Post Doctoral Associate

A postdoctoral position is available for a highly qualified and motivated candidate in the laboratory of Dr. Benjamin Nacev at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center.

The scientific goal of the Nacev Lab is to understand how cancer-associated genetic alterations in chromatin regulators promote cancer and to leverage this understanding to advance new therapeutic approaches. The lab’s focus is on cancer-associated histone mutations [Nacev et al, Nature, 2019] and genetic alterations observed in epigenetic regulators in sarcomas [Nacev*, Sanchez-Vega* et al., Nat Commun, 2022]. The Nacev lab employs diverse tools including genetic, chemical, and epigenomic approaches to model these events and studies how the epigenome is dysregulated to alter transcriptional and developmental programs important for cancer growth and oncogenic behavior.

The philosophy of the Nacev lab is to create a welcoming and inclusive environment that promotes creative thinking, and innovation, and that embraces the joy and excitement of discovery. Our mission is to pursue science in the service of helping people with cancer to live longer and better lives. For more information on the Nacev lab, please visit http://nacevlab.com/

Dr. Nacev is a physician-scientist who cares for sarcoma patients in the medical oncology clinic in addition to leading a basic and translational laboratory research program. He is committed to mentoring and training postdoctoral associates to build skills relevant to the focus of the project. The learning experience will be tailored based on the postdoctoral associate’s prior training and will be focused on building new areas of expertise in keeping with the postdoctoral associate’s overall career goals and research interests. Dr. Nacev will regularly meet 1:1 with the postdoctoral associate to discuss progress and mentorship topics. In addition, Dr. Nacev will meet with the candidate quarterly to discuss and review progress toward career goals. The School of Medicine also has significant programs and resources to support the career development of postdoctoral associates: https://www.medschool.pitt.edu/postdoctoral-scholars-and-associates

The Hillman Cancer Center offers opportunities to apply for Fellowships that provides additional support including a stipend increase of 20% above the NIH recommendation and career development funds. These programs include dedicated fellowships for individuals from underrepresented minorities or disadvantaged backgrounds, as defined by the NIH. Additional details can be found here: https://hillmanresearch.upmc.edu/research/hillman-fellows/postdoctoral/

Job requirements and specifics: Candidate must have a Ph.D. in life/biological sciences. The candidate should be no more than 3 years from the awarding of a doctoral degree. The applicant should demonstrate a thirst for scientific knowledge and discovery and have a track record of taking the initiative in pursuing new and independent ideas, adopting and optimizing emerging techniques, and working well as part of a team.

Backgrounds and skills in any of the following domains would significantly contribute to the laboratory program: Development of GEMM ¦ Epigenomic techniques including ATAC-seq, CUT&RUN, ChIP-seq, and Hi-C ¦CRISPR/Cas9 functional screens ¦ Proteomics including BioID ¦ Computational analysis of epigenomic and transcriptomic datasets ¦familiarity with a single cell and/or spatial transcriptomic and/or epigenomic techniques such as sc-RNA-seq and sc-ATAC-seq.

Prior work in chromatin or epigenetics is not a prerequisite. Interested applicants should apply, and also provide a CV and cover letter to nacevba@upmc.edu and be prepared to provide 3 letters of reference upon request.

Candidate must have a Ph.D. in life/biologic sciences. The candidate should be no more than 3 years from the awarding of a doctoral degree. The applicant should demonstrate a thirst for scientific knowledge and discovery and have a track record of taking the initiative in pursuing new and independent ideas, adopting and optimizing emerging techniques, and working well as part of a team. Backgrounds and skills in any of the following domains would significantly contribute to the laboratory program: Development of GEMM ¦ Epigenomic techniques including ATAC-seq, CUT&RUN, ChIP-seq, and Hi-C ¦CRISPR/Cas9 functional screens ¦ Proteomics including BioID ¦ Computational analysis of epigenomic and transcriptomic datasets ¦familiarity with a single cell and/or spatial transcriptomic and/or epigenomic techniques such as sc-RNA-seq and sc-ATAC-seq. Prior work in a chromatin or epigenetics is not a prerequisite. Interested applicants should apply to join.pitt.edu, requisition #23001631 and also provide a CV and cover letter to nacevba@upmc.edu and be prepared to provide 3 letters of reference upon request. The University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and values equality of opportunity, human dignity and diversity, EOE, including disability/vets.

The University of Pittsburgh is committed to championing all aspects of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility within our community. This commitment is a fundamental value of the University and is crucial in helping us advance our mission, which includes attracting and retaining diverse workforces. We will continue to create and maintain an environment that allows individuals to discover, belong, contribute, and grow, while honoring the experiences, perspectives, and unique identities of all.

The University of Pittsburgh is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and values equality of opportunity, human dignity and diversity. EOE, including disability/vets.