Cell Assay Senior Scientist - Blue Sky Kinases

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital•Memphis, TN

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Scientist will join the Cell-Based Assays team at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, as part of the Blue Sky Initiative “Seeing the Invisible in Protein Kinases.” The role uses molecular biology, biochemistry, and cell culture expertise to translate insights into kinase structure and regulation into functional effects in cells. The scientist will also conduct cell-based analysis of candidate kinase inhibitors using high-, medium-, and low-throughput platforms. The work includes studying multiple kinases, conducting background research, and optimizing different types of cell-based assays using a range of cell lines or primary cells. These studies validate structural findings and can reveal new kinase-mediated biology or mechanisms of kinase regulation. The initiative is an interdisciplinary project in the Department of Structural Biology, supported by $50 million in institutional funding, and uses ultra-high-field NMR, cryoEM, X-ray crystallography, data science, and computational approaches to characterize the conformational landscape of the human kinome. The resulting knowledge is applied to understanding kinase function and regulation, disease-associated mutations, and therapeutic opportunities. The role requires a relevant bachelor’s degree and relevant work experience. The stated experience requirements are five years with a PhD, eight years with a master’s degree, or ten years with a bachelor’s degree. The position is based in Memphis, Tennessee. The stated salary range is $104,000–$186,160 per year.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant scientific area is required.
Five years of relevant work experience with a PhD, eight years with a master’s degree, or ten years with a bachelor’s degree.
Experience analyzing protein kinases and phosphorylation-dependent signaling events or pathways.
Expertise culturing a variety of cell types, such as cancer cell lines, primary cells, mouse embryo fibroblasts, inducible human pluripotent cells, immune cells, neuronal cells, and muscle cells.
Expertise in multiple methods for exogenous protein expression.
Proficiency presenting experimental designs and results using PowerPoint or similar software.
Cloning, PCR, and qRT-PCR.
Sterile technique.
Cell transfection, transduction, or infection to express proteins of interest transiently or to generate cell lines.
Quantitative immunoassays such as ELISA, AlphaLISA, and Mesoscale Discovery.
Immunoprecipitation and Western blotting.
Protein-protein interaction analysis, such as proximity ligation, FRET, or NanoBit assays.
Flow cytometry and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS).
Reporter gene assays.
Phenotypic assays, such as viability, apoptosis, proliferation, migration, colony-forming, autophagy, endocytosis, secretion, or differentiation assays.
Microscopy techniques, such as immunofluorescence, live-cell imaging, subcellular localization, and colocalization analysis.
Cellular fractionation.
Creative and results-driven, with strong critical-thinking skills and the ability to learn quickly.
Hardworking, well-organized, flexible, and able to multitask efficiently in a fast-paced environment.
Collaborative and efficient as a team member with people from diverse backgrounds and with differing opinions.
Able to prioritize work and complete assignments promptly.

Nice To Haves

Experience with mouse models is preferred but not essential.

Responsibilities

Research kinase-mediated signaling pathways, kinase targets or kinase-dependent phosphorylation events, and the cellular outcomes of those pathways for assigned kinase projects.
Identify suitable cellular assays and cells for structure-guided analysis of kinase signaling output and cellular phenotypes related to perturbations in kinase regulation or function.
Develop strategies and plans for cell-based assays, including evaluation of protein phosphorylation, protein interactions, protein localization, RNA abundance by qRT-PCR, protein ubiquitination, and protein abundance.
Develop strategies and plans for cell-based phenotypic assays, including viability, apoptosis, autophagy, migration, and differentiation assays.
Optimize and troubleshoot cell-based assays.
Perform statistical analysis using graphing software or R scripts.
Interpret, analyze, and communicate cell-based assay results within the Cell-Based Assays team and with collaborators on kinase projects.
Perform cell-based analysis of candidate kinase inhibitors in high-, medium-, and low-throughput platforms.