POSTDOCTORAL ASSOCIATE - Jiang Zhu Lab - Integrative Structural and Computational Biology - Virology

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POSITION TITLE:  Postdoctoral Associate

POSITION SUMMARY:

Dr. Jiang Zhu's laboratory at Scripps Research is looking for a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher with a background in virology to contribute to rational vaccine development for diverse viral pathogens including SARS-CoV-2, HIV-1, influenza, and Ebola. The person filling this position is expected to play an important intellectual, technical, and scientific role in projects including, but not limited to, pseudovirus assays to measure neutralizing antibody responses elicited by experimental vaccines being developed in our laboratory. 

Dr. Zhu's laboratory takes an interdisciplinary translational approach to vaccine development, integrating structure-based antigen design, protein nanoparticle engineering, animal testing, and mechanistic analyses including viral neutralization assays, immunohostochemistry, and B cell analysis. Multiple vaccine candidates are currently under clinical development in partnership with Uvax Bio (https://www.uvaxbio.com/), a vaccine biotechnology company co-founded by Dr. Zhu to address global health challenges with innovative vaccine solutions. Details of Dr. Zhu's laboratory, on-going research projects, and recent publications can be found at https://www.jzhulab.org/. Dr. Zhu holds a joint appointment in the Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology (ISCB) and the Department of Immunology and Microbiology at Scripps Research in La Jolla, CA (https://www.scripps.edu). 

Successful candidates will have a recent Ph.D. in virology, microbiology, immunology, or other related fields. Candidates with experience in pseudovirus assays, particularly the TZM-bl assay for HIV-1 neutralization, are especially encouraged to apply. Interested applicants should send the following materials in an application packet, preferably as a single PDF file, by email to Dr. Jiang Zhu (jiang@scripps.edu):

1. Cover letter indicating current and future research interests
2. Expected starting date
3. Curriculum vitae
4. Brief summary of previous research experience (2-3 pages)
5. Names and contact information for 3 references.

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Postdoctoral Associates are appointed positions for the purpose of developing scholarly competence, working under the supervision of a Scripps Research Faculty member.  These appointments are normally not renewed beyond a total of five years.  Postdoctoral Associates cannot apply for external funding either as a Principal Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator without prior approval from a Departmental Chair.  Postdoctoral Associates do not have consulting privileges.

REQUIREMENTS:

Successful candidates will have a recent Ph.D. in virology, immunology, biophysics, structural biology, or other related fields. Candidates with prior research experience in molecular virology and B/T-cell immunology are especially encouraged to apply.

COMPENSATION: Postdoctoral Associates will be hired following the National Institute of Health and California’s exempt salary guidelines. Salary is in the range of $64,480 to $70,000 depending on prior research experience and qualifications. Consideration will be given to experience that exceeds the listed requirements.

COMPREHENSIVE BENEFITS INCLUDE: