Located in Boston and the surrounding communities, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute brings together world renowned clinicians, innovative researchers and dedicated professionals, allies in the common mission of conquering cancer, HIV/AIDS and related diseases. Combining extremely talented people with the best technologies in a genuinely positive environment, we provide compassionate and comprehensive care to patients of all ages; we conduct research that advances treatment; we educate tomorrow’s physician/researchers; we reach out to underserved members of our community; and we work with amazing partners, including other Harvard Medical School-affiliated hospitals.

We are looking for a self-motivated researcher to join a team of scientists and physician scientists in the laboratory of Dr. Zuzana Tothova with a joint appointment at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. In this critical role, the research associate will function as a member of a multi-disciplinary team of physician scientists, scientists and computational biologists working at the Broad Institute and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in a fast-paced, cutting-edge project focused on cancer epigenetics, with a specific goal to understand the role of chromatin architecture and find novel therapeutic opportunities in myeloid malignancies, including myelodysplastic syndromes and acute myeloid leukemia.

OVERALL RESPONSIBILITY

The candidate will be involved in a series of research activities, including experimental design, testing model systems in cellular and molecular assays, including in a high-throughput manner, building in vitro and in vivo human disease relevant models, use of next generation sequencing as well as molecular and cellular biology experiments with a special emphasis on understanding the biology of human myeloid malignancies.

The candidate is expected to work largely independently on a daily basis after training, and will be closely mentored by a physician scientist. She/he will interact and collaborate closely with other scientists, biologists, chemists and computational biologists.

CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES

• Designs and carries out small independent projects and joins in team efforts for larger scale experiments.
• Documents, compiles, and analyzes experimental data. Reports data in oral and written reports.
• Attends team meetings to share results, plan projects and experiments.
• Maintains and improves technical knowledge base.
• Helps with maintenance of mouse colony, tissue processing and analysis.
• Operates and maintains laboratory equipment to complete investigations.
• Prepares, orders, and maintains stocks of necessary reagents, solutions and supplies.
• Other related tasks as required.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Strong interpersonal, communication and organizational skills, including the ability to handle a variety of tasks in a fast-paced environment, positive attitude and attention to detail, as well as ability to think on one’s feet are a required.
• Must possess a high level of initiative, curiosity and dedication, proactivity in identifying problems and solutions to address them.
• Must be a strong team player.
• Computational skills are a plus.

This position will be located at both the Broad Institute in Cambridge and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in the Boston Longwood medical area.

• Bachelor degree in the life sciences or related field required.
• Familiarity with basic laboratory techniques and principles of molecular biology required; some experience working in a medical or scientific research setting or comparable technology-oriented business environment a plus.
• Excellent written, documentation and oral communication skills required.
• Strong organizational skills, including the ability to handle a variety of tasks in a fast-paced environment required.
• A minimum of 6 months of lab research experience required (undergraduate experience will be considered).

We are looking for candidates with at least 2 years of availability.