Advertising Summary: Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Medicine is a premier academic medical center located in the heart of Richmond. Accounting for almost half of VCU’s sponsored research, the School of Medicine is internationally recognized for patient care and education. Virginia Commonwealth University is an equal opportunity employer.

Unit: School Of Medicine MBU

Department: Pharmacology and Toxicology

Department Summary: The Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology of Virginia Commonwealth University is committed to an outstanding education of professional and graduate students as well as to cutting edge research. The atmosphere of the department is one of congeniality and collaboration. Alumni of the department have achieved prominent roles in academia, industry, and government. The goal of the department is to contribute to improved health through a better understanding of the mechanism of action of safer and more effective therapies. The education of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who have the potential to become independent, highly regarded scientists and excellent teachers in pharmacology is a priority.

Duties & Responsibilities:

We are seeking a highly motivated Research associate with demonstrated experience in bioinformatics specific to the gut microbiome. The ideal candidate should have a good basic understanding of data analysis and biology of the gut-brain-axis and be motivated to learn newer techniques, including animal handling procedures. The research laboratory is focused on gastrointestinal microbiome and gut-brain axis. Responsibilities will include data analysis of raw sequencing files and conducting experiments to interrogate the gastrointestinal microbiome.  Candidate should have strong technical, organizational and communication skills.

Core Responsibilities:

• Data analysis and computational biology
• Learning animal handling and conducting independent experiments involving changes in the gut microbiome with various experimental manipulations 
• Training and supervising undergraduate students in data analysis

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications

High school diploma or equivalent required. Must have a MS degree or equivalent. At least 2 years of lab experience which may include student experience. Candidate should have experience in data management, use of statistical software and proficient in R, Python and other computer programming languages commonly used for data analysis, visualization and reproducible research. Demonstrated ability to work in and foster an environment of respect, professionalism and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from all backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU.

Preferred Qualifications

Strong written and verbal communication skills, attention to detail and ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a team-based research environment are also expected.

Salary Range: $45,000-$52,000

Benefits: All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU’s robust benefits package that includes comprehensive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave, generous tuition benefits, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, employee discounts, well-being resources, abundant opportunities for career development and advancement, and more.

FLSA Exemption Status: Exempt

Hours per Week: 40

Restricted Position: This is a restricted position with no set end date; continued employment is dependent upon project need, availability of funding, and performance.

ORP Eligible: No

Flexible Work Arrangement: Fully Onsite

University Job Title: 34054-34056 - (Sr. Lab/Research Technician 1-3)

Contact Information:
Contact Name: Hamid Akbarali, Ph.D. 
Contact Email: hamid.akbarali@vcuhealth.org