Postdoctoral Researcher - Pathology

Medical College of Wisconsin; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Outstanding healthcare coverage

Flexible spending options

403B retirement package

Competitive vacation and paid holidays

Tuition reimbursement

Paid parental leave

Employee & family assistance program

Pet insurance

On‑campus fitness facility

Discounted local fitness and entertainment rates

Job summary

The Medical College of Wisconsin is offering a postdoctoral position in the Leone Lab, focusing on pancreatic cancer research. Ideal candidates will hold a PhD in biochemistry or related fields and possess skills in cell culture and various biochemistry techniques.

This role emphasizes independent research planning, data analysis, and publication opportunities while ensuring professional development. Benefits include outstanding healthcare coverage, retirement plans, and educational assistance.

Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in biochemistry, cell biology, or a related field required.
• Experience with cell culture, PCR, Western blots, and flow cytometry is beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Independently plan and execute research studies.
• Coordinate research activities and manage projects.
• Prepare scientific reports and manuscripts.

Skills

Cell culture

PCR assays

Western blots

Flow cytometry

Education

PhD in a scientific field or MD

Tools

Molecular biology techniques

Job description

Summary

A postdoctoral position is available immediately in the Leone Lab, part of the Pathology Department at the Froedtert Hospital Cancer Center. The lab’s research interests involve investigating novel communication pathways between tumors and the microenvironment using both animal models and cell-based assays. Currently, the lab focuses on pancreatic cancer studies and on the cellular control of proliferation, particularly the E2F family of transcription factors and the tumor suppressor protein, Retinoblastoma.

The ideal candidate will have received a doctoral degree in biochemistry, cell biology, or a related scientific field by the time of appointment and will have experience with some or all of the following techniques: cell culture, PCR assays, Western blots, and flow cytometry. Experience working with mice is not required but would be beneficial.

Characteristics of a postdoctoral appointment

• Transition to career independence through the development of professional skills that enable the postdoc to pursue a career of his/her own choosing.
• Be supervised by at least one senior scholar who actively promotes the postdoc’s professional development.
• Establish an individual development plan (IDP) that incorporates the postdoc’s career and training goals and the mentor’s research goals.
• Pursue basic or translational projects so long as effort is focused primarily on research.
• Publish results of the postdoc’s research and scholarship during the appointment.
• The postdoctoral appointment is temporary; the aggregate amount of time spent as a postdoc is recommended not to exceed five years (not including family medical leave or maternity/paternity leave).
• Postdocs are important members of the host institution’s community and should receive appropriate levels of compensation, health care, and other benefits commensurate with their essential status, independent of the postdoc’s source of funding.

Primary Responsibilities

• Independently plan, design, and execute research studies, procedures, and protocols.
• Participate in discovery projects.
• Coordinate research study activities and manage projects.
• Apply for fellowships and other funding opportunities appropriate to the position.
• Organize and analyze data and findings.
• Prepare scientific reports, outcome findings, and scientific manuscripts.
• Participate in meetings with the principal investigator and research staff to evaluate, interpret data, develop methodologies, and design and evaluate lab procedures.
• Perform all other duties assigned.

Knowledge – Skills – Abilities

• Basic biology and chemistry concepts; mathematics; written and computer documentation; data utilization, problem solving, critical thinking, and writing skills.
• Basic biochemistry techniques including but not limited to Western blotting, PCR-based assays, molecular biology including construct design and cloning; scientific writing of manuscripts and grant proposals.

Qualifications

Minimum Required Education: PhD in a scientific field or MD

Minimum Required Experience: 0 years

Physical Requirements

Work requires occasionally lifting moderate weight materials, standing, or walking continuously.

Work Environment

Occasional exposure to dust, noise, temperature changes, or contact with water or other liquids. Work is performed in an environmentally controlled environment.

Sensory Acuity

Ability to detect and translate speech or other communication required. May occasionally require the ability to distinguish colors and perceive relative distances between objects.

Benefits

• Outstanding healthcare coverage, including health, vision, and dental.
• Flexible spending options.
• 403B retirement package.
• Competitive vacation and paid holidays.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Paid parental leave.
• Employee & family assistance program (EFAP).
• Pet insurance.
• On‑campus fitness facility offering onsite classes.
• Additional discounted rates on items such as select cell phone plans, local fitness facilities, Milwaukee recreation, and entertainment.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to fostering an inclusive community of outstanding faculty, staff, and students, and ensuring equal educational opportunity, employment, and access to services, programs, and activities, without regard to an individual’s race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, sex, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristic, or military status. Employees, students, applicants or other members of the MCW community may not be subjected to harassment that is prohibited by law or treated adversely or retaliated against based upon a protected characteristic.