POSTDOCTORAL ASSOCIATE

Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute • San Diego, CA

4d • Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher or computational biologist to join the Vasciaveo Laboratory at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute (SBP) in San Diego. The selected candidate will develop computational tools for single-cell and multi-omics analysis to dissect cellular heterogeneity, gene regulatory networks, and epigenetic mechanisms in complex biological systems, including patient-derived tumors. This position offers close collaboration with experimental biologists and clinicians, ownership of high-impact projects, and strong mentorship toward an independent career. Our goal is to translate data-driven models into actionable biological hypotheses and therapeutic strategies. Representative work includes Li, Vasciaveo, et al. Nature 2026; Malagola, Vasciaveo et al., Cell 2024; Stokes, Vasciaveo et al., Cell Chemical Biology 2024; Leuzzi, Vasciaveo et al., Cell 2024; Vasciaveo et al., Cancer Discovery 2023;

Under limited direction, the Postdoctoral Associate will perform duties as outlined by their supervisor. Being a training position, the Postdoctoral Associate will support the lab and experiments, while pursuing their own research.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in quantitative disciplines (e.g., computer science, physics, computational biology, systems biology).
• Strong proficiency in prog. languages such as Python and R, and familiarity with relevant bioinformatics tools.
• Solid understanding of statistical and computational methods in biology.
• Proven track record of research productivity, including peer-reviewed publications.
• At least one first author paper published at peer-reviewed journal or accepted for publication

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated expertise in analyzing single-cell data, including scRNA-seq and multi-omics techniques (e.g., integrating epigenomics and transcriptomics).
• Knowledge of Machine Learning techniques and their application to biological data analysis.
• Familiarity with Deep Learning architectures and applications, including Generative AI and imaging.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills, with the ability to collaborate in a multidisciplinary environment.
• Enthusiasm for solving complex biological problems through computational approaches.

Responsibilities

• Lead, design and perform integrative analyses across diverse datasets to derive novel biological insights.
• Develop computational methods and pipelines for single-cell RNA-seq and multiome data.
• Collaborate with experimental biologists and clinicians to design and interpret studies.
• Contribute to mentoring junior researchers and shaping the lab’s computational strategy.
• Publish research findings in high-impact journals and disseminate results.
• Perform other related tasks, duties and responsibilities as required, assigned or directed.

Benefits

• A collaborative and supportive environment at the forefront of computational and experimental biology.
• Access to novel, cutting-edge datasets and both experimental and computational resources.
• Opportunities for professional development, mentorship, and career advancement.
• Highly competitive salary (range $70,000-85,000, based on experience).
• Comprehensive benefits package.

What This Job Offers

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