Research Professional

University of Chicago•Chicago, IL

About The Position

The Research Professional performs routine assignments that facilitate and promote a research project or contribute to the scientific direction of a research resource, receiving instruction, guidance, and direction from others. The role is in the Rice Lab within the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, which studies how biomolecules function and interact to drive the behaviors of living systems, with a focus on mechanisms at the atomic level. The department is collaborative and has strengths in membrane proteins, RNA biochemistry, biophysics, structural biology, biochemistry, and protein engineering and design. The Rice Lab studies the structural biology, biochemistry, mechanism, and biology of microbial mobile genetic elements and the machinery they encode. The lab is highly interdisciplinary, and team members are expected to work effectively and collegially. Its projects involve cryo-electron microscopy (single-particle analysis), biochemical analysis of recombinase function, bioinformatics, and collaboration with researchers using tools such as microbiology. The position is based in a research laboratory setting. The University of Chicago uses AI-assisted tools to support some recruitment processes, but AI is not used to make hiring decisions. Applications require a resume; a cover letter is preferred. Eligible employees may access the university’s benefits programs and resources, including health, retirement, and paid time off.

Requirements

PhD in a related field.
Knowledge and skills developed through less than two years of work experience in a related job discipline.
Ability to work effectively and collegially in an interdisciplinary team environment.
Ability to maintain a calm and courteous demeanor and work productively despite a heavy workload, competing priorities, and complex problems.
Willingness to help others in the lab as needed.
Excellent problem-solving skills.
Initiative in identifying new tools and software useful to the lab.

Nice To Haves

Experience with cryo-electron microscopy.
Experience with protein purification.
Experience with biochemistry of protein-DNA interactions and DNA recombinases.
Experience with structural-biology-related bioinformatics.
Peer-reviewed publications in a related field.
Background knowledge of microbial mobile genetic elements and the mechanisms of the recombinases they encode.

Responsibilities

Perform experiments and collect and analyze data.
Participate in promoting a research project.
Participate in preparing and writing grant applications and reports, and author or co-author scientific research manuscripts.
Provide peer review of grant applications and scientific manuscripts.
Collaborate on developing new research projects with academic and community-based organizations.
Perform other related work as needed.