The University of Southern California (USC), founded in 1880, is located in the heart of downtown L.A. and is the largest private employer in the City of Los Angeles. As an employee of USC, you will be a part of a world-class research university and a member of the “Trojan Family,” which is comprised of the faculty, staff, and students that make the university a great place to work.
The USC Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences is seeking a Postdoctoral Scholar Research Associate in the Quantitative and Computational Biology. The largest and oldest of the USC schools, USC Dornsife functions as the academic core of the university, offering courses and advancing knowledge across the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences.
The Postdoctoral Scholar will join Dr. Jazlyn Mooney in the Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, a program with roots dating back to 1982 and the work of Dr. Michael Waterman, co-developer of the Smith–Waterman algorithm. The department has since grown into a leader in computational biology, with alumni advancing to top roles in both academia and industry.
The lab’s research is focused on understanding how recessive genetic variation contributes to human disease risk and phenotypic diversity can be identified using shared segments of the genome that are inherited identically-by-descent. This NIH-funded project aims to develop and apply computational and statistical approaches to identify and characterize recessive variants, including rare and compound heterozygous variation, across diverse datasets and biological systems. The lab is particularly interested in uncovering genetic architectures that are not well captured by standard additive models.
The Postdoctoral Scholar will work directly with Dr. Mooney to develop and apply methods for analyzing large-scale genomic data, including sequencing and biobank-scale datasets. Projects may involve integrating population genetics, statistical modeling, and functional annotation to better understand recessive effects on disease. The research is organism-agnostic and may leverage human datasets as well as non-model systems, depending on the candidate’s interests and expertise. The postdoc will also have opportunities to collaborate with investigators across USC and beyond.
In this position, we are looking for a postdoctoral scholar with a strong interest in population genomics, statistical genetics, or related fields. The applicant must have a Ph.D. (or equivalent qualification) in genetics, genomics, biostatistics, computational biology, or a related discipline. Proficiency in one or more programming languages (e.g., R, Python, C++), experience with genomic data types (VCF, PLINK, tree sequence etc.) and analysis tools, and familiarity with Unix-based computing environments are most desirable but not strictly required. Experience working with large-scale sequencing or biobank data is a plus. A strong interest in developing or applying methods to study non-additive and recessive genetic effects is highly encouraged. The ideal candidate will be motivated, creative, and able to work both independently and collaboratively.
The postdoctoral researcher will participate in the presentation of their research and the writing of publications. The position requires a highly motivated individual with excellent time management, written, and verbal communication skills.
Salary range: The hourly rate range for this position is $70,304–$72,000. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.
Performs other related duties as assigned or requested. The university reserves the right to add or change duties at any time.
Required Documents and Additional Information:
USC is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or USC policy. USC observes affirmative action obligations consistent with state and federal law. USC will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal records in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for employers and the Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and with due consideration for patient and student safety. Please refer to the Background Screening Policy Appendix D for specific employment screen implications for the position for which you are applying.
We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact USC Human Resources by phone at (213) 821-8100, or by email at uschr@usc.edu. Inquiries will be treated as confidential to the extent permitted by law.
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