Department: Lineberger Compr Cancer Center-426801
Career Area : Research Professionals
Posting Open Date: 03/05/2024
Application Deadline: 03/18/2024
Open Until Filled: No
Position Type: Permanent Staff (EHRA NF)
Working Title: Research Associate
Appointment Type: EHRA Non-Faculty
Position Number: ********
Vacancy ID: NF0007899
Full Time/Part Time: Full-Time Permanent
FTE: 1
Hours per week: 40
Position Location: North Carolina, US
Proposed Start Date: 04/01/2024
Be a Tar Heel!: A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation's top public universities . Known for its beautiful campus, world-class medical care, commitment to the arts and top athletic programs, Carolina is an ideal place to teach, work and learn.One of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, Chapel Hill has diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.University employees can choose from a wide range of professional training opportunities for career growth, skill development and lifelong learning and enjoy exclusive perks for numerous retail, restaurant and performing arts discounts, savings on local child care centers and special rates on select campus events. UNC-Chapel Hill offers full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package , paid leave, and a variety of health, life and retirement plans and additional programs that support a healthy work/life balance.
Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit: The UNC School of Medicine has a rich tradition of excellence and care. Our mission is to improve the health and wellbeing of North Carolinians, and others whom we serve. We accomplish this by providing leadership and excellence in the interrelated areas of patient care, education, and research. We strive to promote faculty, staff, and learner development in a diverse, respectful environment where our colleagues demonstrate professionalism, enhance learning, and create personal and professional sustainability. We optimize our partnership with the UNC Health System through close collaboration and commitment to service.
OUR VISION
Our vision is to be the nation's leading public school of medicine. We are ranked 2nd in primary care education among all US schools of medicine and 5th among public peers in NIH research funding. Our Allied Health Department is home to five top-ranked divisions, and we are home to 18 top-ranked clinical and basic science departments in NIH research funding.
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of North Carolinians and others whom we serve. We accomplish this by providing leadership and excellence in the interrelated areas of patient care, education, and research.
Patient Care: We will promote health and provide superb clinical care while maintaining our strong tradition of reaching underserved populations and reducing health disparities across North Carolina and beyond.
Education: We will prepare tomorrow's health care professionals and biomedical researchers by facilitating learning within innovative curricula and team-oriented interprofessional education. We will cultivate outstanding teaching and research faculty, and we will recruit outstanding students and trainees from highly diverse backgrounds to create a socially responsible, highly skilled workforce.
Research: We will develop and support a rich array of outstanding health sciences research programs, centers, and resources. We will provide infrastructure and opportunities for collaboration among disciplines throughout and beyond our University to support outstanding research. We will foster programs in the areas of basic, translational, mechanistic, and population research.
Position Summary: RESEARCH ASSOCIATE POSITION in BIOINFORMATICS
UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, the cancer center for the people of North Carolina, has established the Pancreatic Cancer Center of Excellence ( to utilize its full range of cancer center faculty and their expertise to better address pancreatic cancer, one of the most aggressive and difficult to treat cancers. This comprehensive approach includes laboratory, translational and clinical research; drug development, biomedical engineering and pharmacology; and medical, radiation and surgical oncology.
Using a combination of molecular and genomic data, and human in mouse models, we have identified four core subtypes in pancreatic cancer with important biologic and clinical implications. We are seeking a research associate in cancer genomics and precision medicine who will be responsible for computational data processing, data analysis, and experimental design. The qualified candidate will integrate information from a combination of sources, including high throughput screens, proteomic and next-gen sequencing data in order to generate and validate hypotheses of therapeutic relevance to pancreatic cancer.
Minimum Education and Experience Requirements: Relevant post-Baccalaureate degree required (or foreign degree equivalent); for candidates demonstrating comparable independent research productivity, will accept a relevant Bachelor's degree (or foreign degree equivalent) and 3 or more years of relevant experience in substitution. May require terminal degree and licensure.
Required Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience: n/a
Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience: It is preferred that the candidate possesses a Bachelor's degree in bioinformatics, biostatistics, computer science or an equivalent quantitative/computational field, although higher degrees in a field of study focusing on quantitative/computational methods may be preferred.
It is preferred that the candidate has experience in handling large datasets and have applied/developed computational algorithms in the context of molecular biology.
It is preferred that the candidate a thorough understanding of common statistical tests and distributions, is able to collaborate with experimental team members for validation of computational results,
is comfortable maintaining datasets, linking diverse data, as well as displaying and interpreting processed data for publications.
It is preferred that the candidate has experience in and interested in developing several of the following skill-sets:
- Thorough knowledge of cancer biology, epigenetics, proteomics, and transcriptomics
- Familiarity with next-generation sequencing data analysis tools
- Experience working in Linux environments, including batch job management on shared computing resources
- Familiarity with a variety of supervised and unsupervised classification techniques
- Proficiency in one or more statistical or scripting languages, including R, Python, MATLAB
- Knowledge of survival-based statistical analysis, e.g. Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier analysis
- Working knowledge of best-practices for machine learning to avoid over fitting
- Familiarity with common experimental techniques in cancer
- Ability to communicate scientific material and collaborate well with computational and non-computational partners
- Excellent oral and written communication skills and the ability to perform both self-directed and guided research
- Outstanding personal initiative and the ability to work effectively as part of a team
- Willingness to assist in the mentorship and training of junior researchers Campus Security Authority Responsibilities: Not Applicable.
