Senior Scientist - Neurology

Washington University in St. Louis; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 63,400 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vacation & holidays

Health insurance

Transit benefits

403(b) retirement plan

Job summary

Washington University in St. Louis is seeking a Senior Scientist to spearhead projects on cellular senescence, tau biology, and their roles in neurodegenerative diseases.

The role involves designing, conducting, and reporting research work while collaborating with a multidisciplinary team. The candidate will develop cutting‑edge techniques across cellular, molecular, biochemical, and imaging approaches and will mentor junior scientists, contribute to grants and manuscripts, and engage with

Qualifications

• PhD or terminal degree required; combination of education and experience may substitute.
• Post‑doctoral experience: 3 years.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute innovative studies on aging, tau biology, and neurodegeneration.
• Develop and apply cellular, molecular, biochemical, and imaging techniques.
• Lead translational projects across cells, animal models, and human tissue.
• Collaborate with clinicians, computational biologists, and neuroscientists to integrate findings.
• Mentor junior lab members and contribute to grant writing and publications.

Skills

Analytical problem solving

Laboratory instrumentation

Laboratory processes

Laboratory techniques

Oral communication

Teamwork

Working independently

Written communication

Education

PhD or terminal degree

Job description

Position Summary

Seeking an ambitious, innovative, and highly skilled Senior Scientist to spearhead projects that explore cellular senescence, tau biology, and their roles in neurodegenerative diseases. The role involves collaborating on designing, conducting, and reporting research projects.

Job Details

Scheduled Hours: 40 hours per week.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

• Collaborate on the design and execution of innovative research studies focusing on the intersection between biological aging and neurodegenerative disease, with a particular emphasis on cellular senescence and tau biology.
• Develop and implement cutting‑edge cellular, molecular, biochemical, and imaging techniques to investigate brain aging and neurodegeneration.
• Lead projects across the translational spectrum—including cells, animal models, postmortem human tissue, and clinical trials.
• Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team—clinicians, computational biologists, and neuroscientists—to integrate findings across experimental platforms.
• Mentor junior lab members, including postdocs, graduate students, and technicians, fostering a collaborative and dynamic research environment.
• Contribute to grant writing, manuscript preparation, and dissemination of research findings at scientific conferences and in peer‑reviewed publications.
• Engage with clinical trial teams to bridge preclinical discoveries with translational applications.
• Comply with established safety procedures and maintain required documentation on laboratory and specimen conditions.
• Manage research projects with other institutions and investigators.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Working Conditions

• Work in a laboratory environment with potential exposure to biological, chemical, and radioactive hazards.
• Must be physically able to wear protective equipment and provide standard care to research animals.

Education & Experience

Required Qualifications: PhD or terminal degree or combination of education and experience may substitute for minimum education.

Preferred Qualifications: None specified beyond the required qualifications.

Post‑doctoral Experience: 3 years.

Certifications / Professional Licenses

No specific certification or professional license is required for this position.

Skills

• Analytical problem solving
• Laboratory instrumentation
• Laboratory processes
• Laboratory techniques
• Oral communication
• Teamwork
• Working independently
• Written communication

Driver's License

A driver's license is not required for this position.

Grade & Salary Range

Grade: R12

Salary Range: $63,400.00 – $115,000.00 per year.

Benefits Statement

Personal

• Up to 22 days of vacation, 10 recognized holidays, and sick time.
• Competitive health insurance packages with priority appointments and lower copays/coinsurance.
• Eligibility for a free Metro transit U‑Pass.
• Defined contribution (403(b)) retirement savings plan with employee and university contributions starting at 7%.

Wellness

• Wellness challenges, annual health screenings, mental health resources, mindfulness programs and courses, employee assistance program (EAP), financial resources, access to dietitians.

Family

• 4 weeks of caregiver leave to bond with a new child. Support for continued childcare needs.
• Coverage of tuition for employees and families—up to 100% for undergraduate-level dependents at WashU and 40% elsewhere after seven years.

For policies, detailed benefits, and eligibility, please visit: https://hr.wustl.edu/benefits/

EEO Statement

Washington University in St. Louis is committed to the principles and practices of equal employment opportunity. It is the University’s policy to provide equal opportunity and access to persons in all job titles without regard to race, ethnicity, color, national origin, citizenship (where prohibited by federal law), age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information.