Postdoctoral Scholar - Research Associate

University of Southern California • Los Angeles, CA

10d • Onsite

About The Position

The University of Southern California (USC), founded in 1880, is located in the heart of downtown L.A. and is the largest private employer in the City of Los Angeles. As an employee of USC, you will be a part of a world-class research university and a member of the “Trojan Family,” which is comprised of the faculty, staff, and students that make the university a great place to work. The USC Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences is seeking a Postdoctoral Scholar – Research Associate in the Neurobiology Department. The largest and oldest of the USC schools, USC Dornsife functions as the academic core of the university, offering courses and advancing knowledge across the humanities, social sciences The Liman Lab is seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral scholar to join our team studying the molecular and cellular mechanisms of sensory transduction, with a focus on proton-selective ion channels (OTOPs) and their roles in cellular physiology in the taste and other systems. OTOP1, first described for its role in the vestibular system, was only recently reported by us to form a proton channel and sour taste receptor (Tu et al, Science, 2018; Teng et al, Curr Biol, 2019). The Liman lab has also identified elements of gating, described new contributions of OTOP1 to ammonium salt taste, and in collaboration published the structure of OTOP1 and identified small molecule inhibitors. This is just the beginning and there is still much to be learned! Research Focus Projects will involve dissecting ion channel function and contribution to physiology using a combination of patch-clamp electrophysiology, molecular biology, imaging, and in vivo models. Depending on interests and background, the fellow may lead work on: Structure–function analysis of OTOP family members and mechanisms of proton conduction and channel gating Contribution of OTOP channels to taste and other physiological processes using transgenic mouse models Discovery of modulators or inhibitors of proton channels

Requirements

• PhD in Neuroscience, Physiology, Biophysics, Molecular Biology, or related field
• Strong foundation in electrophysiology (whole-cell, excised patch, or similar) or advanced molecular biology/transgenic mouse design and testing
• Evidence of productivity (first-author publications, preprints)
• Resume (with publications) and cover letter stating research interests and career goals required (may be uploaded as one file).

Nice To Haves

• Experience with heterologous expression systems, primary cells, or mouse models is a plus

Responsibilities

• Performs other related duties as assigned or requested.
• The university reserves the right to add or change duties at any time.

Benefits

• A supportive and data-driven research environment with opportunity to interact with the larger USC community
• Competitive NIH-scale salary with generous benefits and mentoring tailored toward academic or industry career paths
• A park-like campus located near the heart of Los Angeles, and within close proximity to beautiful beaches and snow-capped mountains
• USC has excellent benefits, including health benefits for staff and their family with access to the renowned university medical network; eligibility for retirement plans with employer contributions after six months of employment; tuition benefits for staff and their family; free Professional Development classes; central Los Angeles location with easy access to commuter trains, buses and free tram pick up services; discounts to sporting and other campus events.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees