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General information

Location
Cambridge, MA
Ref #
41827
Job Family
Research
Workplace
On-Site
Date published
19-Feb-2025
Time Type
Full time

Description & Requirements

The Vallabh/Minikel lab, located at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, seeks a research associate to join the team. The lab is led by Dr. Sonia Vallabh and Dr. Eric Minikel, who became scientists in response to Sonia’s own genetic test report. The goal of our work is to discover, develop, characterize and advance effective treatments for prion disease, a rapidly fatal and currently incurable neurodegenerative disease. You can read more about our mission here:

https://www.vallabhminikel.org


The successful applicant will work closely with a research scientist mentor to support multiple projects within the domains of molecular biology and neurobiology. There will also be opportunities for independent project leadership that can be scaled to the experience level of the successful applicant. Proficiency in one or more of the following domains is desirable:

  • Rodent handling
  • Laboratory rodent surgery (especially brain)
  • Rodent tissue collection and dissection (especially brain)
  • RNA and protein detection/quantification (qPCR; ELISA; Western blots)
  • Tissue culture, cloning, transfection
  • Other general molecular biology techniques
  • Our lab is oriented around the goal of developing meaningful treatments for prion disease in our lifetime. This goal, rather than any given project, defines our group and our scientific trajectory. This position is ideal for a driven individual who is excited by the big picture, is willing to pivot as needed, and takes pride in proactive problem-solving. A core value of our lab is that no task is beneath any of us. Another core value is communication; everything we do is collaborative, and our progress hinges on our ability to partner closely within and beyond the lab.


REQUIREMENTS

  • A bachelor's degree in molecular biology or an allied field.
  • Some duration of full-time hands-on work experience in a lab, including planning, executing, and interpreting experiments.
  • Exquisite attention to detail and organizational capacity.
  • Enthusiasm for working as part of a team sharply focused on therapeutic outcomes and translation to human clinical trials.
  • We encourage candidates to apply as early as possible and will review applications on a rolling basis.


Required application documents include a cover letter and CV. Please write a cover letter! Our lab is a unique environment, and we want to get a feel for why you are interested in joining our team in particular. References will be requested on follow-up. We regret that we will not be able to reply to every applicant.