Research Scientist - McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics

We are hiring immediately for a Research Scientist to join the UTHealth Houston Center for Precision Health in McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics in Houston, TX 77030. In this position, you will work in projects focused on precision medicine, functional roles of genetic variants in complex disease, next generation sequencing, and single-cell omics. This is an exciting time for a highly motivated Research Scientist to join the team.

Position Summary:

Coordinates, supervises, and directs major biomedical research projects. Provides advanced scientific and technical expertise to contribute to the formulation, implementation, and analysis of techniques, procedures, and results of research projects.

Plans, supervises, and directs research, investigation, or other technical operations. Provides technical expertise to facilitate the design, implementation, and analysis of procedures, techniques, and results, which enables investigators to conduct research projects.

Position Key Accountabilities:

1. Determines feasibility of possible projects to ensure results will have a significant impact. Determines project feasibility in terms of staff, time, and resources.
2. Plans and performs quantitative and qualitative research procedures in various areas of biology, chemistry, physics, and other biomedical, dental, or related scientific areas. Identifies the problem through contact with other researchers, practicing physicians, or literature searches. Formulates a problem or project to research. Designs procedures to solve the problem.
3. Conducts experiments using advanced equipment and applying complex techniques. Procedures may include tissue culture, protein purification, enzyme purification, enzyme assays, membrane protein purification, monoclonal antibody analysis, cytogenic analysis, gel electrophoresis, immunoelectrophoresis, immunofluorescent method, radioimmunoassays, biometry, biofeedback, neurotransmitter analysis, biospectrometry, microtomy, liquid, gas and thin layer chromatography, microspectrophotometry, tissue processing, tissue staining, behavioral testing, anesthetic dosage, neurohistochemistry, animal surgery, immunochemistry, gel electrophoresis, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) testing, electron microscopy, and biophysical assays and measurements.
4. Designs experimental procedures, which may involve examining new techniques, that may improve existing analysis and provide additional capabilities.
5. Evaluates the data from the analysis.
6. Presents results in a written paper for publication, in a presentation at a meeting, or through personal contact with faculty members and other researchers.
7. Maintains lab equipment, assists in necessary repairs, and promotes a safe laboratory environment. Ensures direct reports follow safety procedures and attends basic safety training courses.
8. Provides work direction and guidance to personnel within department. May lead projects and activities.
9. Performs other duties as assigned.

Additional Duties:

• Identifies and assesses feasibility and significance of research projects. Formulates a project or identifies a problem by using information and data obtained through contact with other researchers, physicians, or literature searches. Conducts a feasibility study in terms of staff, time, and resources. If the findings are favorable, designs the procedures and establishes a research methodology to investigate and solve the problem.
• Designs, executes, and interprets the results of complex biomedical and scientific experiments using advanced equipment, complex technique methods, and procedures. Performs research to provide clues for health care professionals to utilize in preventative medicine and in the diagnosis and treatment of patients in the future.
• Formulates and implements new research techniques to enable projects to be carried out efficiently and ensures successful completion of assigned goals.
• Stays abreast of new biomedical progress and technological advances in order to upgrade research skills and produce better and faster results. Researches literature for new biomedical progress and technological advances to upgrade research skills.
• Collaborates and submits research findings for publication to advance the scientific knowledge of others. Results and findings are submitted through written research papers, public presentation at local or national meetings, or personal exchanges with faculty member and other scientists.
• Assists the principal investigator in obtaining grant funds and other types of financial support.
• Maintains lab equipment, assists in necessary repairs, and promotes a safe laboratory environment. Ensures direct reports follow safety procedures and attends basic safety training courses.
• Manages Human Resources activities for direct reports in regards to: recruiting and selection, training, professional development, mentoring, counseling, and performance evaluations.

Certification/Skills:

None.

Minimum Education:

Doctorate Degree.

Minimum Experience:

Two (2) years of experience in a related research environment and have verifiable publications within the field of the research project.

Preferred Skills:

• Proficiency in at least one of the following programming languages is highly preferred: Perl, Python, R, of C++
• Working knowledge of genetics and molecular biology is a plus.
• Good knowledge in bioinformatics and machine learning
• Experience in analyzing high-throughput genomic data.

Physical Requirements:

Exerts up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.
This position may include work involving potentially hazardous chemical, biological or radioactive agents.

Security Sensitive:

This job class may contain positions that are security sensitive and thereby subject to the provisions of Texas Education Code § 51.215

Residency Requirement:

Employees must permanently reside and work in the State of Texas.