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The Surgery department has an exciting opportunity for a full time Associate Scientist, SOM (A) position. The incumbent supports the University’s research goals and objectives by performing laboratory experiments in his/her areas of interest, expertise, or assignment. Moreover, the incumbent performs various analytical procedures involving method development and application development and synthesis.

CORE JOB FUNCTIONS                                                                                                          

Contributes to basic and applied research activities including authorship of scientific publications, technical and agency reports, and patent preparations.

Publishes in refereed journals in collaboration with department leadership or independently.

Supervises research employees and non-exempt staff.

Writes extramural proposals with approval of senior managing staff.

Creates and conducts experiments and analyzes results.

Works with other researchers to use and develop end products.

Provides ready access to all experimental data for the faculty researchers, supervisors, and other relevant staff.

Requests or acquires equipment and supplies for assigned project(s).

Applies for grants to continue research and prepares materials for submission to granting agencies and foundations.

Adheres to University and unit-level policies and procedures and safeguards University assets.

This list of duties and responsibilities is not intended to be all-inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties or responsibilities as necessary.

CORE QUALIFICATIONS                                                                                                         

Ph.D., M.D. or other doctoral level degree in relevant field

Minimum 5 years of relevant experience

Department Specifics

We are seeking an exceptional Associate Scientist to join our cutting-edge translational research team at University of Miami. This dynamic role requires a versatile scientist capable of managing multidisciplinary research projects, driving impactful research in a collaborative academic environment, and mentoring a dynamic team of postdoctoral fellows and graduate students, ensuring their projects align with the lab’s overarching goals.

The successful candidate will lead and execute experiments using multimodal technologies, coordinate the clinical specimen biobank, and ensure seamless integration of clinical and preclinical efforts to accelerate discoveries and clinical trial initiation.

This role provides opportunities for leadership growth and is suited for an individual ready to embrace significant responsibilities and drive meaningful impact within the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Key Responsibilities

Scientific Leadership & Research

Conduct independent research leveraging multiomics (e.g., single-cell omics, spatial biology, and sequencing) to address critical questions in Oncoimmunology.

Design, optimize, and oversee experimental workflows, ensuring rigor and reproducibility in preclinical research.

Drive the translation of preclinical findings into clinically meaningful insights, facilitating faster clinical trial readiness.

Project & Team Management

Oversee and coordinate the projects of postdoctoral fellows and graduate students, fostering an environment of innovation and collaboration.

Conduct weekly one-on-one meetings to provide mentorship, feedback, and project direction.

Track progress and ensure timely delivery of milestones through comprehensive progress reporting.

Keep the Principal Investigator informed with regular updates on project status, outcomes, and challenges.

Clinical Specimen Biobank Coordination

Manage and coordinate the clinical specimen biobank and tissue archives to ensure optimal use of clinical resources in translational research.

Serve as the liaison between clinical teams and laboratory researchers, facilitating seamless collaboration.

Oversee the inventory, quality control, and organization of biopsy samples, ensuring proper documentation and compliance.

Directly process clinical samples to ensure research progress and feasibility, performing downstream sequencing and other molecular profiling techniques

Scientific Communication & Reporting

Prepare and present research findings in high-quality manuscripts and progress reports

Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, including clinicians, data scientists, and basic scientists, to foster cross-functional research efforts.

Represent the laboratory in institutional meetings and external conferences.

Qualifications

Ph.D. in Cancer Biology,  Immunology or related fields with 3+ years of postdoctoral or equivalent experience.

Proven expertise in experimental design, data analysis, and multimodal approaches (e.g., single-cell technologies, spatial transcriptomics, functional immunological experiments).

Strong leadership skills and demonstrated experience mentoring and managing junior researchers, with a commitment to training the next generation of scientists.

Strong organizational skills with experience managing biobank and/or clinical sample workflows.

Excellent communication skills, both oral and written, with a track record of publishing in high-impact peer-reviewed journals.

Ability to multitask and prioritize in a fast-paced, collaborative research environment.

Preferred Skills

Experience with clinical trial coordination or translational research workflows.

Familiarity with biobanking best practices, regulatory compliance, and IRB protocols.

Proficiency in data analysis tools and programming languages (e.g., R, Python).

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The University of Miami offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, tuition remission and more.

UHealth-University of Miami Health System, South Florida's only university-based health system, provides leading-edge patient care powered by the ground breaking research and medical education at the Miller School of Medicine. As an academic medical center, we are proud to serve South Florida, Latin America and the Caribbean. Our physicians represent more than 100 specialties and sub-specialties, and have more than one million patient encounters each year. Our tradition of excellence has earned worldwide recognition for outstanding teaching, research and patient care. We're the challenge you've been looking for.

The University of Miami is an Equal Opportunity Employer - Females/Minorities/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities are encouraged to apply. Applicants and employees are protected from discrimination based on certain categories protected by Federal law. Click here for additional information.

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