Associate Research Scientist

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Job Summary

The Mazmanian Lab at Caltech seeks an Associate Research Scientist to independently organize, plan, and conduct experiments testing what the role of the microbiome has in mouse models of Parkinson's disease, including longitudinal behavioral, immune, and pathological studies. The scientist will design and refine experimental techniques, perform complex data analysis, partner with collaborating research groups, co-author publications, and may train students and staff on advanced techniques.

Essential Job Duties

• Organize, plan, and conduct experiments investigating the role of the gut microbiome in Parkinson's disease pathology, using established and novel mouse models.
• Carry out longitudinal behavioral assays (motor and non-motor), immune profiling (flow cytometry, cytokine analysis, immunohistochemistry), and neuropathological endpoints (-synuclein aggregation, neuroinflammation, dopaminergic neuron quantification).
• Conduct microbiome characterization through 16S rRNA and shotgun metagenomic sequencing, metabolomics, and anaerobic bacterial culture.
• Perform analysis of complex multi-omic, behavioral, and histological datasets; investigate and interpret results.
• Collaborate with lab members and computational collaborators to interpret results and integrate datasets across modalities.
• Maintain rigorous records and ensure data integrity, reproducibility, and appropriate statistical design.
• Partner with research groups across disciplines and institutions, including clinical, immunology, and microbiology collaborators.
• Conduct literature research and stay current with scientific trends affecting the project.
• Co-author manuscripts; present findings at lab meetings, seminars, and scientific conferences.
• Partner with the Principal Investigator on initiating, writing, and submitting grant proposals and progress reports.
• Provide guidance to graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, and visitors on experimental approaches and interpretation of research results.
• Train research and technical personnel on advanced techniques.

Basic Qualifications

• PhD in neuroscience, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, or a related life science.
• Background in neurodegeneration, neuroimmunology, or gut-brain axis research.
• Minimum 5 years of postdoctoral research experience.
• Minimum 8 years of hands-on experience working with mouse models, including husbandry, handling, experimental dosing or surgical procedures, and compliance with IACUC requirements.
• Expertise with gnotobiotic or germ-free mouse systems and anaerobic bacterial culture.
• Extensive experience with mouse behavioral testing, particularly motor and gastrointestinal assays.
• Thorough technical and scientific expertise in experimental design, execution, and troubleshooting, with advanced research project experience.
• Ability to independently evaluate, select, and apply advanced research techniques, and to modify protocols to meet project requirements.
• Hands-on experience with core molecular and cellular techniques relevant to the project (e.g., tissue dissection and processing, immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, qPCR, nucleic acid extraction and library preparation).
• Experience with microbiome sequencing (16S rRNA, shotgun metagenomics) and metabolomics, with analysis in R or Python.
• Demonstrated experience analyzing and interpreting complex datasets, with sound understanding of experimental statistics and reproducibility practices.
• Record of first-author peer-reviewed publications and experience presenting scientific results at conferences.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across research groups and disciplines.
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent experiments, meet project deadlines, and maintain meticulous records.

Required Documents

• Resume.