Postdoctoral Associate - Bioengineering

About Rice

Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio, and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lectures series, courses and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.

Rice faculty, staff and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice’s culture. They come through in the way we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name — RICE — Responsibility, Integrity, Community and Excellence.

About George R. Brown School Of Engineering And Computing

The George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing ranks among the top 20 undergraduate engineering programs (US News & World Report) and is strongly committed to nurturing the aspirations of faculty, staff and students in an inclusive environment. We seek greater representation of women, minorities, people with disabilities, and veterans in disciplines in which they have historically been underrepresented; to attract international students from a wider range of countries and backgrounds; to accelerate progress in building a faculty and staff who are diverse in background and thought, and we support an inclusive environment that fosters interaction and understanding within our diverse community.

About the Role

The Department of Bioengineering at Rice University seeks a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate to join the Swingle Lab and conduct research at the intersection of biomaterials science, immune engineering, and reproductive biology. The postdoctoral associate will gain experience in nucleic acid therapeutics, the design and formulation of lipid nanoparticle drug-delivery technologies, and therapeutic applications in women’s health, including pregnancy conditions, gynecologic cancers, and reproductive disorders. The position will independently and collaboratively design, execute, and interpret experiments while contributing to an interdisciplinary research environment that values intentional, data-driven research, strong scientific communication, collaboration, and a welcoming laboratory culture.

Workplace Requirements

This position is exclusively on-site, necessitating all duties to be performed in person at Rice University. Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.

Responsibilities

• Designs, executes, and interprets research experiments independently and in collaboration with other researchers.
• Conducts interdisciplinary research involving biomaterials science, immune engineering, and reproductive biology.
• Contributes to research involving nucleic acid therapeutics and lipid nanoparticle drug-delivery technologies.
• Collects, analyzes, and documents research data and uses findings to guide subsequent experiments.
• Communicates research progress and findings through written materials, presentations, and discussions with the principal investigator and collaborators.
• Manages assigned research activities, priorities, and timelines.
• Participates in interdisciplinary collaborations within and outside the laboratory.
• Supports the mentorship and development of students and other junior researchers, as appropriate.
• Contributes to a welcoming and collaborative laboratory environment.
• Performs all other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Ph.D. or other doctoral degree in bioengineering, biomedical engineering, biochemistry, chemistry, or a closely related field by the appointment start date.
• No prior postdoctoral experience required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Expertise in at least one of the following areas:
  • Preclinical animal models
  • Drug delivery, nanoparticle formulation and characterization
  • Biomaterials
  • Immune engineering, immunology, or cell therapies
• Experience designing, executing, and interpreting experiments independently and collaboratively.
• Strong time- and project-management skills.
• Experience or demonstrated interest in mentorship, leadership, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.

Pay

Hiring range: starting at $48,000 annually. Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime.