Job Details

Postdoctoral Fellow
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Position Number: 5036196
Location: El Paso, TX
Position Type: Science - Biology

Postdoctoral Fellow

Job ID: 11520
Location: El Paso, TX
Full/Part Time: Full Time
Regular/Temporary: $RegTemp

About UTEP

UTEP is a comprehensive public research university that is increasing access to excellent higher education. We advance discovery of public value and positively impact the health, culture, education, and economy of the community we serve.

The University of Texas at El Paso is America's leading Hispanic-serving university. Located at the westernmost tip of Texas, where three states and two countries converge along the Rio Grande, 84% of our 24,000 students are Hispanic, and more than half are the first in their families to go to college. UTEP offers 172 bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree programs at the only open-access, top-tier research university in America.

Position Information

Hiring Department: CPRIT Program

Posting End Date: Applications will be accepted through 11:59 PM CDT on 5/14/2024. This posting may close once a sufficient number of qualified applications have been received.

Hours: Up to 40 hours per week, Monday- Friday 8:00am- 5:00pm, flexibility is required on evenings and weekends

FLSA status: Exempt

Earliest Start Date: As soon as possible

Required Application Materials:

Curriculum Vitae (CV)/Resume
Letter of Intention
Synopsis of applicant's career goals (1 page)
A Research plan that includes a discussion of how this work will advance the study of cancer (1 page)
Contact information for at least three professional references

Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. Questions should be directed to the Director of the CPRIT Program, Weiqin Lu, PhD, at wlu2@utep.edu or by phone at 915-747-8542.

The primary accountabilities are intended to describe the general content of and requirements of this position and are not intended to be an exhaustive statement of duties. Incumbents may perform all or some of the primary accountabilities listed. Specific tasks or responsibilities will be documented in the incumbents' performance objectives as outlined by the incumbents' immediate supervisor or manager. This position is security-sensitive and subject to Texas Education Code 51.215, which authorizes the employer to obtain criminal history record information.

Purpose of Position

The University of Texas at El Paso aims to recruit three outstanding postdoctoral fellows, nationwide, to participate in a three-year Postdoctoral Fellow Career Transition Program in Cancer Research. We particularly encourage applications from individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, those with disabilities, and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. The program is fully supported by the Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) and the recipients of the specific CPRIT award will receive comprehensive support, including a stipend and fringe benefits for a duration of three years. The program will provide a wide-ranging training plan with the support of an experienced training team that will provide comprehensive training in cancer research as well as professional development.

Preference will be given to biomedical researchers working in disease models that represent disparities in a majority Hispanic population. Additional areas of preference include: cancer metabolism; genetic/epigenetic cancer susceptibility differences; cancer biomarkers; computational analysis and modeling; the influence of obesity or obesity-associated metabolic changes/chronic metabolic diseases on the tumor microenvironment; drivers of chromosome instability among racial/ethnic populations; host response (such as microbe) or biological determinants; precision oncology; and new animal and cell culture models/systems development.

After the successful completion of this prestigious CPRIT program, the awardees are expected to gain the skills and knowledge to become the next generation of leaders in cancer research, with a specific focus on addressing disparities in cancer and striving towards the goal of health equity. In addition, the awardees are expected to establish an extramurally funded research program; teach and mentor undergraduate, master's, and doctoral students, and build a broad research competence required to assume leaderships roles in cancer research. The awardees will be supervised by specific mentors and co-mentors, as well as the program directors. Exceptional postdoctoral fellows are anticipated to transition into faculty roles, thereby bolstering UTEP's cancer research infrastructure and making significant contributions to health equity.

Prospective applicants must have an interest in research involving cancer health disparities under the mentorship and guidance of a UTEP faculty member. Prospective mentors include individuals associated with the School of Pharmacy, College of Science, College of Health Sciences, etc. Prospective fellows have access to state-of-the-art core facilities funded through the UTEP Border Biomedical Research Center and have the ability to work with model systems spanning cell culture, mouse models, and drug development. The CPRIT program will provide trainees with professional development training, career advising, training in proposal development/submission, oral communication skills, teaching and mentoring skills, and interdisciplinary opportunities for collaboration in a Cancer Research Working Group.

Essential Functions

Conducts, monitors, and analyzes research projects to include interpreting results, recommending technology-based solutions, or determining computational strategies, monitors long-range research objectives, programs and priorities.

Assist in formulation of research objectives and and determining the scope of methodologies of research projects and areas to be evaluated; provides feedback relating to research design, planning, instrumentation, statistical analysis, and reporting; works with researchers on the administration of experiments and interpretation of results for research and teaching.

Assists with conducting data quality assurance procedures; applies customized products, equipment, formulas, processes, or analytical methods; prepares research data sets and documents data structure and definitions; may develop new software applications or customize existing applications to meet specific scientific project needs.

Writes technical papers or summary of finding and prepares standards and specifications for processes, facilities, products, or tests.

Collects, compiles, and analyzes research data to include the use of statistical methods and relational databases to analyze data sets; may prepare and provide presentations for professional organizations, governmental entities, and the public; communicates research results through conference presentations, scientific publications, or project reports.

Ensures adherence to laboratory standards and practices to maximize safety and operational effectiveness; compiles and analyzes test information to determine process or equipment operating efficiency to diagnose malfunctions.

Trains user on the operation and data management of research equipment.

Participate in proposal writing and coordination for external funds for equipment acquisitions.

Knowledge of all Microsoft Office software and able to learn and use institutional systems.

Complies with all State and University policies.

Other duties may be assigned.

Qualifications

Conditions of Employment

All supported trainees must reside in Texas during the time of the training program.

All trainees must be officially enrolled in the UTEP Postdoctoral training program.

Trainees may be citizens or noncitizen nationals of the United States or international citizens who hold student visas.

Required Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Education: PhD, MD/PhD, MD/DO, DNS, DO, or MD Degrees in a biomedically-related field of sciences, showing evidence of high academic performance in the sciences and a keen interest in cancer research and health disparities.

and

Experience: No prior experience needed, but applicants should demonstrate the following:

Knowledge of statistical concepts and methods and their application to research analysis.

Knowledge of measurement, testing, and evaluation.

Knowledge of research methods, principles, techniques, and philosophies.

Ability to plan, organize, and oversee research projects, evaluate research data, ensure the development of measuring instruments with respect to reliability, relevance, and validity.

Ability to interpret and publish research findings and communicate effectively.

Candidate Selection Criteria

The candidate selection is based on:

Relevance to the CPRIT mission to improve cancer research, including Hispanic health disparities research;
Innovation of the conceptual approach and procedures;
Scientific merit, including scientific publications and the logic of the experimental design, methods, and analyses;
The extent of collaboration in the proposal;
Appropriate scope for the project;
Applicant's research career and probability of obtaining extramural grant funding.

Who May Apply

If you are currently pursuing a degree and anticipate completing your program by your first day in the position, we invite you to submit your application. Please provide clear documentation or proof of your expected graduation date and relevant coursework.

Additional Information

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee must frequently sit and talk or hear. The employee must lift and move up to 10 pounds.

The noise level for this work environment is usually moderate. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to fumes and airborne particles; toxic or caustic chemicals; risk of electrical shock; and risk of radiation.

In keeping with its access, excellence and impact mission, The University of Texas at El Paso is committed to an open, diverse, and inclusive learning and working environment that honors the talents, respects the differences, and nurtures the growth and development of all. We seek to attract faculty and staff who share our commitment.

The University of Texas at El Paso is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or sexual orientation and gender in employment or the provision of services in accordance with state and federal law. Discrimination on the basis of sex includes an employee's or prospective employee's right to be free from sexual harassment under Title IX of the Higher Education Amendments of 1972.

For accommodation information for employees and applicants with disabilities, please contact UTEP's Equal Opportunity Office at eoaa@utep.edu.

To apply, visit https://zahr-prd-candidate-ada.utshare.utsystem.edu/psp/ZAHRPRDADA/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM_FL.HRS_CG_SEARCH_FL.GBL?Page=HRS_APP_JBPST_FL&Action=U&FOCUS=Applicant&SiteId=2&JobOpeningId=11520&PostingSeq=1