Postdoctoral Scientist (HIV CURE)

Gilead Sciences, Inc. • Foster City, CA

63d

About The Position

The Virology group is seeking a highly motivated Postdoc to join our team at Gilead Sciences in Foster City, CA. This Post-Doctoral position offers a unique opportunity to investigate a central challenge in HIV cure research: understanding why only a subset of intact HIV proviruses are transcriptionally active or inducible, while others remain persistently silent. The fellow will lead a mechanistic study at single-provirus resolution, leveraging advanced molecular and cellular assays to dissect the viral, host, and epigenetic factors that shape proviral expression and reservoir behavior. By systematically characterizing how different stimuli modulate the transcriptional landscape of the reservoir, this research will generate foundational insights into the determinants of proviral activity and persistence, informing future therapeutic strategies aimed at durable HIV remission. The candidate will work closely with scientists in the Virology group and collaborators from our sequencing core and bioinformatics teams. They are expected to develop independence in experimental design, execution, and interpretation. The fellow will actively participate in group meetings and present experimental approaches and results at relevant internal & external forums. The fellow will be encouraged to publish their work in top tier journals and present at international scientific conferences. Organizational skills in data management and molecular assay development are essential. A PhD is required in a relevant scientific discipline, such as molecular virology, immunology, or cell biology. A strong record of scientific excellence, as evidenced by publications in peer-reviewed journals, is highly desirable. Excellent verbal and written communication skills and interpersonal skills are required. The candidate must demonstrate high scientific curiosity and motivation, as well as the ability to work effectively in a collaborative research environment. Technical excellence, familiarity with HIV molecular biology, and independent thought in evaluating experimental design and strategy are key attributes.

Requirements

• PhD in molecular virology, immunology, cell biology, or a related scientific discipline is required.
• Ability to develop methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria for obtaining results.
• Technical proficiency, scientific creativity, collaboration with others, and independent thought in suggesting experimental design and research strategy.
• Strong verbal communication and interpersonal skills.
• Must be able to participate in highly effective teams.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with HIV molecular assays (e.g., IPDA, CA-RNA, near full-length sequencing) and primary cell culture preferred.

Responsibilities

• Conducts scientific research to advance understanding of HIV latency and reservoir dynamics.
• Applies principles and techniques of molecular virology and immunology to investigate latency reversal mechanisms.
• Works under supervision of senior scientists to develop and optimize assays for proviral quantification, transcriptional profiling, and integration site mapping.
• Designs and implements experiments using primary CD4+ T cells from ART-suppressed individuals to evaluate transcriptional responses to relevant stimuli
• Collaborates with internal and external teams to integrate sequencing, flow cytometry, and single-cell transcriptomics.
• May advise research associates or project team members in the initiation and execution of laboratory experiments.

What This Job Offers

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