Research Scientist

Our Commitment: Texas A&M University is committed to enriching the learning and working environment by promoting a culture that respects all perspectives, talents, and lived experiences. Embracing varying opinions and perspectives strengthens our core values: Respect, Excellence, Leadership, Loyalty, Integrity, and Selfless Service.

Who We Are: As one of the fastest-growing academic health centers in the nation, Texas A&M Health encompasses five colleges and numerous centers and institutes working together to improve health through transformative education, innovative research, and team-based health care delivery.

About the Role

The Research Scientist will study epigenetic and transcriptional regulation in cancer immunotherapy and hematological diseases. The position involves supporting studies using cell-based systems, animal models, molecular assays, and high-throughput sequencing analysis. The role also includes mentoring junior lab members and leading research projects.

Responsibilities

• Epigenetic studies in normal development and disease, including identification of epigenetic mechanisms in cancer and immune cells. Studies may involve epigenetic-related mechanisms, multi-omics studies, biochemical studies, cell-based assays, and establishing cell-based therapy platforms.
• Molecular, cellular, and biochemical work:
  • Lead and perform experiments involving epigenetic analyses, molecular biology, protein biochemistry, and related disease models.
  • Experimental procedures may include tissue culture, primary cell culture, 3D spheroid/organoid culture, co-IP, ChIP, PCR, qPCR, flow cytometry/FACS, Western blotting, ELISA, DNA methylation assays, fluorescence microscopy, and related in vitro assays using wild-type and genetically modified/null cell lines, and animal work.
• Rodent work and preclinical tumor models:
  • Conduct rodent studies according to approved protocols and the highest ethical standards.
  • Participate in breeding and genotyping.
  • Carefully monitor and record rodent well-being and morbidity.
  • Perform sample collection and histology analysis.
  • Administer drugs/compounds to study animals via intra-oral, intra-venous, intra-peritoneal, or subcutaneous routes.
• Collaborations & presentations:
  • Participate actively in weekly lab meetings within the center and with other internal and external collaborators.
  • Engage in joint projects involving faculty, postdoctoral fellows, students, technicians, and core facility personnel.
• Mentorship and leadership:
  • Assist with training graduate students and junior lab personnel.
  • Assist with research grant proposals, conference abstracts, manuscripts, figures, tables, and timely publishable reports.
  • Conduct literature searches and contribute to new experimental approaches with rigor and reproducibility.

Requirements

• PhD in biochemistry, cell biology, immunology, cancer biology, pharmacology, molecular biology, or a related biomedical science field.
• Six years of experience with molecular biology, cell culture, and genetics/epigenetics, immunology.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in developmental or cancer biology, cell biology, immunology, epigenetics, or related biomedical research.
• Experience with animal cancer models, primary tissue culture, 3D spheroid/organoid cultures, molecular biology, protein biochemistry, immunology assays, and/or cell-based therapy.
• Experience with epigenetics, immunology, with technical expertise in FACS, RNA-seq, Co-IP, next-generation sequencing library preparation.
• Experience performing rodent studies under approved IACUC protocols, including oral gavage, intra-venous, intra-peritoneal, and subcutaneous injections.
• Experience with antibody development, hybridoma screening, ELISA-based assays, and antibody characterization.
• Clinical or translational research background, including MD training or experience connecting preclinical findings to human disease relevance.

Skills

• Ability to multi-task and work cooperatively with others.
• Ability to perform all tasks and job responsibilities safely, without injury to self and others, in compliance with Texas A&M System and TAMHSC guidelines.
• Must be literate in the English language and able to comprehend and follow effectively both written and verbal instructions.
• Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills in English.
• Ability to conduct independent research in areas related to developmental, cancer, and epigenetics.
• Ability to maintain accurate records, analyze data, prepare figures and reports, and contribute to manuscripts and presentations.

Benefits

• Medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, life, and AD&D insurance, with Texas A&M contributing to employee health and basic life premiums.
• 12-15 days of annual paid holidays.
• Up to eight hours of paid sick leave and at least eight hours of paid vacation each month.
• Automatic enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.
• Health and Wellness: Free exercise programs and release time.
• Professional Development: Access to free LinkedIn Learning training, webinars, and limited financial support to attend conferences, workshops, and more.
• Educational release time and tuition assistance for completing a degree while a Texas A&M employee.
• Living Well, a program built by employees, for employees.

Location: Houston, Texas | Schedule: Full-Time