Postdoctoral Research Associate

Benaroya Research Institute; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 80,182 - 83,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Flexible spending accounts

Disability insurance

Life and AD&D insurance

403(b) retirement plan

Holidays and vacation

Educational assistance

Subsidized ORCA pass

Wellness benefits

Voluntary benefits

Job summary

Benaroya Research Institute (BRI) in Seattle seeks a Postdoctoral Research Associate to investigate immune mechanisms driving type 1 diabetes and autoimmune diseases. The lab combines human immunology, single-cell and multi-modal technologies, and systems immunology approaches to understand disease progression and therapy response.

This collaborative position provides mentored training to prepare early‑career scientists for independent careers, with exposure to large trial consortia and multi‑PI

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Immunology or related biomedical science.
• Experience with tissue culture and cellular and molecular biology techniques.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to independently design experiments while contributing within a multidisciplinary research team.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement independent research projects on human autoimmune disease.
• Identify autoreactive B and T cells for downstream transcriptional, single‑cell, and multi‑modal analyses.
• Analyze, interpret, and document experimental results using statistical and computational methods.
• Use AI and collaborate with the BRI Bioinformatics team to integrate systems immunology analyses into research projects.
• Prepare manuscripts for publication and present research findings at scientific meetings.
• Contribute to fellowship applications, grant proposals, and collaborative research initiatives.
• Collaborate with investigators across BRI, the University of Washington, TrialNet, and other research partners.
• Provide informal supervision and scientific guidance to research technicians and students as appropriate.
• Participate in weekly Lab meetings, institute seminars, and scientific conferences.
• Foster a collaborative, respectful, and intellectually curious research environment.

Skills

Independent thinking

Collaboration

Scientific creativity

Written communication

Verbal communication

Education

Ph.D. in Immunology or related biomedical science

Tools

Tissue culture

Molecular biology techniques

Flow cytometry

Spectral cytometry

Single-cell technologies

Job description

The Long Lab within the Center for Translational Immunology at Benaroya Research Institute (BRI) is seeking a creative and highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate to investigate the immune mechanisms that drive type 1 diabetes (T1D) and other autoimmune diseases. The Lab combines advanced human immunology, single-cell and multi-modal technologies, and systems immunology approaches to better understand disease progression, patient variability, and response to therapy. Similar approaches are used in the Khor lab that studies Down’s Syndrome and immune aging, presenting a unique opportunity to gain exposure to projects that span immune mediated diseases.

This collaborative position provides a unique opportunity to study immune regulation and autoreactive T cell during the earliest stages of T1D using cross-sectional, longitudinal and clinical trial samples. The successful candidate will lead independent cellular and molecular research while working alongside experts in immunology, bioinformatics, and translational medicine. This position is a mentored training opportunity designed to prepare early‑career scientists for independent research careers through close collaboration, scientific mentorship, and professional development. This position will provide exposure to independent projects, but also experience working with large trial consortia and multi‑PI projects.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement independent or semi‑independent research projects focused on human autoimmune disease.
• Design and perform experiments to identify autoreactive B and T cells for downstream transcriptional, single‑cell, and multi‑modal analyses.
• Analyze, interpret, and document experimental results using appropriate statistical and computational methods.
• Use AI and collaborate with the BRI Bioinformatics team to integrate systems immunology and computational analyses into research projects.
• Conduct literature reviews and remain current with advances in immunology and autoimmune disease research.
• Prepare manuscripts for publication in peer‑reviewed journals and present research findings at scientific meetings.
• Contribute to fellowship applications, grant proposals, and collaborative research initiatives.
• Collaborate with investigators across BRI, the University of Washington, TrialNet, and other research partners.
• Provide informal supervision and scientific guidance to research technicians and students as appropriate.
• Participate in weekly Lab meetings, institute seminars, and scientific conferences.
• Foster a collaborative, respectful, and intellectually curious research environment that values innovation, teamwork, and scientific rigor.

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Immunology or a related biomedical science.
• Experience with tissue culture and cellular and molecular biology techniques.
• Demonstrated technical proficiency, scientific creativity, collaboration, and independent thinking.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to independently design experiments while contributing effectively within a multidisciplinary research team.

Preferred

• Experience in human immunology, autoimmune disease, or type 1 diabetes research.
• Experience with flow or spectral cytometry, single‑cell technologies, and large‑scale biological datasets.
• Interest in systems immunology and willingness to develop computational analysis skills.
• Experience working with human clinical samples and translational research.
• Publication record demonstrating scientific productivity.

Compensation

$80,182 - $83,000 per year; depending on years of postdoctoral experience.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision insurance
• Flexible spending accounts: health care, dependent care, commuter
• Short and long‑term disability
• Life and AD&D insurance
• 403(b) retirement plan with matching funds after one year of employment
• 13 holidays, 3 weeks of vacation and 2 weeks of sick leave per year
• Employee assistance program
• Educational assistance program
• Subsidized ORCA pass
• Wellness benefits
• Voluntary benefits

About Us

Benaroya Research Institute (BRI) has a bold mission: to advance the science to predict, prevent, reverse and cure immune system diseases , from autoimmune disease to cancer to asthma and allergies . We create detailed pictures of the immune system in health and disease, aiming to understand how disorders start and how to rebalance the immune system back to health. Equipped with innovative tools and robust biorepositories , our team chips away at the biggest mysteries behind these conditions to work toward our vision of a healthy immune system for everyone. BRI is a nonprofit research institute based in Seattle and affiliated with Virginia Mason Franciscan Health. We collaborate with clinicians and patients to accelerate the path from innovative lab discoveries to life‑changing patient care.

At BRI, each individual is valued as an important contributor to our vision and mission. Consider making a difference by joining our team. Because together, we are powering possibility.

To learn more, visit benaroyaresearch.org and connect with us on LinkedIn , Bluesky , Instagram , Threads , Facebook and YouTube .

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by state or federal law.

If you need an accommodation or assistance completing the online application, please contact Human Resources at 206-342-6547 or email [e-mail]. This contact information is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.