Postdoctoral Research Associate - Systems Immunology

University of Virginia; Charlottesville (VA); On-site; USD 75,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The Woodfolk Laboratory at UVA School of Medicine seeks a Postdoctoral Research Associate with expertise in systems immunology and computational biology. The role bridges experimental and computational immunology, focusing on human immune responses to allergens and respiratory viruses, including asthma and virus-associated lung diseases.

The candidate will work with high-dimensional data (flow cytometry, transcriptomics) and integrate clinical phenotypes, develop pipelines, and contribute to

Qualifications

• PhD in immunology, computational biology, bioinformatics, systems biology, or related field.
• Strong knowledge of immunology.
• Extensive coding and computational experience.
• Experience with high-dimensional flow cytometry and/or transcriptomics analyses.
• Experience creating or modifying computational pipelines for biological data analysis.
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills and ability to visualize complex data.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement systems immunology studies using high-dimensional immune profiling and transcriptomic approaches.
• Generate, process, and analyze multiparameter flow cytometry data to identify immune cell populations and states.
• Analyze bulk and single-cell transcriptomic datasets and relate them to phenotypes.
• Develop computational pipelines for high-dimensional datasets.
• Apply machine learning and network analysis to immunology questions.
• Collaborate with team members to interpret results and validate findings.
• Contribute to manuscript preparation, grants, and presentations.
• Mentor students and support an interdisciplinary lab environment.

Skills

Immunology

Computational biology

Bioinformatics

Systems biology

Machine learning

Single-cell RNA sequencing

CITE-seq

TCR sequencing

Data analysis

Statistical analysis

Education

Doctoral degree (PhD) in immunology, computational biology, bioinformatics, systems biology, or related field

Tools

Python

R

Bioinformatics tools

Job description

The Woodfolk Laboratory at the University of Virginia School of Medicine is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate with expertise in systems immunology and computational biology. Our research program investigates human immune responses to allergens and respiratory viruses, with a particular focus on mechanisms underlying asthma, food allergy, and virus-associated chronic lung disease, including post-viral syndromes.

The successful candidate will work at the interface of experimental and computational immunology, applying integrated approaches to define immune states, cellular interactions, and molecular pathways associated with human disease. The position will involve both the generation and analysis of high-dimensional datasets, including multiparameter/spectral flow cytometry and transcriptomics, as well as integration of these data with clinical and biological phenotypes.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and implement systems immunology studies using high-dimensional immune profiling and transcriptomic approaches.
• Generate, process, and analyze multiparameter/spectral flow cytometry data, including identification and characterization of immune cell populations and cellular states.
• Analyze bulk and/or single-cell transcriptomic datasets and integrate transcriptomic data with flow cytometry and clinical phenotypes.
• Develop and implement computational pipelines and analytical approaches for high-dimensional biological datasets.
• Apply statistical, machine-learning, dimensionality-reduction, and other systems-level approaches to identify immune signatures, cellular states, and pathways associated with disease severity and clinical outcomes.
• Collaborate closely with team members to develop hypotheses, design experiments, interpret results, and experimentally validate computational findings.
• Contribute to manuscript preparation, grant development, scientific presentations, and dissemination of research findings.
• Mentor students and contribute to the collaborative and interdisciplinary research environment of the laboratory.

Qualifications

• Doctoral degree, preferably a PhD in immunology, computational biology, bioinformatics, systems biology, or a related field.
• Strong knowledge of immunology.
• Extensive coding and computational experience.
• Demonstrated experience with analysis of high-dimensional flow cytometry and/or transcriptomics datasets.
• Experience developing, implementing, or substantially modifying computational pipelines for biological data analysis.
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills, including experience with statistical analysis and visualization of complex datasets.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary research environment.
• Strong scientific writing and communication skills.
• Experience with single-cell RNA sequencing, CITE-seq, TCR sequencing, or other multimodal single-cell technologies.
• Experience applying machine learning, network analysis, or other systems-level approaches to immunological questions.
• Research experience in immune-mediated diseases.

Research Environment

The Woodfolk Laboratory is part of the Division of Asthma, Allergy & Immunology and the Department of Medicine at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. The laboratory provides an interdisciplinary research environment that combines human immunology, experimental models, high-dimensional immune profiling, and computational approaches to investigate mechanisms of immune-mediated disease.

The postdoctoral researcher will have opportunities to collaborate with investigators across UVA and access institutional resources in flow cytometry, genomics, bioinformatics, data science, and clinical research. We are particularly interested in candidates who are excited by the opportunity to bridge experimental and computational immunology and use integrated, high-dimensional approaches to address important questions in human disease.

Salary will be commensurate with education and experience.

This is an exempt-level, benefited position. Learn more about UVA benefits.

Postdoctoral employment is normally limited to an individual who has been awarded a doctoral degree within the previous five years. This is a 12-month appointment with the possibility of renewal (for an additional two, one-year increments) contingent upon satisfactory performance and the availability of funding.

This position is based in Charlottesville, VA, and must be performed fully on-site.

About UVA And The Community

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Background checks and pre-employment health screenings

will be conducted on all new hires prior to employment.

The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Learn more about UVA’s commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity employment.