Post Doctoral Associate-Costes Lab

University of Pittsburgh • Pittsburgh, PA

4d • Onsite

About The Position

The Center for Space Biomanufacturing, Synthetic Biology and Digital Health within the Trivedi Institute for Space and Global Biomedicine at the University of Pittsburgh invites applications for a Postdoctoral Associate appointment. This is a six-month, non-renewable, full-time training position structured as a capstone postdoctoral experience, intentionally designed to precede the appointee’s transition to an independent faculty-level position. The mission of the Trivedi Institute is to study the impact of space-relevant environmental stressors—including space radiation—on human health and life systems. The Center is actively developing advanced human organoid platforms designed for spaceflight, space-analog missions, and space-relevant radiation biology applications. This appointment carries no expectation of renewal or conversion to a staff or faculty position at the University of Pittsburgh. It is explicitly and exclusively structured as a terminal, training-focused postdoctoral appointment.

Requirements

• Ph.D., M.D., or equivalent doctoral degree in molecular biology, cell biology, radiation biology, biomedical sciences, or a closely related field
• Prior postdoctoral experience with human stem cell-derived organoid models or equivalent 3D tissue platforms
• Hands-on experience with mammalian cell culture, including stem cell maintenance and differentiation protocols
• Demonstrated record of first-authored peer-reviewed publications
• Excellent scientific communication skills in English, both written and oral

Nice To Haves

• Direct experience with particle radiation exposure experiments using human organoid or stem cell models
• Familiarity with space-relevant radiation types (heavy ions, protons, mixed-field radiation) and associated experimental infrastructure
• Prior experience establishing or transferring experimental platforms across institutions
• Background in radiation biology, space biology, or space medicine
• Interest in and commitment to international research collaboration

Responsibilities

• Acquisition of new experimental methodologies in the Pitt-developed organoid platform with the goal of independently establishing this system at a future independent laboratory
• Design and execution of radiation biology experiments using organoid models in collaboration with Center staff and trainees
• Contribution to manuscript preparation, data analysis, and scientific reporting
• Active participation in research meetings, lab seminars, and mentoring of junior trainees
• Collaboration with international research partners to coordinate shared experimental protocols

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree