UNIV - Staff Scientist I - Department of Medicine: Division of Hematology Oncology

Medical University of South Carolina•Charleston, SC

1d•Onsite

About The Position

A position for Staff Scientist I/Lab Manager is open in the laboratory of Dr. Russell W. Jenkins. The successful candidate will oversee lab operations as well as assist in the planning and oversight of research projects that utilize in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro tumor model systems to examine novel therapeutic strategies to overcome resistance to cancer immunotherapy. The successful candidate has extensive experience with in vivo murine tumor models in the investigation of mechanisms of response and resistance to cancer immunotherapy to examine novel therapeutic strategies to overcome resistance to cancer immunotherapy. The level of complexity of this work is high with requisite knowledge of murine tumor models, cancer cell biology, T cell biology, basic immunology, and cancer immunology. This position requires previous laboratory management experience and experience supervising 1 or more research technicians and assisting in the teaching and training of graduate students and other trainees. The candidate is also expected to develop new areas of research, conduct experiments and perform independent data analysis, assist with the preparation of manuscripts and grants, and present at meetings. Principal duties are to assist in experiments for research projects under supervision of the project head and the PI of the laboratory. Specifically, the lab is part of Medical University of South Carolina & Hollings Cancer Center and the focus is on cancer immunotherapy. The primary role of this position is to process patient samples from the clinic using the lab’s cutting-edge technology to evaluate response and resistance to cancer immunotherapeutics.

Requirements

Extensive experience with in vivo murine tumor models in the investigation of mechanisms of response and resistance to cancer immunotherapy
Requisite knowledge of murine tumor models, cancer cell biology, T cell biology, basic immunology, and cancer immunology
Previous laboratory management experience
Experience supervising 1 or more research technicians
Assisting in the teaching and training of graduate students and other trainees
Develop new areas of research
Conduct experiments
Perform independent data analysis
Assist with the preparation of manuscripts and grants
Present at meetings
English language fluency
Good verbal and written communication skills
Ability to work independently and as member of a team
A PhD with 2 years post-doctorate experience
Ability to perform job functions in an upright position
Ability to perform job functions in a seated position
Ability to perform job functions while walking/mobile
Ability to work indoors
Ability to bend at the waist
Ability to twist at the waist
Ability to perform 'pinching' operations
Ability to fully use both hands/arms
Ability to perform repetitive motions with hands/wrists/elbows and shoulders
Ability to fully use both legs
Ability to reach in all directions
Possess good finger dexterity
Ability to maintain tactile sensory functions
Ability to maintain good olfactory sensory function
Ability to maintain 20/40 vision, corrected
Ability to see and recognize objects close at hand
Ability to see and recognize objects at a distance
Ability to match or discriminate between colors
Ability to determine distance/relationship between objects; depth perception
Good peripheral vision capabilities
Ability to maintain hearing acuity, with correction
Ability to perform gross motor functions with frequent fine motor movements
Ability to be qualified physically (by medical personnel) for respirator use, initially and annually
Ability to work alone in isolated areas, such as darkrooms
Ability to obtain and maintain a valid drivers license
Computer literacy
Ability to learn and use new processes, tools and equipment as required

Nice To Haves

Previous experience working with patient-tumor tissue is ideal
Supervising up to three technicians
Ex vivo 3D microfluidic culture, drug/antibody treatment of murine- and patient-derived organotypic tumor spheroids (MDOTS/PDOTS) and cell line derived monotypic tumor spheroids (MTS)
Ability to climb stairs
Ability to work in all cold temperature extremes, i.e. spot coolers
Ability to lift and carry 30 lbs., unassisted
Ability to lift objects, up to 30 lbs., from floor level to height of 72 inches, unassisted
Ability to lower objects, up to 30 lbs., from height of 72 inches to floor level, unassisted
Ability to push/pull objects, up to 50 lbs., unassisted
Ability to lift and carry objects up to 30 lbs. a distance of five (5) floors and to outlying buildings
Ability to work rotating shifts as required
Ability to work overtime as required

Responsibilities

Oversee lab operations
Assist in the planning and oversight of research projects that utilize in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro tumor model systems to examine novel therapeutic strategies to overcome resistance to cancer immunotherapy
Process patient samples from the clinic using the lab’s cutting-edge technology to evaluate response and resistance to cancer immunotherapeutics
In vivo mouse tumor models
Ex vivo and in vitro tumor models
Laboratory management
Independently troubleshoots technical problems, such as equipment malfunctions and issues in experimental assays
Develops new research directions for the development and evaluation of novel small molecule, large molecule, and cellular therapeutics, as well as developing and adapting experimental models and methodologies to carry out these investigations
Data analysis and manuscript preparation
Presenting data during lab meetings
Preparing publication quality figures, may be involved in writing of manuscripts
Efforts will directly contribute to grant applications and manuscripts
Assists in the supervision and training of new lab members
Assist with management of laboratory staff, including training, scheduling (lab meetings), and performance evaluations
Oversee day-to-day laboratory operations, including maintenance of equipment, inventory management, and ordering supplies
Ensure compliance with safety protocols and regulatory requirements in the laboratory
Collaborate with principal investigators and research teams to facilitate project execution and data collection
Assist in the development and implementation of research protocols and standard operating procedures (SOPs)
Monitor and maintain laboratory budgets and expenditures
Facilitate communication between laboratory personnel and administrative staff
Participate in grant writing and provide administrative support for research projects
Design, execute, and analyze experiments utilizing mouse models to study cancer progression and treatment responses, including tumor implantation, monitoring, and endpoint analysis for efficacy (tumor volume, survival) and correlative (immunophenotyping, single cell RNA-sequencing) studies using established and novel mouse models of cancer
Develop and validate new mouse cancer models to investigate specific tumor types and therapeutic strategies
Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, including molecular biologists, biochemists, and clinical researchers, to support translational research efforts
Manage and care for the mouse colony, ensuring compliance with ethical standards and institutional animal care regulations
Document and present research findings in internal meetings, conferences, and peer-reviewed publications
Assist in mentoring junior scientists and students in laboratory techniques and research methodologies
Stay current with advancements in cancer biology and laboratory technologies
Perform requisite fluorescence-based viability assessment of MDOTS, PDOTS, and MTS, including staining, microscope operation, image acquisition and image analysis
Maintain internal records related to MDOTS, PDOTS, and MTS processing along with associated meta-data