Post-Doc Research Associate

UNC-Chapel Hill • Chapel Hill, NC

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The laboratories of Timothy Moran, Johanna Smeekens, and Julia Rager are seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate to join a multidisciplinary team investigating how the early-life home environment influences the development of food allergy. Using house dust collected from homes in the SUNBEAM birth cohort, the team will characterize food allergens, microbial communities, and immunostimulatory exposures and evaluate their associations with food allergy outcomes in early childhood. The project is supported by an NIH R01 and provides training in the environmental determinants of allergic disease, with mentorship spanning allergy, immunology, and environmental health.

The postdoctoral researcher will lead day-to-day processing and exposure characterization of dust samples, using and refining the team’s established workflow. The work includes hands-on laboratory processing and measurement, sample quality control, allergen and microbial assays, analysis of assay and sequencing data, and preparation of first-author and co-author manuscripts. The researcher will work with the UNC Microbiome Core, toxicology trainees, and data science and computational trainees. There is also an opportunity to join mechanistic studies in preclinical mouse models of food allergy.

This is an on-site, laboratory-based position. The appointment is anticipated to be funded for an initial two years, with continued appointment renewed based on performance and available funding.

Requirements

• Hands-on experience with environmental sampling and characterization and with laboratory or analytical assays.
• A record of scholarly publications.
• Ability to work on-site in the laboratory on a regular schedule.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a multi-laboratory team.

Nice To Haves

• PhD or MD/PhD in environmental health sciences, exposure science, toxicology, molecular biology, epidemiology, or a related field.
• Proficiency in R or Python.
• Experience with microbiome or other omics data analysis.
• Experience with machine learning or multivariable modeling.
• Experience with birth cohort or epidemiologic data.
• Experience coordinating technical staff or trainees.
• Interest in allergy, immunology, or children’s health and in preclinical mouse models of food allergy; prior experience is not needed.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day processing and exposure characterization of house dust samples using and refining the team’s established workflow.
• Process samples and perform quality control.
• Conduct allergen and microbial assays.
• Analyze assay and sequencing data.
• Prepare first-author and co-author manuscripts.
• Work with the UNC Microbiome Core, toxicology trainees, and data science and computational trainees.
• Potentially participate in mechanistic studies in preclinical mouse models of food allergy.

What This Job Offers

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