Postdoctoral Fellow

Job Summary:

The Division of Medical Oncology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine invites applications for a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Oncology Research in the Davila Laboratory.

The overarching goal of this fellowship is to prepare outstanding trainees for independent research careers, with a focus on developing next-generation cellular therapies for cancer.

The fellowship consists of two integrated components: scholarly research (85%) and education/training (15%).

The postdoctoral fellow will play a central role in experimental design, execution, data analysis, and interpretation, and will present findings regularly in one-on-one meetings, laboratory meetings, and multidisciplinary research forums.

This position reports to Eduardo Davila, PhD, Professor in the Division of Medical Oncology and a member of the Comprehensive Cancer Center. Administrative and human resources support are provided by the Division of Medical Oncology.

Key Responsibilities:

75% – Primary Research

• Design, initiate, and execute independent and collaborative research projects
• Perform rigorous literature review, data analysis, and interpretation with guidance from the PI
• Develop and validate TCR-T or Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocyte cellular therapy
• Conduct in vitro and in vivo studies, including mouse models
• Collaborate closely with lab members and local, national, and international collaborators
• Maintain clear, transparent, and reproducible documentation of all research activities, including well-annotated and shareable code where applicable

10% – Communication and Dissemination

• Present research progress at lab meetings, project meetings, and individual PI meetings
• Prepare abstracts and present findings at local, national, and international scientific conferences
• Write and publish manuscripts as first or co-author in peer-reviewed journals
• Actively pursue individual fellowship and career development awards

5% – Training and Mentorship

• Develop and document experimental workflows and protocols
• Train and mentor graduate students and research staff in relevant techniques

5% – Career Development

• Participate in career development seminars, workshops, and networking opportunities
• Develop and review an Individual Development Plan (IDP) annually with the PI

5% – Patient and Community Engagement

• Communicate research progress to patient advocacy groups in accessible formats
• Participate, when appropriate, in public-facing educational or outreach efforts

Work Location:

Onsite – this role is expected to work onsite and is located in Aurora, CO.

Why Join Us:

CU Anschutz is an academic medical campus at the forefront of transformative education, science, medicine, and healthcare. From heart disease to cancer, Alzheimer’s to COVID-19, our campus and collaborative partnerships advance the life-changing discoveries of tomorrow. We educate 4,500 degree-seeking future health professionals and see over 2 million patient visits annually with $757 million in annual research grants. In the Department of Medicine alone, we have more than 1,000 faculty, 192 residents and 200 fellows distributed in 14 divisions, our clinical, research and academic programs attract the best providers, investigators, staff, and students from around the world who are transforming the future of health care.

In Medical Oncology, our faculty are acknowledged both nationally and internationally for their innovative work in cancer research, resulting in regular collaborations with a variety of institutions globally in addition to collaborations with colleagues within our own division and institution. The focus of our researchers is centered around the development and application of experimental therapeutics and targeted agents for future cancer patient treatment as well as advancing patient-centered care for those facing cancer. Innovative strides continue to be made in cancer research each day because of the continued passion and dedication by our faculty in the fight against cancer.

Why work for the University?

The University of Colorado offers a comprehensive benefits package. To see what benefits are available for Post-Doctoral Fellows, please visit:

· Payroll & Benefits Orientation for Post-Doctoral Fellows | University of Colorado (cu.edu)

· benefits guide cover-post-doc-2024 (cu.edu)

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

Applicants must meet minimum qualifications at the time of hire.

• PhD in biological sciences or a related field, with emphasis on cancer biology and/or cellular therapy
• Demonstrated proficiency in scientific communication, including at least one first-author peer-reviewed publication and oral presentations at scientific meetings

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with R, Python, or similar programming languages
• Experience in flow cytometry
• Prior work in translational or immuno-oncology research

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Experience developing and executing in vitro and in vivo models of cellular therapies
• Experience designing, cloning, and validating cellular therapy constructs
• Proficiency with high-parameter flow cytometry
• Familiarity with bioinformatics workflows (e.g., single-cell RNA-seq analysis)
• Strong background in cell culture, molecular cloning, viral transduction, and molecular biology (western blot, PCR, imaging, immunoprecipitation)
• Strong interest in cancer cell therapeutics

How to Apply:

For full consideration, please submit the following document(s):

1. A letter of interest describing relevant job experiences as they relate to listed job qualifications and interest in the position

2. Curriculum vitae / Resume

3. Three professional references including name, address, phone number (mobile number if appropriate), and email address

Applications are accepted electronically ONLY at