Postdoctoral Research Associate - Systems Immunology

About the role

The Woodfolk Laboratory at the University of Virginia School of Medicine is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate with expertise in systems immunology and computational biology. Our research program investigates human immune responses to allergens and respiratory viruses, with a particular focus on mechanisms underlying asthma, food allergy, and virus-associated chronic lung disease, including post-viral syndromes. The successful candidate will work at the interface of experimental and computational immunology, applying integrated approaches to define immune states, cellular interactions, and molecular pathways associated with human disease. The position will involve both the generation and analysis of high-dimensional datasets, including multiparameter/spectral flow cytometry and transcriptomics, as well as integration of these data with clinical and biological phenotypes.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement systems immunology studies using high-dimensional immune profiling and transcriptomic approaches.
• Generate, process, and analyze multiparameter/spectral flow cytometry data, including identification and characterization of immune cell populations and cellular states.
• Analyze bulk and/or single-cell transcriptomic datasets and integrate transcriptomic data with flow cytometry and clinical phenotypes.
• Develop and implement computational pipelines and analytical approaches for high-dimensional biological datasets.
• Apply statistical, machine-learning, dimensionality-reduction, and other systems-level approaches to identify immune signatures, cellular states, and pathways associated with disease severity and clinical outcomes.
• Collaborate closely with team members to develop hypotheses, design experiments, interpret results, and experimentally validate computational findings.
• Contribute to manuscript preparation, grant development, scientific presentations, and dissemination of research findings.
• Mentor students and contribute to the collaborative and interdisciplinary research environment of the laboratory.

Qualifications

• Doctoral degree, preferably a PhD in immunology, computational biology, bioinformatics, systems biology, or a related field.
• Strong knowledge of immunology.
• Extensive coding and computational experience.
• Demonstrated experience with analysis of high-dimensional flow cytometry and/or transcriptomics datasets.
• Experience developing, implementing, or substantially modifying computational pipelines for biological data analysis.
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills, including experience with statistical analysis and visualization of complex datasets.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary research environment.
• Strong scientific writing and communication skills.
• Experience with single-cell RNA sequencing, CITE-seq, TCR sequencing, or other multimodal single-cell technologies.
• Experience applying machine learning, network analysis, or other systems-level approaches to immunological questions.
• Research experience in immune-mediated diseases.

Requirements

• Background checks and pre-employment health screenings will be conducted on all new hires prior to employment.
• Postdoctoral employment is normally limited to individuals who have been awarded a doctoral degree within the previous five years.
• This position is based in Charlottesville, VA, and must be performed fully on-site.

Schedule

This is a 12-month appointment with the possibility of renewal (for an additional two, one-year increments) contingent upon satisfactory performance and the availability of funding.