Postdoc Associate - Cardiovascular Disease Initiative (CVDI)

The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, a world leader in genetic research, is looking for an exceptional postdoctoral candidate to join the Cardiovascular Disease Initiative (CVDi) led by Dr. Pradeep Natarajan. Dr. Natarajan leads an interdisciplinary research group that utilizes emerging methods in biomedical informatics and human investigation to leverage naturally occurring human genetic variation and advance the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, particularly atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. By systematically cataloguing the disease relevance of genetic alleles with complementary molecular profiling and genotype-based human investigation, we uncover and advance emerging concepts in genomic and precision medicine. Dr. Natarajan is a leader in 'human knockout' discovery and investigation to prioritize therapeutic targets, monogenic and polygenic characterization of heritable traits through whole genome sequencing, and the novel concept of somatic mutations contributing to cardiovascular disease. The lab has utilized artificial intelligence and machine learning methods in conjunction with human genetics and multi-omics to gain new insights into cardiovascular disease.

In this role, the postdoc will work on NIH-funded as well as exploratory academic projects. The postdoc will lead the development and application of novel methods for the integration of multimodal biological datasets to understand how common and rare variants associated with cardiovascular disease contribute to etiology. The candidate should have a strong biological background and knowledge of genomic and statistical methods, as well as demonstrated expertise in large-scale data processing and analysis, and be motivated to leverage genomics to understand disease pathology.

A successful candidate is expected to excel at critical thinking and be a keen learner for new tools and analytical approaches. The postdoctoral trainee should be self-motivated and willing to take advantage of the multidisciplinary network of scientist around them and engage with collaborators and fellow group members.

Responsibilities:

Overall: The successful candidate will serve as an expert in the analytical pipelines and tools, conducting genetic association studies in millions of participants across biobanks, generating polygenic scores for various traits, curating phenotypes within electronic health records for longitudinal prediction, and large-scale human disease datasets.

1. Analyzing the sequencing data from large-scale biobanks, including the Mass General Brigham Biobank, UK Biobank, All of Us Research Program data, UK Biobank and others. Assist with the development of analysis aiming at (1) calling and annotating variants in sequencing data and (2) developing association frameworks to link detected variants to phenotypes.
2. Responsible for processing incoming blended genome exome (BGE) datasets (i.e., a cost-effective method that combines low-pass whole genome sequencing with deep exome sequencing from a single DNA sample) from various cohorts and calling copy-number variants in these samples.
3. Responsible for QCing the results and generating reports to share with collaborators. Utilize a computational pipeline that performs efficient and reproducible analysis, including quality control measures.
4. Provide collaborative bioinformatics analysis in support of other research projects.
5. Track and communicate progress to internal and external stakeholders at meetings and over Slack.
6. Lead the planning, execution, and communication (publications and presentations) of scientific projects under the supervision of the Principal Investigator.

Qualifications candidates must have:

1. Ph.D. or MD, PhD in areas such as genetics, biology, bioinformatics, computational biology or preferably interdisciplinary sciences merging biology and bioinformatic skills
2. Fast learner and analytical thinker, comfortable taking initiative to learn new skills and drive projects to completion.
3. Demonstrated experience in biology and/or genetics, publication in scientific journals, and demonstrated ability to communicate scientific ideas through verbal presentations.
4. Motivation to communicate research findings with the broader field through high-quality publications.
5. Strong communication skills and willingness to engage with other members of the lab and contribute ideas through team meetings and discussions.
6. Fluency in Unix, standard bioinformatics tools (Python, R, or equivalent)
7. Interest in leading major publications and furthering their career in the genomics/biomedical space.
8. Experience with cloud-based computational environments
9. Excellent communication, organization, and time management skills
10. Creative, organized, motivated, team player

At Broad, your base pay is just one part of a comprehensive total rewards package. From day one, this role offers a competitive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance; a 401(k)-retirement plan; flexible spending and health savings accounts; at least 13 paid holidays; winter closure; paid time off; parental and family care leave; and an employee assistance program, among other Broad benefits.

The Broad Institute is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations.

The expected base pay range for this position as listed above is based on a 40 hour per week schedule. Broad provides pay ranges representing its reasonable and good faith estimate of what the organization reasonably expects to pay for a position at the time of posting. Actual compensation will vary based on factors including but not limited to, relevant skills, experience, education, qualifications, and other factors permissible by law.

At Broad, your base pay is just one part of a comprehensive total rewards package. From day one, this role offers a competitive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance; a 401(k) retirement plan; flexible spending and health savings accounts; at least 13 paid holidays; winter closure; paid time off; parental and family care leave; and an employee assistance program, among other Broad benefits.

The Broad Institute is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations.

Should you need a reasonable accommodation to complete the application or interview process, please contact recruiting@broadinstitute.org for assistance.