Senior Scientist - Wan Lab

Life Sciences Center

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About Us:
The Bond Life Sciences Center at the University of Missouri is a dynamic hub where groundbreaking research meets real-world impact. Designed to foster interdisciplinary collaboration, our state-of-the-art facility brings together experts in diverse fields-engineers, cancer biologists, plant scientists, and IT specialists-all working towards a common goal: to save lives, reduce costs, and enhance everyday life for Missourians and people around the globe.

Our Mission:
We are committed to transforming scientific discoveries into actionable solutions. Our innovative research not only addresses pressing challenges in human and animal health, the environment, and agriculture, but it also translates into meaningful improvements in the lives of individuals everywhere. We also strive to share our findings with the public, ensuring that our discoveries resonate far beyond the lab in a language anyone can understand through our blog, Decoding Science, events for the public, social media and more.

Why Join Us?
At the Bond Life Sciences Center, you'll be part of a vibrant community dedicated to making a difference. Our collaborative environment not only supports innovative research but also ensures that our discoveries lead to tangible benefits for society. Work in an award-winning facility designed for creativity and impact and contribute to a mission that truly changes lives.

Join us in our quest to advance science and improve lives, one discovery at a time!

The Influenza Systems Biology Laboratory at the University of Missouri (MU) is looking for a dynamic and highly motivated Senior Scientist candidate in computational biology. Zoonotic pathogens pose a substantial global risk to public health and require an integrated One Health approach for their effective detection, control and mitigation or treatment. Over 60% of human infectious diseases originate in animals, predominantly from wildlife reservoirs, and over 70% of these zoonotic pathogens are "emerging".

The missions of this lab are 1) to study ecology, evolution, and host-pathogen interaction for emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases; especially influenza viruses, and 2) to develop and apply systems biology based translational approaches to create influenza-less animal population and human communities. Translational systems biology is an integrated, multi-scale, evidence-based approach that combines laboratory, clinical and computational methods with an explicit goal of developing effective means of control of biological processes for improving human health and rapid clinical application.

This Laboratory functions across Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, College of Engineering, Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, and MU Informatics Institute, and the lab is physically located at Bond Life Sciences Center.

The current projects aim to 1) identify and predict emerging risks of influenza and SARS-CoV-2 viruses for both human and animals using genomics sequences, big data and machine learning approaches; 2) develop a universal influenza and SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, optimize vaccine production and vaccination strategies for disease prevention and quarantine; 3) develop machine learning methods to predict vaccine efficacy for each individual based on personal data, a move towards precision medicine; 4) understand molecular mechanisms for influenza and SARS-CoV-2 evolution and virus-host interactions, including host tropisms, pathogenesis, and transmission.

Excellent oral and written communication skills, the ability to work independently and in a team and a broad interest in Systems Biology are expected for the following position.

Area of Specialization: Computational Biology

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Perform research in the areas of computational biology and bioinformatics;
Research and stay current with project related scientific literature;
Develop and validate new algorithms and tools to accomplish scientific objectives;
Identify and implement creative solutions to overcome problems;
Organize, interpret data, and derive study conclusions;
Collaborate with internal and external investigators on multiple research projects ensuring scientific significance and feasibility;
Summarize results of studies in the form of scientific abstracts and manuscripts;
Serve as a resource to provide scientific information needed for various initiatives;
Contributes to teaching activities by preparing and presenting educational seminars.
Assist with grant/contract preparation by researching background, significance, and planning statistics.
Participate in professional societies and conferences appropriate to the incumbent's specific field/discipline.

Note: Additional duties and responsibilities may be assigned that are project and/or discipline specific

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knows and effectively uses the fundamental concepts, practices, and procedures of computational biology.
Ability to organize, interpret data, and derive study conclusions.
Has established scientific expertise.
Possesses and applies a comprehensive knowledge of computational biology in the completion of complex assignments.
Ability to advance state-of-the-art scientific research in field of computational biology.
Ability to apply extensive and advanced principles, theories, and concepts.
Ability to contribute to the development of solutions to complex problems that require innovation and ingenuity.
Excellent presentation skills.
Excellent communication skills, verbally and written.
Project management skills.

Working Conditions and Physical Effort:

Occasional and/or light lifting required. Limited exposure to elements such as heat, cold, noise, dust, dirt, etc., but none to the degree of being disagreeable. May involve minor safety hazards where the likely result would be cuts, bruises, etc.
Routine deadlines, usually sufficient lead time; variance in work volume predictable; priorities can be anticipated; some interruptions are present; involves occasional exposure to demands and pressure from persons other than immediate supervisor;
Job frequently requires standing, walking, climbing or balancing;
Vision requirements: Ability to see information in print and/or electronically, ability to distinguish colors;

Successful candidates will be persuasive communicators with exceptional organizational and time management skills. They must demonstrate the following durable skills: leadership, character, collaboration, communication, creativity, critical thinking, metacognition, mindfulness, growth mindset, and fortitude. Additionally, customer service, confidentiality, integrity, and a commitment to the university values.

Must be available for reliable and consistent onsite work.

Onsite, Monday - Friday, 8m - 5pm

Bachelor's degree in related/relevant area and at least 4 years of experience from which comparable knowledge and skills can be acquired is necessary.

Master's Degree

Salary Range: $60,000 - $85,000 per year
Grade: GGS-011
University Title: Senior Scientist
Internal applicants can determine their University title by accessing the Talent Profile tile in myHR.

Cover letter & Resume/CV

Columbia offers small-town friendliness with big city features and a high quality of life for people of all ages and interests. Founded on education and known as an ideal college town, its location also makes it an attractive spot for businesses and travelers. Located on Interstate 70 and U.S. Highway 63, Columbia is right in the middle of the state and the nation. Just a couple hours' drive from St. Louis and Kansas City, Columbia is Boone County's largest population center offering big-city culture, activities, and resources with a low cost of living. Columbia is home to a variety of restaurants and entertainment venues and hosts more than a dozen festivals each year. If you want to grow your career, continue your education, raise a family, and retire, Columbia is a good place to be!

This position is eligible for University benefits. As part of your total compensation, the University offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental and vision plans, retirement, paid time off, short- and long-term disability, paid parental leave, paid caregiver leave, and educational fee discounts for all four UM System campuses. For additional information on University benefits, please visit the Faculty & Staff Benefits website at https://www.umsystem.edu/totalrewards/benefits.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of Missouri is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

To request ADA accommodations, please call the Director of Accessibility and ADA at 573-884-7278.