You are viewing a preview of this job. Log in or register to view more details about this job.

Research Associate I/II- Sellers Lab, Paralog Group

The Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT is looking for an exceptional candidate for a unique Research Associate position. This position affords the exciting opportunity to join a dynamic and growing team of researchers in the Paralog Group within the lab of Dr. Bill Sellers.  
This individual will be responsible for working with a team in a collaborative effort between the Broad Institute and partner pharmaceutical companies to identify essential targetable paralog pairs via the latest breakthrough technology, Paralog digenic CRISPR screening, in various lineages of cancer models. Although single gene CRISPR screens have revealed a number of new lethality targets in cancer settings, functionally redundant genes are rarely identified using this approach. We have developed a CRISPR paralog digenic targeting technology and have successfully identified synthetic lethality pairs in specific cancer settings. We are now expanding our scale to screen hundreds of cell lines to identify context specific and therapeutically exploitable paralog pairs in cancers. This large scale and collaborative project has great potential to guide new treatment strategies to help cancer patients.
The successful candidate will engineer cell models across multiple diseases and genetic backgrounds and perform large scale CRISPR screens. Working as a team, the successful candidate will also have the opportunity to be involved in data analysis to identify potential hits and to further validate the hits using molecular/cell biology techniques. The successful candidate is expected to work largely independently after training but will be closely mentored by the Paralog team scientist(s) and manager. The Broad Institute provides a vibrant research environment with close links to top academic institutions across the Boston Area and provides the potential for your contributions to be used and recognized worldwide. 

CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES

  • Assists with and performs large scale CRISPR screening in cancer cell lines.
  • Performs numerous cell culture and molecular biology techniques, including DNA/RNA extraction, PCR, RT-PCR, ELISA, Flow cytometry, and cell viability assessment.
  • Assists in the development of pipelines for mammalian tissue culture and phenotypic readouts using genetic and small molecule perturbations (RAII).
  • Maintains and propagates established cell lines, including cryopreserving viable stocks and cell pellets and monitoring for contamination and cell line fidelity.
  • Prepares, orders, and maintains stocks of necessary reagents, solutions and supplies.
  • Documents, compiles, and analyzes experimental data and reports data to team in oral and written reports.
  • Attends team meetings to share results and contribute to experimental planning.


REQUIREMENTS

Education
  • Bachelor’s and/or master’s degree in the life sciences.
  • Prior cell biology, molecular biology, and chemistry coursework.
  • Prior research experience: 0-2 years for RAI or > 2 years for RAII.
Skills and Abilities
  • Strongly desired: Familiarity with general molecular biology and mammalian tissue culture.
  • Experience with CRISPR screen or related genetic technologies (e.g. CRISPR, RNAi, siRNA) is a plus.
  • Exceptional organizational and critical thinking skills, lab notebook practices and attention to detail.
  • Excellent communication skills and the ability to interact with all levels of staff.
  • Ability to handle large complex experiments, large data sets, and a variety of tasks in a fast-paced environment.
  • Integrity and honesty in performing experiments and generating research data.
  • Familiarity with EHS work and experience supporting in-lab management are a plus.
 

EOE/Minorities/LGBTQ/Females/Protected Veterans/Disabilities