The Cedars -Sinai F. Widjaja Foundation Inflammatory Bowel and Immunobiology Research Institute (IBIRI) is searching for a highly motivated Research Specialist II to be part of Cedars-Sinai's commitment to Precision Health through an exciting opportunity within our IBD Drug Discovery and Development Unit (IBD3). We are a multidisciplinary basic, translational and clinical program devoted to mucosal inflammation. The mission of the IBD3 unit is to use personalized medicine approaches to predict the success of current and future therapeutic for inflammatory bowel diseases. The IBD3 program is u uniquely structured to join academic science with industry partners to discover and validate new therapeutic targets, accelerate drug development through patient stratification, and rescue and repurpose failed drugs by identifying drug responsive patient populations. The unit embodies a spirit of discovery with world leaders and research scientists on the care and management of IBD. 

 

More information can be found at: https://www.cedars-sinai.edu/Research/Research-Labs/Bilsborough-Lab/

 

The IBD3 unit is seeking a mission-focused Research Specialist II, with the expertise in the development of protein expression and purification strategies to support ongoing drug discovery and development needs. Under the leadership of the IBD3 unit Director, the Research Specialist II will utilize a solid foundation in research and experience with techniques associated with a specific area of research.  Incumbent will be capable of exercising independent judgment while developing and implementing research programs, project planning, enrollment of patients, experimental protocols and procedures, database development and analysis including evaluating and interpreting results.  Will supervise lab activities, including research grant management, human resources, responsibility delegation, and provide training to other individuals who may be assigned to the project, study, or laboratory.  Reports to and works closely with Principal Investigator and has independent supervision of a laboratory or program.  Will prepare grant proposals, publications, and presentations. Will function as a bridge between research and clinical programs which may have local and national contributors and investigators relying on information provided.  Will have delegated authority to make substantive decisions and commitments in accord with the established goals and objectives of the laboratory or program.

 

Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities:

 

- Acts as a project lead and coordinator interacting with collaborators, clinical research personnel and researchers as part of a research team.

- Participates in all aspects of clinical development and study management (protocol design, enrollment of patients, development and implementation of protocols, and if applicable, submission of IRB applications and approvals).

- Follows established procedures or protocols to perform laboratory tests and/or experiments which will include: basic tissue culture, immunoassays, molecular biology techniques, microscopy, animal preparation (e.g. tail vein injections) and surgery.

- Provides scientific expertise to ongoing and future trials.

Identify and resolve common problems involved in routine research assays.

- Establishes and maintains relationships with clinical investigators and manages internal and external collaborative research projects.

- Acts as a scientific resource for the affiliated pre-clinical research laboratory (e.g., assisted with experimental designs, data analysis, interpretation of scientific literature).

- Supervises, leads, and trains other individuals assigned to the lab.

- Prepares grant applications and oversees submission process, including writing of grant proposal.

- Capable of exercising independent judgment while participating in the planning of experiments and evaluating and interpreting results.

- Operates appropriate laboratory equipment.

- Monitors inventory levels, orders materials and supplies in accordance with established policies and procedures.

- Operates lab computers for data entry and maintains accurate data records.

- Uses various software applications, such as spreadsheets, electronic mail, World Wide Web, statistical packages, and graphics packages to assemble, manipulate and/or format data and/or test reports.

 

Department and/or Unit Specific:

 

- Must demonstrate strong biochemistry skills and keeps up-to-date with the latest technologies to continually improve operational procedures.

- Able to Implement a variety of expression systems including e.coli, mammalian and baculovirus cell culture

- Hands on expertise in construct design, protein expression and purification

- Proven experience in difficult-to-express and purify proteins such as membrane proteins, enzymes and Fc-fusion for biologics, X-ray crystallography and    cryo-EM

- Works closely with computational scientists for structure-function studies and structure based drug design

- Uses protein biochemistry and structural biology knowledge to outline strategies and workflows for optimization of protein production needs

- Supports assay development in line with the needs of projects within the drug development group

- Supervise and train laboratory staff in assay development and protein expression and production technologies as needed.

- Manages collaborations with CRO’s for protein production, structure determination and manufacturing of proteins and protein therapeutics to ensure timelines, budgets and project goals are met.

- Communicates with other groups within Cedars-Sinai to facilitate a collaborative environment for the optimization of data analysis and to facilitate drug discovery and development efforts.

- Maintains strict adherence to research compliance regulatory standards for human and animal subject use.

- Ensures compliance with state and federal laws, accreditation, professional and regulatory agency standards including quality assurance and licensure requirements within the divisions. Assist in establishing and maintaining a quality assurance program acceptable to CSMC as required by The Joint Commission, state and other agencies, which shall include a systematic review of the quality, safety, and appropriateness of services rendered.

- Works to ensure internal budgets and goals are met and generates reports and presentations to ensure appropriate communication of findings.

 

Educational Requirements:

BS/BA, or equivalent, in biological sciences, chemistry, or related discipline required.  MS or PhD preferred.

 

Experience:

Five to seven (5-7) years of experience in area of research specialty and with post-undergraduate experience in a comparable laboratory performing relevant techniques.  Training and knowledge in the design and conduct of clinical trials.  Expertise in translational biomedical research. Knowledge of biostatistics as it is applied to clinical trial data analysis. Ability to communicate scientific and clinical information in the context of multidisciplinary teams.  Must demonstrate excellent communication skills, written and verbal. Strong computer skills are essential.

 

- PhD or highest degree in their field, preferred.

- Demonstrated significant, original, and creative contributions to a research or creative program or project.

- Completion of postdoctoral appointment in area of specialization.

- Minimum of 3 years as a postdoctoral fellow. Completion of postdoctoral appointment in area of specialization.

- Knowledge of PI’s area of research specialization. Demonstrated technical competency in a variety of research techniques and protocols.

 

 

Attention Applicants:

 

If you are the right candidate for this position, please e-mail address below, include cover letter with your research interests and career aims, CV (please include technology and skills proficient in) and contact information for three references.

    

Janine Bilsborough, PhD

Director, Inflammatory Bowel Disease Drug Discovery & Development

Email:   [log in to unmask]