• Skilled in writing scholarly papers based on ongoing research with accompanying supporting information using Microsoft Word and/or ChemDraw and managing the journal publication process
• Able to work independently and professionally with minimal supervision and direction

Preferences

• Experience in medicinal chemistry (drug discovery, organic synthesis, total synthesis, and/or methodology);
• Experience in biomedical imaging (in vivo fluorescence imaging, photoacoustic imaging, dye engineering, and/or lymphatic imaging);
• Experience in cancer biology and translational research (animal study); and/or
• Experience in protein and cell engineering (genome editing, CRISPR-Cas system, protein engineering, and/or cell engineering)

Essential Functions

• Maintain bacterial/mammalian cells and performs biomolecular purification to prove/manipulate biological systems
• Perform molecular cloning to express proteins for immunotherapies
• Develop novel strategies for enhancing targeted therapy
• Develop efficient production methods for immune cells
• Document, analyze, and maintain research data by analyzing data on protein characterizations using flash & liquid chromatography, Western blotting, and plate readers
• Mentor, oversee, and/or train junior research team members
• Publish and present research findings
• Provide academic services (i.e. teaching classes) to the department as required
• Perform all other duties as assigned

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