What are the responsibilities and job description for the Postdoctoral Fellow, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology position at UTMB Health?
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
- Ph.D., M.D. or Doctoral equivalent in any field. Scientific research experience.
JOB DESCRIPTION:
The postdoctoral fellow will conduct, report and present research in his/her field of study under the supervision of a faculty mentor. This is a training position, and is not expected to be a permanent position. Functioning independently, the Postdoctoral Researcher will design, organize and conduct highly specialized and advanced experiments using established scientific protocols and procedures and, in some cases, designing new protocols; summarize findings and publish results in research journals; assume general responsibility for scientific operations of the laboratory; provide supervision and guidance to junior technicians, students, and researchers.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
- Develops, optimizes, and validates LC-MS/MS workflows for glycoproteomics and glycopeptidomics, including sample preparation, enrichment, chromatographic separation, acquisition, and analysis.
- Establishes research objectives and methodology and designs procedures requiring highly developed technical skill.
- Conducts research and service-development projects and performs analysis and interpretation of data.
- Defines analytical problems and evaluates solutions dictated by the research or facility project.
- Develops standard operating procedures, quality-control criteria, reference materials, and documentation needed to transition new workflows into reproducible MSF services.
- Applies targeted and discovery LC-MS/MS approaches, including PRM and high-resolution mass spectrometry, to characterize glycans and site-specific glycopeptides.
- Implements and evaluates appropriate glycoproteomics data-analysis pipelines and communicates results to the principal investigator, facility leadership, and collaborators.
- Works with UTMB investigators on experimental design, sample requirements, analytical strategy, data interpretation, manuscripts, and grant applications.
- Trains research staff, students, postdoctoral fellows, and facility users in relevant sample-preparation, instrumentation, data-analysis, and quality practices.
- Operates, calibrates, maintains, and troubleshoots mass spectrometry and chromatography equipment used in assigned projects.
- Reviews scientific literature and evaluates emerging technologies that could expand MSF capabilities.
- May publish and present research as author or co-author and may contribute to equipment, renovation, training, or facility/core enhancement proposals.
- Identifies appropriate internal controls and follows applicable laboratory safety, data-integrity, and institutional requirements.
Performs other duties as assigned
KNOWLEDGE / SKILLS / ABILITIES
- Knowledge of analytical chemistry, biochemistry, mass spectrometry, glycomics, glycoproteomics, or a related scientific discipline.
- Experience with LC-MS/MS method development, biological sample preparation, chromatography, and quantitative or discovery workflows.
- Ability to analyze complex data, troubleshoot analytical workflows, document methods, and communicate results clearly.
- Specialized expertise in glycan or glycopeptide characterization is preferred and may support project-specific lead responsibilities.
Technical, problem-solving, data-analysis, collaboration, and communication skills.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Ph.D. in chemistry, biochemistry, analytical chemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, or a closely related discipline.
- Demonstrated research experience in glycomics, glycoproteomics, or glycopeptidomics.
- Experience with high-resolution MS, Orbitrap or ion-trap platforms, triple-quadrupole MS, nanoLC/UHPLC, PRM/MRM, and glycopeptide enrichment or separation.
- Experience with Skyline, Byonic, Proteome Discoverer, PEAKS GlycanFinder, MultiGlycan, or related software.
- Peer-reviewed publication record and experience training students or research personnel.
- Experience with SOP-aligned laboratory practices, quality control, method robustness, and reproducibility.
SALARY:
Commensurate with experience using the NIH standard.
Equal Employment Opportunity
UTMB Health strives to provide equal opportunity employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or any other basis protected by institutional policy or by federal, state or local laws unless such distinction is required by law. As a Federal Contractor, UTMB Health takes affirmative action to hire and advance protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.