Staff Scientist

Department

BSD MED - Hematology and Oncology - Izumchenko Research Staff

About the Department

We are aiming to recruit a skilled Staff Scientist to the Translational Head and Neck Cancer Research group led by Drs. Evgeny Izumchenko and Nishant Agrawal. Our focus is on understanding the complex interplay between the genetic and epigenetic alterations in head and neck carcinogenesis and progression, and on exploiting this understanding for developing novel biomarkers for diagnosis and risk stratification as well as in identifying targets for therapeutic intervention. Drs. Izumchenko and Agrawal lab is an integral component of the translational head and neck cancer research program at the University of Chicago, working collaboratively with the team of investigators with complementary and integrated expertise including surgeons, clinical oncologists, pathologists and computational biologists. Our group members are known for their contributions to the advancement of groundbreaking research, pursuing a diverse range of basic, translational, and clinical research projects on head and neck cancer genetics, microbiome, bioengineering, stem cell renewal, and immunotolerance.

Job Summary

The Staff Scientist will focus on dissecting tumor biology, identifying therapeutic targets, and developing clinically relevant biomarkers through analysis of bulk and single-cell sequencing data, spatial profiling, and multi-omic datasets. The position sits at the interface of computational biology and translational oncology, with strong integration into ongoing experimental and clinical programs.

Responsibilities

• Lead computational analyses of bulk RNA-seq, single-cell RNA-seq, DNA sequencing, and spatial transcriptomics datasets.

• Develop and implement reproducible pipelines for multi-omic data integration and interpretation.

• Perform differential expression, pathway enrichment, and network-based analyses to identify drivers of tumor progression and therapeutic response.

• Integrate molecular data with clinical annotations to support biomarker discovery and patient stratification.

• Collaborate closely with experimental scientists to design studies and interpret results in biological context.

• Contribute to manuscript preparation, grant writing, and presentation of findings.

• Maintain high standards of data quality, documentation, and reproducibility.

• Serves as a resource for collecting data and performing analysis. Facilitates and promotes a research project by providing scientific or intellectual information.

• Creates first drafts for scientific writing and publications, including protocols and grants.

• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

Minimum requirements include a PhD in related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Experience:

• Experience with bioinformatics tools for sequencing data processing and analysis.

• Expertise in cancer genomics and transcriptomics analysis.

• Demonstrated experience with single-cell and/or spatial transcriptomics datasets.

• Experience integrating multi-modal datasets (genomic, transcriptomic, clinical).

• Experience in translational research or collaboration with clinical teams is strongly preferred.

Preferred Competencies

• Proficiency in programming languages such as R and Python.

• Familiarity with cloud computing environments and workflow management systems (e.g., AWS, Terra, Nextflow, Snakemake).

• Track record of peer-reviewed publications in high-impact journals.

• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively in a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment.

• Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving skills.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)

• Cover Letter (required)

Job Family

Research

Role Impact

Individual Contributor

Scheduled Weekly Hours

40

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Pay Rate Type

Salary

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FLSA Status

Exempt

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Pay Range

$80,000.00 - $100,000.00

The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible

Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

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