Research Associate - Wang Lab

The UNC School of Medicine has a rich tradition of excellence and care. Our mission is to improve the health and wellbeing of North Carolinians, and others whom we serve. We accomplish this by providing leadership and excellence in the interrelated areas of patient care, education, and research. We strive to promote faculty, staff, and learner development in a diverse, respectful environment where our colleagues demonstrate professionalism, enhance learning, and create personal and professional sustainability. We optimize our partnership with the UNC Health System through close collaboration and commitment to service.

OUR VISION
Our vision is to be the nation's leading public school of medicine. We are ranked 2nd in primary care education among all US schools of medicine and 5th among public peers in NIH research funding. Our Allied Health Department is home to five top-ranked divisions, and we are home to 18 top-ranked clinical and basic science departments in NIH research funding.

OUR MISSION
Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of North Carolinians and others whom we serve. We accomplish this by providing leadership and excellence in the interrelated areas of patient care, education, and research.

Patient Care: We will promote health and provide superb clinical care while maintaining our strong tradition of reaching underserved populations and reducing health disparities across North Carolina and beyond.

Education: We will prepare tomorrow's health care professionals and biomedical researchers by facilitating learning within innovative curricula and team-oriented interprofessional education. We will cultivate outstanding teaching and research faculty, and we will recruit outstanding students and trainees from highly diverse backgrounds to create a socially responsible, highly skilled workforce.

Research: We will develop and support a rich array of outstanding health sciences research programs, centers, and resources. We will provide infrastructure and opportunities for collaboration among disciplines throughout and beyond our University to support outstanding research. We will foster programs in the areas of basic, translational, mechanistic, and population research.

The Research Associate will design and conduct experiments as a part of the Wang Lab, broadly on the development of novel sequencing-based molecular diagnostics, with a focus on genomic characterization of pediatric cancers using high-throughput sequencing. Responsibilities include handling/preparation of biological specimens (blood, bone marrow, tissue), DNA and RNA extraction, quality control, library preparation, and sequencing on various nanopore sequencing platforms; operation and troubleshooting of hydrogel bead generation, barcoding, and functionalization platform, including microfluidic single-cell platform; qPCR and digital droplet PCR. A successful candidate will contribute to preparation and publication of manuscripts and grants related to this work, presentation of research at internal and external meetings, didactic and lab-based mentoring and training of students (undergraduate and graduate) and trainees in the lab, and lab operations including purchasing, maintenance, and lab safety compliance.

Relevant post-Baccalaureate degree required (or foreign degree equivalent); for candidates demonstrating comparable independent research productivity, will accept a relevant Bachelor's degree (or foreign degree equivalent) and 3 or more years of relevant experience in substitution. May require terminal degree and licensure.

PhD in biology, molecular genetics, genomics, or related field. At least one year of proven postdoc level research experience in molecular genetics and diagnostics using high-throughput sequencing, including sample preparation, DNA/ RNA extraction, QC, and library preparation. Experience in preparation and publication of manuscripts and grants.

Nanopore sequencing experience ( DNA, RNA/cDNA, and adaptive sampling) and design of hydrogel bead-based single-cell experiments strongly preferred.