Postdoctoral Scientist -Surgery Chair, Ergin Lab

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

Postdoctoral Scientist - Surgery Chair, Ergin Lab

Job Description

Principal Investigator Dr. Volkan Ergin is seeking a Postdoctoral Fellow to join the Ergin Lab in the Department of Otolaryngology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Effective gene therapies require both efficient delivery vehicles and well-designed therapeutic cargos. The Ergin Lab addresses these challenges by engineering next-generation AAV vectors for targeted gene delivery to cochlear cell populations and developing innovative genetic cargo designs for inherited and acquired forms of hearing loss.

A substantial portion of this role involves hands‑on animal research, including mouse models of acquired hearing loss, cochlear microsurgery, therapeutic delivery, and auditory functional testing. The position offers a unique opportunity to gain expertise across multiple disciplines, spanning gene therapy, synthetic biology, high‑throughput screenings, and translational therapeutic development.

Dr. Ergin brings experience from both academia and industry, providing valuable mentorship for trainees interested in academic careers, industry positions, or entrepreneurial ventures. Postdoctoral fellows will be encouraged to pursue independent funding opportunities, including NIH K99/R00 awards and other career development mechanisms.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Perform mouse breeding, colony management, husbandry, and experimental planning.
• Conduct cochlear surgeries, therapeutic delivery, cochlear dissections, tissue preparation, and phenotypic analyses in adult mice.
• Perform cochlear injection techniques in adult mice, including round window membrane (RWM) injection and canalostomy.
• Conduct functional hearing testing, including Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) and Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions (DPOAE).
• Analyze, interpret, and present experimental findings.

Qualifications

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

Interested candidates should submit:

• CV
• A cover letter describing previous research experience, particularly in inner ear research, and outlining long-term career goals.

Job Info

• Job Identification 18584
• Legal Employer Cedars‑Sinai Medical Center
• Department CSMC 8020204 Research - Surgery Chair
• Job Category Academic / Research
• Job Function Postdoctoral Scholar