Research Associate, Multiomics and Immune Profiling Lab (MIP - CZ Biohub Yale Annex)

The Team

The Chan Zuckerberg Biohub New York (CZ Biohub NY) (https://www.czbiohub.org/ny/) is an independent nonprofit research institute that brings together three powerhouse universities - Columbia University, The Rockefeller University, and Yale University - into a single collaborative technology and discovery engine. CZ Biohub NY itself supports some of the brightest, boldest engineers, data scientists, and biomedical researchers to investigate the fundamental mechanisms underlying disease and develop new technologies that will lead to actionable diagnostics and effective therapies. We are guided by our values of scholarly excellence; disruptive innovation; hands-on engineering/hacking/building; partnership and collaboration; open communication and respect; inclusiveness; and opportunity for all.

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 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 CZ Biohub NY is seeking a skilled and collaborative Research Associate to support the development and operation an Multiomics and Immune Profiling Lab (MIP Lab) at Yale University (in the CZ Biohub Yale Annex). Responsibilities include managing human samples, processing PBMCs, and focusing on immunology, flow cytometry, and cell-based assays and technologies. The person will implement functional cell-based and immunological assays, perform cell sorting and flow cytometry analysis in support of large-scale collaborative projects. This position is ideal for someone who is passionate about immunological technologies and cell-based assays and thrives in a team-oriented, high-throughput environment.

The mission of the CZ Biohub NY—a collaborative effort between CZI, Yale, Columbia, and Rockefeller Universities—is to harness the human immune system for early disease detection and prevention. We are developing cutting-edge approaches to decode immune cell trafficking and sensing, engineer immune cells, and decipher the disease sensing code of immune cells throughout the body. The MIP Lab will implement and develop cutting-edge immune monitoring, profiling, and engineering technologies to support the mission of the CZ Biohub NY and its Annex at Yale.  The selected candidate will join a dynamic and exciting team and this position will allow the candidate to continue to build and expand their laboratory, scientific, and cross-disciplinary teamwork skills.

What You'll Do

• Maintain and operate cell sorter and spectral flow cytometers.
• Manage human samples; coordinate sample processing and experimental workflows with collaborating investigators.
• Design and execute complex spectral flow cytometry experiments, including multi-parameter panel optimization and data acquisition.
• Set up and optimize in vitro cell stimulation assays and functional immunological readouts.
• Establish and maintain primary cell culture systems and immortalized cell lines for immunological studies.
• Develop and implement standardized protocols for cell-based assays, including viability assessment, proliferation assays, and cytokine measurements.
• PBMC isolation and processing.
• Perform quality control analysis of flow cytometry and immunological assay data to support experimental troubleshooting.
• Maintain detailed documentation of protocols, experimental conditions, and results
• Work closely with other team members to support large-scale profiling and human immune monitoring projects.
• Contribute to the training and mentoring of junior team members on cell and flow cytometry techniques.
• Interacts with collaborators/PIs and their lab members to discuss and evaluate results.
• Interacts with external contacts such as staff at biotechnology and reagent companies to consult on and further develop research methods.
• Interact with EHS (environment, health, safety) officers to ensure the smooth and safe operation of the laboratory.

What You'll Bring

Essential - 

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in immunology, cell biology, molecular biology or a related field. 
• Background in immunology with hands-on experience in immunological assays (e.g., ELISA, cytokine measurements, immune cell functional assays.)
• 1 year of experience with mammalian cell culture, including primary immune cells (e.g., T cells, B cells, monocytes, dendritic cells.)
• Flow cytometry and cell sorting skills, including panel design, instrument operation, compensation, and data analysis (including using FlowJo.)
• Experience with in vitro cell stimulation assays and functional readouts.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail in executing multi-step experimental workflows.
• Excellent communication skills and demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in team-based research environments.
• Enthusiasm for technology implementation and large-scale project execution and coordination rather than independent hypothesis-driven research.

Nice to have -

• 3+ years of relevant research experience, or PhD in a relevant field with a keen interest in performing hands-on work in team settings.
• Experience with high-throughput or automated cell culture systems.
• Familiarity with additional flow cytometry techniques (e.g., imaging flow cytometry.)
• Knowledge of cell-based screening platforms and plate-based assay formats.
• Experience working in core facility or technology platform settings.
• Basic programming skills (Python and/or R) for data processing and visualization.

Compensation

The New York City, NY  base pay range for a new hire in this role is $71,000.00 - $98,000.00. New hires are typically hired into the lower portion of the range, enabling employee growth in the range over time. Actual placement in range is based on job-related skills and experience, as evaluated throughout the interview process. 

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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