Postdoctoral Scholar

Oregon Health & Science University • Portland, OR

15h • Onsite

About The Position

A fully funded postdoctoral position is available in the Department of Pediatrics. The laboratory studies the molecular mechanisms that drive oncogenic receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signaling and therapeutic resistance in cancer, with an emphasis on kinase-driven solid tumors, including lung cancer and glioblastoma. The position supports an NIH R01 program that defines how an oncogenic RTK is activated, stabilized, and transcriptionally controlled, and how these processes shape response and resistance to targeted kinase inhibitors. The postdoctoral scholar will investigate kinase signaling specificity and RTK crosstalk, characterize a phospho-degron that couples receptor activity to protein turnover, and determine the cis- and trans-regulatory basis of aberrant receptor expression. The work integrates molecular, biochemical, cell biological, genome-engineering, and functional-genomic approaches in engineered and patient-derived cancer models. The successful candidate will lead a defined project within this program, contribute to collaborative studies across OHSU, and prepare findings for publication and grant applications.

Requirements

• PhD or equivalent doctoral degree, awarded or expected before the start date.
• 0 to 5 years of postdoctoral experience.
• Demonstrated, hands-on proficiency in mammalian cell culture, including sterile technique and long-term maintenance of established and patient-derived cancer cell lines.
• Demonstrated proficiency across core molecular biology and biochemistry, including molecular cloning and site-directed mutagenesis, stable-line generation (retroviral, lentiviral, or Sleeping Beauty transposon systems), CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, quantitative immunoblotting, and immunoprecipitation.
• Ability to independently design, execute, troubleshoot, and interpret well-controlled experiments, and to analyze and integrate multi-modal datasets with appropriate statistical treatment, with meticulous record-keeping and attention to rigor.
• Evidence of scientific productivity and follow-through, demonstrated by at least one first-author or co-first-author peer-reviewed publication or preprint.
• Resourcefulness, creativity, and independent problem-solving, including the ability to diagnose failed experiments, locate solutions, and adapt approaches independently.

Nice To Haves

• Prior research in cell signaling, biochemistry, cancer biology, or a related mechanistic discipline.
• Advanced genome engineering beyond standard knockout, such as HDR-based knock-in and CRISPR interference, activation, or tiling screens.
• Protein-homeostasis methods, including cycloheximide-chase stability and ubiquitination assays, and protein interaction methods such as co-immunoprecipitation, PLA, or proximity labeling (for example, TurboID).
• Transformation and drug-response assays, including Ba/F3, soft-agar, spheroid or three-dimensional culture, and tyrosine kinase inhibitor dose-response.
• Ability to interpret and, where relevant, perform and critically evaluate analysis of multi-modal datasets, including proteomic and mass-spectrometry data (phospho-proteomic and affinity- or proximity-based approaches) and genomic or epigenomic data (ATAC-seq, RNA-seq), with familiarity with pathway and enrichment methods, and preparation of publication-quality figures.
• Skilled, critical use of research-oriented AI tools for data analysis and scientific problem-solving, including the ability to independently verify and fact-check AI-generated output against primary literature and source data.

Responsibilities

• Investigate kinase signaling specificity and RTK crosstalk.
• Characterize a phospho-degron that couples receptor activity to protein turnover.
• Determine the cis- and trans-regulatory basis of aberrant receptor expression.
• Lead a defined project within this program.
• Contribute to collaborative studies across OHSU.
• Prepare findings for publication and grant applications.

Benefits

• Opportunities to learn and advance in a system of hospitals and clinics across Oregon and Southwest Washington.

What This Job Offers

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