Overview

Cures Start Here. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, home to three Nobel laureates, is an independent, nonprofit research institute based in Seattle. Its interdisciplinary teams of world-renowned scientists seek new and innovative ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer, HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening diseases. Careers Start Here. 

The new Dey Laboratory in the Clinical Research Division at Fred Hutch seeks enthusiastic and creative individuals who are interested in problem solving and discovery. Our lab studies how diet and the gut microbiome (i.e., the micro-organisms that reside within the gastrointestinal tract) interact to influence gut physiology and thereby shape our daily experiences. Our work includes metagenomic and metabolomic in vitro and in vivo investigations to elucidate mechanisms by which gut bacteria interface with the host (Dey et al., Cell 2015; Wagner/Dey et al., Science Translational Medicine 2016).

Responsibilities

The post-doctoral fellow will work closely with the PI, Dr. Neelendu Dey. The position will require both experimental (‘wet lab’) and computational (‘dry lab’) work. Protocols will include DNA/RNA isolation and purification, sequencing on next-generation platforms, computational analyses of metagenomic datasets, anaerobic culturing of gut bacteria, metabolomic studies, and working with gnotobiotic mice. Additional expectations include daily electronic documentation of lab work in a detailed fashion, summarizing and reporting data in an organized fashion, meeting with collaborators, and writing papers.

Qualifications

Minimum qualifications:

• M.D. with laboratory experience and/or Ph.D.
• Computational experience 
• Statistical knowledge
• Problem-solving skills

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience handling laboratory animals
• Experience culturing microorganisms 
• Demonstrable creativity (which can be shown through experiences in the humanities)
• Organized disposition, with ability to triage tasks by importance and time sensitivity
• Interest in electronic record keeping 
• Flexibility with respect to schedule, with occasional weekend and/or evening duties as dictated by experiment

Candidates with an interest in taking projects from start-to-finish, in publishing, and advancing to a leadership position in academia or industry are of particular interest.

To apply for this position, please provide the following:

• A cover letter explaining your research interests and stating your future plans
• CV or resume
• 1-3 publications 
• 2-4 references

Pay and Benefits

Competitive post-doc-level salary and excellent benefits.