Scientist or Lead Researcher (Protein Engineering, Hematology, Shengdar Q. Tsai Lab)

Apply your expertise in protein engineering towards this unique Scientist or Lead Researcher opportunity in the Tsai Genome Editing Lab, focusing on advancing genome editing technologies towards individualized treatments of pediatric patients with bone marrow failures from bench to bedside.

Overview of our lab. The Tsai  lab is a highly collaborative, creative, and fun group of scientists at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Our research program centers on: development of state-of-the-art genomic methods for understanding the global activities of genome editors, protein engineering to improve their capabilities for precise editing, and translation to autologous genome edited hematopoietic stem cell therapies.

About the job opportunity. We are seeking an outstanding and highly motivated Scientist or Lead Researcher to help lead efforts to develop personalized genome editing treatments for bone marrow failure disorders. We care deeply about the success of our scientists and this job is a unique opportunity to learn about genomics, genome editing, and protein engineering while contributing to the development of future individualized genomic medicines at St. Jude, with room for career growth and advancement.

Dr. Tsai  is co-leading a new Blue Sky Project called PARADIGM (Partnership to Advance Development of Individualized Genomic Medicines) with goal of developing personalized genome editing therapies for St. Jude patients.

You would have opportunities to lead exciting projects that include:

• Protein engineering of improved novel CRISPR base and prime genome editors with human cell-based directed evolution.
• Understanding the structure-function relationship of mutations identified from high-throughput screens on the activity of genome editors.
• Perform deep mutational scanning of CRISPR-Cas orthologues and effector domains important for precise genome editing such as deaminases and reverse transcriptases.
• Define the outcome of engineered variants on genome editing repair outcomes using high-throughput genomic methods.
• Help develop laboratory automation workflows to perform scalable protein engineering.

You would learn valuable laboratory skills that include:

• Genome engineering, high-throughput genomics, next-generation sequencing, protein engineering, structural biology, liquid handling automation, hematopoietic stem cell cell culture and transfection, and data science.

Project-dependent responsibilities could include:

• Engineer CRISPR base and prime editors with improved activity and specificities.
• Test new strategies to edit human hematopoietic stem cells for treatment of bone marrow failure disorders, focused on rapid development of editing strategies for rare patient-specific mutations.
• Optimize lead protein candidates by structure-guided design and high-throughput screening.
• Apply new machine learning techniques to guide protein engineering design.
• Analyze experimental outcomes and develop high-quality summaries towards manuscripts and grant applications.
• Draft manuscripts and figures for publication in high-impact journals.

Minimum Education and/or Training for the position include:

• A B.S. in a relevant field, such as genomics, molecular and cell biology,
• 1 year or more of hands-on, research laboratory experience.
• Excellent communication, organizational, and presentation skills.

Scientist Minimum Experience:

• Seven (7) years of relevant post-degree work experience is required
• Five (5) years of relevant post-degree work experience is required with a Master's degree
• Three (3) years of relevant post-degree work experience is required with a PhD

Lead Researcher Minimum Experience:

• Five (5) years of relevant, post-degree work experience is required
• Two (2) years of relevant post-degree work experience is required with a Master's degree
• No experience is required with a PHD

St. Jude Benefits

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital  is one of the world’s leading pediatric hospitals whose mission is to advances cures for catastrophic childhood diseases. Consistent with the vision of our founder, no child is denied treatment based on race, religion, or ability to pay.

St. Jude has been consistently named one of the best companies to work for by Fortune, GlassDoor, and others. St. Jude offers excellent benefits, great salary, help with relocation, and actively fosters professional development. As part of your role, you will have opportunities to attend and present at national and international meetings such as ASGCT, ASH, Keystone Genome Engineering, CSHL Genome Editing, and FASEB Genome Engineering.

Application process

Apply now  to join our talented team!

Please include your resume and a cover letter addressed to Dr. Tsai who will read and review all qualified applications. If you have questions about the position, please don’t hesitate to e-mail Dr. Tsai directly ([email protected] ).

Compensation

In recognition of certain U.S. state and municipal pay transparency laws, St. Jude is including a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role. This is an estimate offered in good faith and a specific salary offer takes into account factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets, experience and training, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the salary range and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current salary range is $86,320 - $154,960 per year for the role of Scientist or Lead Researcher (Protein Engineering, Hematology, Shengdar Q. Tsai Lab).

Explore our exceptional benefits !

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital has a diverse, global patient population and workforce, built on the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion. Our founder Danny Thomas envisioned a hospital that would treat children of the world—regardless of race, religion or a family’s ability to pay. Learn more about our history and commitment .

Today, we continue the mission to advance cures and means of prevention for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. As we accelerate this progress globally, we believe our legacy of diversity, equity and inclusion is foundational to success. With the commitment of leaders at all levels of the organization, we strive to ensure the St. Jude culture, leadership approaches and talent processes are equitable and culturally responsive. View our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Report  to learn about the hospital’s roots in diversity, equity and inclusion, where we are today and our aspirations for an even better future.

St. Jude is an Equal Opportunity Employer

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