Research Associate 2

Temporary part-time position (20 hours per week), remote within U.S. locations.

About the role

The early career research associate will propose and conduct research under the guidance of a self-selected mentor, leveraging National Institute of Health (NIH) Common Fund datasets and resources to address complex biological questions. The research will center on integrative analysis across multiple NIH Common Fund datasets, focusing on developing computational strategies that enable discovery across independently generated data resources.

The associate will contribute to the Common Fund Data Ecosystem (CFDE) community through dissemination of findings, development of reproducible workflows, and active engagement in collaborative initiatives. This role supports broader efforts to advance biomedical data integration and reuse.

Common challenges include integrating heterogeneous datasets from multiple NIH Common Fund programs that differ in data formats, standards, metadata, and quality. These are resolved by developing computational workflows, applying data harmonization techniques, and using appropriate statistical and bioinformatics methods.

Responsibilities

• Conduct research applying computational, bioinformatics, and statistical approaches to address complex biological questions using diverse datatypes, including omics (e.g., spatial, multi-omics, single-cell, genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics) and biological entities (e.g., cell, connectivity, tissue, drug, organ).
• Engage regularly with a selected mentor to discuss research progress, leverage CFDE data and resources, and ensure alignment with proposed research goals.
• Develop publications, conference presentations, reproducible workflows, and other project outputs for the CFDE community and wider research community.
• Participate in CFDE annual meetings, events, presentations, mentoring opportunities, or other community-facing activities.
• Other tasks as assigned.

Requirements

• Master’s degree and 1–2 years of directly related experience, or Ph.D. in Bioinformatics, Biomedical Informatics, Computational Biology, Molecular Biology, Data Science, or a closely related field with 0 years of experience. An equivalent combination of education and experience may substitute for minimum requirements.
• Ph.D. must have been earned within the past 5 years, if applicable.
• Demonstrated research experience in computational biology, data science, bioinformatics, biomedical informatics, molecular biology, or related field, including:
  • Analysis of complex biomedical datasets
  • Use or development of reproducible computational workflows
  • Scientific publication and presentation
  • Collaboration with multidisciplinary research teams
• Applicants must submit a one-page research proposal describing:
  • Planned research using data from two or more CFDE datasets (https://cfdeknowledge.org/r/kc_landing)
  • CFDE resources, tools, or support needed to complete the research
  • Summary of prior experience with omics-related data and CFDE data (prior CFDE experience not required)

Skills

• Knowledge of computational biology, bioinformatics, data science, molecular biology, or related field, with an understanding of biomedical research and multi-omics data analysis.
• Ability to apply computational, statistical, and analytical methods to integrate and analyze complex biomedical datasets.
• Proficiency in programming and data analysis tools commonly used in biomedical research (e.g., R, Python, or similar).
• Strong scientific communication skills, including preparing publications, presentations, and reproducible research outputs.
• Ability to work independently under mentor guidance while collaborating with interdisciplinary teams and the broader CFDE community.
• Strong organizational, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and contribute to collaborative research initiatives.

Pay

Salary range: $35.19 – $48.95 per hour. Starting salary will be determined based on candidate qualifications, internal comparators, and salary survey data.

Benefits

• Legally required benefits
• Group health insurance (medical, prescription, dental, and vision)
• Retirement plan contribution matching
• Disability insurance
• Group life insurance
• Travel accident insurance
• Section 125 reimbursement accounts
• Other voluntary employee-paid benefit and insurance offerings
• Work-life balance benefits:
  • Telework
  • Paid time off (PTO)
  • Paid holidays
  • Flexible work schedules or compressed work weeks
  • Occupational health and wellness programs
  • Employee assistance program