Staff Scientist

City of Hope; Duarte (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Hope Beckman Research Institute in Duarte, CA seeks a Staff Scientist for the Pancreas Center to advance translational cancer and pancreatic disease research. The role bridges laboratory discoveries with clinical practice to improve patient outcomes.

The successful candidate will lead biospecimen initiatives, collaborate across disciplines, mentor trainees, publish foundational work, and contribute to grant writing and program strategy.

Qualifications

• PhD or MD or MD/PhD or equivalent with substantial research leadership.
• At least ten years of biomedical/translational or cancer research experience.
• Proven scientific writing experience including manuscripts and grant applications.
• Experience leading biospecimen initiatives and correlative studies.
• Strong experimental design and data analysis skills.
• Evidence of scientific productivity with peer‑reviewed publications.
• Excellent written and verbal communication across disciplines.
• Ability to manage multiple projects independently with strong organization.

Responsibilities

• Report to Center Director and contribute to scientific strategy.
• Contribute to Center budget and resource planning.
• Develop and lead translational research initiatives.
• Lead biospecimen and correlative research programs.
• Design studies using patient-derived specimens and models.
• Collaborate with clinicians and scientists for bench-to-bedside translation.
• Develop high-quality publications and grant proposals.
• Advance translational work toward clinical protocols.
• Serve on institutional committees as a scientific resource.
• Mentor trainees and supervise research staff.
• Build multidisciplinary collaborations and pursue funding.
• Present findings at meetings and visits to foster collaborations.

Skills

Scientific writing

Leadership

Communication

Project management

Education

PhD, MD, MD/PhD

Master's degree with substantial research experience

Tools

Next-generation sequencing

Spatial transcriptomics

Multiplex imaging

Flow cytometry

Job description

Join the forefront of groundbreaking research at the Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, where we're changing lives and making a real difference in the fight against cancer, diabetes, and other life‑threatening illnesses. Our dedicated and compassionate faculty and staff are driven by a common mission: Contribute to innovative approaches in predicting, preventing, and curing diseases, shaping the future of medicine through cutting‑edge research.

We are looking for a Staff Scientist for the Pancreas Center. This is a multidisciplinary program dedicated to transforming outcomes for patients with pancreatic diseases through innovative research, precision medicine, and clinical excellence. Bringing together multidisciplinary experts, the Center fosters seamless collaboration between laboratories and clinical investigators. Our mission is to accelerate the discovery, development, and implementation of novel strategies for the prevention, early detection, and treatment of pancreatic diseases while advancing groundbreaking research that improves patient survival and quality of life.

As a successful candidate, you will:

• Report directly to the Pancreas Center Director, who serves as the position’s sole scientific and administrative supervisor.
• Make meaningful intellectual contributions to the Center’s scientific direction and research portfolio and contribute to Center budget planning and resource allocation in collaboration with the Director.
• Develop and lead translational research initiatives that connect scientific discoveries with clinical applications.
• Lead biospecimen and correlative research programs, including oversight of designated biospecimen and pathology resources supporting Center and multi‑institutional studies, in partnership with relevant clinical, laboratory, and administrative teams.
• Design and lead the execution of studies that leverage patient‑derived biospecimens, preclinical models, and emerging technologies to address clinically important questions and unmet patient needs.
• Collaborate closely with clinicians, translational investigators, biostatisticians, bioinformaticians, and laboratory scientists to ensure seamless movement of discoveries from bench to bedside.
• Lead and contribute to the development of high‑quality, peer‑reviewed scientific publications and competitive grant applications that advance the Center’s research priorities.
• Advance translational discoveries toward clinical application through the development of rigorous regulatory and clinical protocols.
• Serve as a trusted scientific resource and collaborator across multidisciplinary teams with participation in relevant institutional committees.
• Mentor trainees’ junior investigators, and supervise assigned research personnel, while fostering a culture of scientific excellence.
• Develop, strengthen and maintain multidisciplinary research collaborations and programs that enhance the Center’s scientific impact, national visibility, and competitiveness for research funding.
• Participate in national and international scientific meetings, professional societies, and collaborative visits to share findings, develop collaborations, and inform the Center’s research direction.

Your qualifications should include:

• PhD, MD, MD/PhD, or other doctoral degree; or a master's degree with substantial relevant research experience and demonstrated scientific leadership.
• A minimum of ten years of experience in biomedical, translational, clinical, or cancer‑related research.
• Demonstrated expertise in scientific writing, including preparation of peer‑reviewed manuscripts, grant applications, clinical protocols, and other scholarly documents.
• Experience leading biospecimen initiatives and clinical trial correlative studies and applying relevant approaches such as next‑generation sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, multiplex imaging, tumor immunology, and flow cytometry.
• Strong knowledge of experimental design, translational research methodologies, scientific data analysis, and interpretation.
• Evidence of scientific productivity, including authorship of peer‑reviewed publications.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to communicate complex scientific concepts to multidisciplinary audiences.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple concurrent projects independently.

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience in clinical protocol writing and regulatory compliance for biospecimen research, and coordination of material transfer and data use agreements.
• Evidence of scientific leadership demonstrated through successful grant support, development of collaborative research programs, or advancement of discoveries toward clinical implementation.
• Ability to independently identify scientifically important questions and develop research strategies that advance discoveries toward clinical impact.

City of Hope employees pay is based on the following criteria: work experience, qualifications, and work location.

City of Hope is an equal opportunity employer.

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