Postdoctoral Fellow

University of Colorado; Aurora (CO); On-site; USD 70,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora is seeking a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine to advance cancer biology research. You will design and run single-cell genomic experiments on patient-derived and model samples, and perform accompanying computational analyses.

The role blends wet-lab work with bioinformatics, requiring R/Python skills, experience in single-cell techniques, and collaboration across clinical and computational teams.

Qualifications

• PhD in molecular biology, genomics, immunology, or related field.
• At least one first-author publication in a peer‑reviewed journal.
• Ability to work with human biospecimens and adhere to biosafety standards.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute single‑cell genomic experiments on patient-derived and model samples.
• Perform bioinformatic analysis of single‑cell and genomic datasets using R/Python.
• Collaborate with computational and clinical colleagues across divisions.
• Contribute to development and maintenance of analysis pipelines in HPC environments.
• Prepare data and manuscripts for publication and grant proposals.

Skills

Single-cell sequencing

Bioinformatics

R/Python scripting

Flow cytometry

Cell biology

Team collaboration

Education

PhD in molecular biology/genomics

Tools

R

Python

HPC environments

Job description

University of Colorado Anschutz
Department: Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine
Job Title: Postdoctoral Fellow
Position #00853470 - Requisition #41226

Job Summary:
This position reports directly to Dr. Austin Gillen and is responsible for developing, executing, and analyzing data from research projects investigating how post-transcriptional regulation, RNA processing, and cellular heterogeneity shape cancer cell states in myeloid malignancies (e.g., acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic neoplasms). The position is an opportunity for a bright, creative, and enthusiastic individual to advance their career by performing impactful, cutting‑edge biomedical research that integrates wet‑lab experimentation with computational and bioinformatic analysis.

Questions should be directed to: Daniel Page - [e-mail]

Key Responsibilities:

• Design and execute single‑cell genomic experiments (e.g., single-cell RNA sequencing and related single-cell/multi‑omic assays) on patient‑derived and model samples.
• Contribute to high‑throughput screening and profiling efforts, including analysis of large patient cohorts and/or functional assays, to identify mechanisms of disease progression and treatment resistance.
• Perform bioinformatic analysis of single‑cell and genomic datasets, including scripting and pipeline development in R and/or Python.
• Contribute to the development, testing, and maintenance of reproducible software tools and computational methods for single‑cell and genomic data analysis, in collaboration with the lab's methods‑development efforts.
• Develop and apply flow cytometry, molecular biology, and cell biology assays to generate and validate experimental findings.
• Design and implement projects relating to the laboratory’s overall research program.
• Analyze, interpret, and fully document experimental results.
• Collaborate with computational and clinical colleagues across the Division of Hematology and Department of Medicine on shared datasets and cross‑disciplinary projects.
• Prepare data and manuscripts for publication.
• Prepare grant proposals to obtain independent post‑doctoral funding.
• Actively participate in and present data at group meetings, journal clubs, and conferences.
• Work in conjunction with the PI and other lab staff to achieve programmatic goals, including student and staff mentorship.
• To fulfill job requirements, candidates must receive training and adhere to institutional standards of best practice in laboratory safety, biosafety, data security, and other areas as determined by the institution and/or PI.
• Other duties as assigned.

Work Location:

Onsite - this role is expected to work onsite and is located on the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado.

Why Join Us:

The Gillen Lab is based in the Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, led by Principal Investigator Dr. Austin Gillen. The lab runs an integrated bench‑and‑computational research program studying how RNA processing and cellular heterogeneity shape cancer cell states, with a particular focus on myeloid malignancies. Fellows are trained across the full research pipeline - experimental design, data generation, computational analysis, visualization, and manuscript/grant preparation - within a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment spanning hematology, oncology, and computational biology across CU Anschutz.

Why work for the University?

The University of Colorado offers a comprehensive benefits package. To see what benefits are available for Post‑Doctoral Fellows, please visit:

• Payroll & Benefits Orientation for Post‑Doctoral Fellows | University of Colorado (cu.edu)
• Comprehensive Benefits Guide for Post‑Doctoral Fellows (cu.edu)

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

Applicants must meet minimum qualifications at the time of hire.

• A doctoral level degree (PhD, MD, MD/PhD) in molecular biology, genomics, immunology, or equivalent from an accredited institution.
• At least one first‑author publication in an internationally recognized, peer‑reviewed journal.

Conditions of Employment

• Candidates must be able to work with human biospecimens and other potentially biohazardous research materials.

Preferred Qualifications

• Graduate training in a biomedical laboratory setting studying molecular biology, genomics, immunology, hematology, or a related field.
• Experience with single‑cell genomic techniques (e.g., single‑cell RNA sequencing, single‑cell multi‑omic or spatial profiling).
• Experience with high‑throughput screening approaches or analysis of large‑scale genomic or clinical datasets.
• Proficiency in R and/or Python for bioinformatic analysis, including common single‑cell analysis toolkits, and experience working in high‑performance computing (HPC) environments.
• Experience with flow cytometry and standard molecular and cell biology techniques (e.g., cell culture, nucleic acid extraction, cloning).
• Experience processing, harmonizing, and quality‑controlling single‑cell datasets at production scale (e.g., building or maintaining an analysis pipeline across a multi‑sample clinical cohort spanning hundreds of specimens) rather than single‑experiment analyses alone.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and as a team member within a research environment.
• Ability to work efficiently and effectively with computer software, including common bioinformatic/statistical software and Microsoft Office.
• Skilled with the use of aseptic mammalian cell culture techniques.
• Skilled with common laboratory techniques and equipment, and/or computational and statistical analysis methods, consistent with PhD‑level graduate training.
• Ability to commit to an independent scientific career in cancer biology, genomics, or a related field, with a proven high degree of independence and self‑motivation to achieve these ends.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule based on the needs of the project.

Anticipated Pay Range

The starting salary range (or hiring range) for this position has been established as HIRING RANGE:

• Postdoctoral Fellow: $70,000 - $80,000

The above salary range (or hiring range) represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting. This position is not eligible for overtime compensation unless it is non‑exempt.

Your total compensation goes beyond the number on your paycheck. The University of Colorado provides generous leave, health plans, and retirement contributions that add to your bottom line.

Total Compensation Calculator: http://www.cu.edu/node/153125

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The University of Colorado (CU) is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

ADA Statement

The University will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities throughout the employment application process. To request an accommodation pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact the Human Resources ADA Coordinator at [e-mail].

Background Check Statement

The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus is dedicated to ensuring a safe and secure environment for our faculty, staff, students and visitors. To assist in achieving that goal, we conduct background investigations for all prospective employees.

Vaccination Statement

CU Anschutz strongly encourages vaccination against the COVID-19 virus and other vaccine preventable diseases. If you work, visit, or volunteer in healthcare facilities or clinics operated by our affiliated hospital or clinical partners or by CU Anschutz, you will be required to comply with the vaccination and medical surveillance policies of the facilities or clinics where you work, visit, or volunteer, respectively. In addition, if you work in certain research areas or perform certain safety sensitive job duties, you must enroll in the occupational health medical surveillance program.