Senior Research Associate - 136351

UCSD Health Sciences is a $1 billion dollar plus organization encompassing 16 academic departments (14 clinical, 2 basic sciences), 2 pre-academic/hospital departments, 2 professional schools (School of Medicine and Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences), 2 hospitals, and various other programs and units all dedicated towards fulfilling the Health Sciences missions. The UCSD Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine (CMM) is one of two basic science units in the School of Medicine where world-class researchers study fundamental cellular processes and pathways using a variety of techniques from classical genetics and fluorescence microscopy to high-throughput genomics, systems biology, and crystallography. Our 36 faculty and over 200 postdoctoral scholars, graduate students, and research staff work on the cutting edge of biology, cutting across fields from basic biochemistry and genetics to genomics, systems biology and stem cell biology. The faculty also play a major role in medical and graduate student training, providing educational and programmatic offerings that span several disciplines and provide diversity to meet the interests of a broad spectrum of students and scholars.

The diverse mix of ages, backgrounds, and talents creates a robust work environment withchallenging career opportunities and a commitment to continued growth potential. We constantly seek to recruit highly motivated, technologically-advanced, and deeply interested individuals who are ready to become a part of our dynamic research and educational environment.

The Senior Research Associate will independently design and execute experiments to determine the molecular mechanisms of genome rearrangements in cancer, most specifically on the origins and clearance of extrachromosomal DNA that occurs in up to 50% of human cancers. The Senior Research Associate will develop a variety of assays related to the production and clearance of extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA) using a variety of techniques including gene editing, cell culture, immunofluorescence, and confocal microscopy.

The Senior Research Associate will manage and coordinate research efforts with other collaborators both within and outside the laboratory. They will independently conceive, plan, and conduct research projects based on reviews of scientific literature and recent advances in related fields, organizing and executing all techniques involved. They will contribute novel ideas of major methodological significance to the research projects, design key experiments, and develop new techniques. They will author or co-author scientific journal manuscripts and book chapters. They will direct and advise the work of technicians, students, and postdoctoral scholars to enable them to successfully participate in laboratory projects, as well as present their findings at lab meetings and conferences, and perform other duties as needed.

• Advanced theoretical knowledge in Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, or Cancer Biology as typically achieved by a terminal degree, or a equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Advanced theoretical knowledge of intracellular transport, neurodegenerative diseases, cell biology, biochemistry, and molecular biology as typically achieved by a terminal degree, or a equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Must have experience and advanced theoretical knowledge of genome instability in cancer, including chromothripsis and extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA).

• Strong demonstrated experience in animal cell culture, and experience in gene editing human cells.

• Demonstrated experience in scientific publication, including generating the data, assembling the figures, writing the text, with proven record of publication in top tier peer-reviewed scientific journals, including as first author.

• Strong demonstrated experience in live- and fixed-cell imaging using confocal microscopy.

• Proven experience in designing, coordinating, executing, and analyzing data.

• Advanced skill in experimental design and adaptation of methods to achieve results.

• Demonstrated experience in integrating data from multiple sources to synthesize conclusions. Knowledge and ability to read and abstract scientific articles and apply to the design of experiments.

• Experience in providing technical and scientific direction and training of students, post-docs, and technicians.

• Proven experience and knowledge in developing hypotheses, design experiments, conduct experiments, analyze data, write manuscripts, and publish results in peer-reviewed journals

• Proven ability to read scientific papers and adapt knowledge and techniques from the literature to experimental systems.

• Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills including tack, diplomacy, and flexibility in order to work and interact effectively with staff, researchers, and management in person, on the phone or via Zoom or other video conferencing platforms.

• Knowledge of PC software applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Illustrator to produce reports, correspondence, graphs, and spreadsheets to generate, track, and analyze data.

• Experience with UCSD regulations, policies, and procedures.

• Experience with UCSD lab safety protocols.

• A PhD in a field related to cell biology, biochemistry or cancer biology.

• Job offer is contingent upon satisfactory clearance based on Background Check results.
• Occasional evenings and weekends may be required.
• Must be willing to work with hazardous materials.