Postdoctoral Research Associate, Division of Infectious Diseases

The Department of Medicine at the University of Arizona is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate to join the laboratory of Dr. Rajat Madan in the Division of Infectious Diseases. The lab focuses on understanding the host and pathogenic determinants that influence disease severity in Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI).

Current research projects include:examining the role of neutrophil heterogeneity and host genetics in CDI pathogenesis, determining the regulation of CDI severity by the pro-inflammatory cytokine Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF), and investigating the effects of bile acid metabolites on CDI pathogenesis.

The ideal candidate will hold a doctoral degree (PhD or MD) and have research experience demonstrated through publications. In addition to leading their own project, the Postdoctoral Research Associate will collaborate with other lab members and contribute to shared research efforts. This position offers advanced research training in a collaborative environment and the opportunity to contribute to impactful scientific discoveries under the mentorship of Dr. Madan and alongside a network of interdisciplinary collaborators.

Visa sponsorship available.

• Conduct research experiments within the defined scope of the lab's scientific focus.
• Analyze experimental and omics data, develop and test hypotheses.
• Prepare research findings for publication and presentation at scientific meetings.
• Assist in writing manuscripts and grant proposals.
• Perform laboratory maintenance and help manage lab operations.
• Train and mentor junior lab members and students.
• Participate in professional development activities.
• Perform additional duties as needed by the department.
• Stay current with developments in relevant scientific fields.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary environment.
• Demonstrated expertise in immunology, infectious diseases and/or neutrophil biology.
• Proficiency in analyzing large-scale single-cell RNA sequencing datasets.
• Experience with R programming and familiarity with relevant bioinformatics packages (e.g., Seurat, Bioconductor).
• Background in animal handling and in vivo models of infection is highly desirable.
• Experience in scientific manuscript and grant writing.
• Strong organizational, communication, and team collaboration skills.

• PhD and/or MD in immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, computational biology, or a related field conferred by the start date and 0-5 years of experience at Postdoctoral rank.