Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Computational - Ghajar Lab

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center is an independent, nonprofit organization providing adult cancer treatment and groundbreaking research focused on cancer and infectious diseases. Based in Seattle, Fred Hutch is the only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center in Washington.

 

With a track record of global leadership in bone marrow transplantation, HIV/AIDS prevention, immunotherapy and COVID-19 vaccines, Fred Hutch has earned a reputation as one of the world’s leading cancer, infectious disease and biomedical research centers. Fred Hutch operates eight clinical care sites that provide medical oncology, infusion, radiation, proton therapy and related services, and network affiliations with hospitals in five states. Together, our fully integrated research and clinical care teams seek to discover new cures to the world’s deadliest diseases and make life beyond cancer a reality.

 

At Fred Hutch we value collaboration, compassion, determination, excellence, innovation, integrity and respect. Our mission is directly tied to the humanity, dignity and inherent value of each employee, patient, community member and supporter. Our commitment to learning across our differences and similarities make us stronger. We seek employees who bring different and innovative ways of seeing the world and solving problems.

 

The Ghajar Laboratory within the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center (Seattle, WA, USA) is searching for a highly motivated postdoctoral research fellow who is equally adept at applying wet lab-based experimental approaches and high-dimensional computational analyses to study disseminated tumor cell phylogenetics and address long-standing questions about disseminated tumor cell origins and fates. The candidate would join the laboratory of Cyrus Ghajar (https://research.fredhutch.org/ghajar/en.html), which is focused on defining autonomous and non-autonomous regulators of disseminated tumor cell fate with the overarching goal of developing therapeutically viable approaches to prevent breast cancer metastasis (e.g., see: Ghajar Nature Reviews Cancer 2015, Carlson et al., Nature Cell Biology 2019; Goddard et al., Cancer Cell 2024).

 

Here, we are looking for an individual who is passionate about applying the latest single cell DNA and RNA sequencing technologies to study disseminated tumor cell evolution in humans and in mice. Applicants with hybrid wet and dry lab expertise are especially encouraged, as are those with extensive expertise in one domain who are motivated to expand into the other. 

 

• Develop an innovative and comprehensive strategy applying the latest combinatorial single cell DNA and RNA sequencing technologies to study the origin and evolution of disseminated tumor cells in humans and mice.
• Conducting genomic, transcriptomic, phylogenetic, and other analyses based on these data.
• Designing and executing experiments to test and understand insights resulting from these analyses.
• Collaborating with other fellows in a dynamic and bustling research environment.
• Presenting and preparing results for publication.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• PhD (or equivalent) in biology, data science, computer science, bioengineering, physics, or a related field.
• A strong publication record, and a desire to publish highly impactful work.
• Outstanding recommendation letters.
• Eligibility and motivation to apply for postdoctoral fellowships. Having already secured extramural funding will be viewed as a separator.
• A passion for science, an outstanding work ethic, excellent communication and organizational skills, the ability to develop creative approaches to experimental design, and the ability to thrive both in independent research and while working collaboratively.

 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Application of single-cell sequencing to human and/or in vivo cancer models.
• Computational analysis of high-dimensional data (e.g., single-cell RNA-seq, phylogenetics, spatial data).
• Experience in R or Python.

 

Application instructions: Please send a CV and a brief cover letter describing your research interests and career goals.

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The annual base salary range for this position is from $77,976 to $95,014, and pay offered will be based on experience and qualifications.

 

This position may be eligible for relocation assistance.

This position is not eligible for H1-B sponsorship at this time.

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center offers employees a comprehensive benefits package designed to enhance health, well-being, and financial security. Benefits include medical/vision, dental, flexible spending accounts, life, disability, retirement, family life support, employee assistance program, onsite health clinic, tuition reimbursement, paid vacation (12-22 days per year), paid sick leave (12-25 days per year), paid holidays (13 days per year), and paid parental leave (up to 4 weeks).

We are proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, ancestry, national origin, sex, age, disability (physical or mental), marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, political ideology, or membership in any other legally protected class. We desire priority referrals of protected veterans. If due to a disability you need assistance/and or a reasonable accommodation during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to Human Resources at hrops@fredhutch.org or by calling 206-667-4700.