Postdoctoral Scientist: Hearing Gene Therapy & Cochlear Frontiers

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles invites applications for a Postdoctoral Scientist in the Surgery Chair, Ergin Lab within the Otolaryngology department. The role focuses on engineering AAV vectors for targeted cochlear gene delivery and innovative genetic cargo designs for hearing loss, with significant hands-on animal research in mouse models.

The successful candidate will perform cochlear surgeries, therapeutic delivery, and auditory testing (ABR/DPOAE) and will be mentored toward

Qualifications

• PhD, MD, MD/PhD, VMD, or equivalent doctoral degree in a relevant field.
• Research experience in inner ear biology and hearing research.
• Experience with mouse models under IACUC-approved protocols.
• Experience performing functional hearing assessments (ABR, DPOAE).
• Hands-on cochlear injection techniques.
• Ability to design experiments, analyze data, and communicate findings.
• Experience with noise-induced, age-related, or ototoxicity-induced hearing loss models is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Perform mouse breeding, colony management, husbandry, and experimental planning.
• Conduct cochlear surgeries, therapeutic delivery, dissections, tissue prep, and phenotypic analyses in adult mice.
• Perform cochlear injection techniques in adult mice (RWM injection, canalostomy).
• Conduct functional hearing testing including ABR and DPOAE.
• Analyze, interpret, and present experimental findings.

Skills

Experiment design

Data analysis

Scientific communication

Cochlear injection techniques

Mouse handling

Education

PhD or MD or equivalent

Tools

ABR equipment

DPOAE equipment

Job description

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles invites applications for a Postdoctoral Scientist in the Surgery Chair, Ergin Lab within the Otolaryngology department. The role focuses on engineering AAV vectors for targeted cochlear gene delivery and innovative genetic cargo designs for hearing loss, with significant hands-on animal research in mouse models.

The successful candidate will perform cochlear surgeries, therapeutic delivery, and auditory testing (ABR/DPOAE) and will be mentored toward