Postdoctoral Fellow, Proteomics (Proteoform Spatial Biology Group - Biohub Chicago)

The Team

The Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Chicago (https://www.czbiohub.org/chi) is an independent nonprofit research institute that brings together three powerhouse universities - Northwestern University, the University of Chicago, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign - into a single collaborative technology and discovery engine. CZ Biohub itself supports some of the brightest, boldest engineers, data scientists, and biomedical researchers to make breakthroughs in medicine and develop new technologies, frequently in collaboration with our partner universities. We are guided by our values of scholarly excellence; disruptive innovation; hands-on engineering/hacking/building; partnership and collaboration; open communication and respect;

Our Vision

• We pursue large scientific challenges that cannot be pursued in conventional environments
• We enable individual investigators to pursue their riskiest and most innovative ideas
• The technologies developed at CZ Biohub Chicago facilitate research by scientists and clinicians at our home institutions and beyond

Diversity of thought, ideas, and perspectives are at the heart of CZ Biohub Network and enable disruptive innovation and scholarly excellence. We are committed to cultivating an organization where all colleagues feel inspired and know their work makes an important contribution. 

The Opportunity

The Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Chicago is seeking outstanding early-career scientists to join and participate in the launch of the Proteoform Spatial Biology Group by continuing their training as a Postdoctoral Fellow in Proteomics. The Proteoform Spatial Biology Group aims to uncover the spatiotemporal regulation of proteins and their unique molecular forms, proteoforms, in inflammation and autoimmunity. For this position, the ideal candidate is expected to have experience in working with mass spectrometry-based proteomics, phosphoproteomics, and/or interactomics.

What You'll Do

• Develop and apply large-scale phosphoproteomic workflows using a state-of-the-art mass spectrometer
• Optimize sample preparation and enrichment strategies
• Maintain and troubleshoot advanced LC-MS instrumentation
• Analyze and interpret mass spectrometry datasets, contributing to collaborative datasets, manuscripts, and presentations
• Present findings internally and externally; co-author publications

What You'll Bring

Essential -

• PhD in proteomics, analytical chemistry, biochemistry, or related field  
• Experience with bottom-up phosphoproteomics, including enrichment and LC-MS/MS  
• Strong hands-on experience with advanced mass spectrometry platforms (preferably Bruker timsTOF, Thermo Orbitrap, or equivalent, i.e., >3 yrs experience)  
• Proficiency in proteomics data analysis pipelines (e.g., MaxQuant, DIA-NN, FragPipe)  
• Ability to work both collaboratively and independently to plan, execute, and troubleshoot complex experiments

Nice to have -

• Experience with top-down proteomics or intact proteoform analysis  
• Experience with using size exclusion chromatography for inferring protein-protein interactions
• Background in immune cell biology and signaling pathways
• Skills in R, Python, or other computational frameworks for large-scale omics analysis
• Experience in protein engineering or site-directed mutagenesis
• Experience with imaging-based proteomics and/or laser capture microdissection
• Experience with single-cell nucleic acid sequencing-based assays

Compensation

The Chicago, IL base pay range for a new hire in this role is $84,150.00. 

Benefits for the Whole You 

We’re thankful to have an incredible team behind our work. To honor their commitment, we offer a wide range of benefits to support the people who make all we do possible. 

• Provides a generous employer match on employee 401(k) contributions to support planning for the future.
• Paid time off to volunteer at an organization of your choice. 
• Funding for select family-forming benefits. 
• Relocation support for employees who need assistance moving

If you’re interested in a role but your previous experience doesn’t perfectly align with each qualification in the job description, we still encourage you to apply as you may be the perfect fit for this or another role.

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