Postdoctoral Associate (Multiple Vacancies)

New Jersey's academic health center, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences ( RBHS) takes an integrated approach to educating students, providing clinical care, and conducting research, all with the goal of improving human health. Aligned with Rutgers University-New Brunswick and collaborating university wide, RBHS includes eight schools, a behavioral health network, and five centers and institutes that focus on cancer treatment and research, neuroscience, advanced biotechnology and medicine, environmental and occupational health, and health care policy and aging research.

Our faculty are teachers, clinicians, and scientists with unparalleled experience who advance medical innovation and provide patient care informed by the latest research findings. We offer an outstanding education in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, public health, nursing, biomedical research, and the full spectrum of allied health careers.

Our clinical and academic facilities are located throughout the state-at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, including Piscataway; and at locations in Newark, Scotch Plains, Somerset, Stratford, and other locations. Clinical partners include Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, Newark's University Hospital in Newark, and other affiliates.

Through this community of healers, scientists, and scholars, Rutgers is equipped as never before to transform lives.

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is seeking a Postdoctoral Associate for the Child Health Institute of NJ at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

Under the direction of the PI, the Postdoctoral Associate will study novel EphB1/2 tyrosine kinase inhibitors as candidate therapeutics for neuropathic pain. Neuropathic pain remains a major unmet clinical need, and Eph receptor signaling has emerged as a promising but underexplored target for disease-modifying analgesics. The overarching goal of this project is to define the behavioral effects, potency, pharmacological profile, and molecular correlates of next-generation EphB1/2 inhibitors across multiple preclinical models of neuropathic pain, advancing lead compounds toward therapeutic development.
The Postdoctoral Associate will play a central and intellectually engaged role in the project, leading behavioral and pharmacological evaluation of novel compounds across both surgical and chemical mouse models of neuropathic pain, including nerve injury-based and chemotherapy-induced paradigms. Core behavioral assays will include von Frey mechanical allodynia, hot plate thermal hyperalgesia, acetone-evoked cold allodynia, marble burying, and locomotor activity assessments. Together, these assays will allow comprehensive evaluation of analgesic efficacy, affective-related behaviors, and potential off-target effects such as sedation or motor impairment. The fellow will also contribute to dose response analyses, time course studies, and comparisons with clinically relevant analgesics.
In addition to behavioral testing, the Postdoctoral Associate will gain hands-on experience with tissue dissection and molecular analyses, including multiplex protein quantification using Luminex platforms and immunohistochemistry to examine pain-related signaling pathways and treatment-induced neurobiological changes. These approaches will enable integration of behavioral outcomes with mechanistic insight into EphB1/2-mediated modulation of pain-relevant circuits and signaling cascades.
The Postdoctoral Associate will be expected to lead or co-lead manuscripts arising from this work and will have opportunities to present findings at local, national, and international scientific conferences. The position provides structured mentoring in experimental design, rigor and reproducibility, data interpretation, and scientific communication, as well as exposure to collaborative, multi-site research efforts. This position is well-suited for candidates interested in behavioral neuroscience, pain research, and translational drug development within a collaborative and well-supported research environment.

Among the key duties of this position are the following:

The final salary offer may be determined by several factors, including, but not limited to, the candidate's qualifications, experience, and expertise, and availability of department or grant funds to support the position. We also take into consideration market benchmarks, if and when appropriate, and internal equity to ensure fair compensation relative to the university's broader compensation structure. We are committed to offering competitive and flexible compensation packages to attract and retain top talent.

Rutgers provides a comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees. The specific benefits vary based on the position and may include:

This position requires a fully on-site work arrangement.