[Hiring] Research Associate 2 @Oak Ridge Associated Universities

Role Description

The early career research associate will propose and conduct research under the guidance of a self-selected mentor, leveraging National Institute of Health (NIH) Common Fund datasets and resources to address complex biological questions. The research will focus on:

• Integrative analysis across multiple NIH Common Fund datasets.
• Developing computational strategies for discovery across independently generated data resources.
• Contributing to the Common Fund Data Ecosystem (CFDE) community through dissemination of findings, development of reproducible workflows, and active engagement in collaborative initiatives.

Responsibilities include:

• Conducting research using computational, bioinformatics, and statistical approaches to address complex biological questions with diverse datatypes (e.g., omics).
• Regular engagement and meetings with a selected mentor.
• Developing publications, conference presentations, reproducible workflows, and other project outputs.
• Participation in CFDE annual meetings and community-facing activities.
• Other tasks as assigned.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree and 1-2 years of directly related experience; Ph.D. preferred in Bioinformatics, Biomedical Informatics, Computational Biology, Molecular Biology, Data Science, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated research experience in computational biology, data science, bioinformatics, or related fields.
• Knowledge of computational biology, bioinformatics, data science, molecular biology, or related fields.
• Strong scientific communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Strong organizational, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.

Requirements

• Applicants must submit a research proposal (limited to one page) describing their planned research.
• Proposals must include:
  • A description of how the research will use data from TWO or more CFDE datasets.
  • Any CFDE resources, tools, or support needed to complete the research.
  • A summary of the applicant’s prior experience with any omics-related data.
• Proposals and all supporting documentation must be emailed directly to specified contacts.
• Experience gained through doctoral research, postdoctoral training, or equivalent research experience is acceptable.
• Proficiency in programming and data analysis tools commonly used in biomedical research (e.g., R, Python).

Benefits

• Legally required benefits.
• Group Health insurance including Medical, Prescription, Dental, and Vision.
• Retirement plan contribution matching.
• Disability insurance.
• Group life insurance.
• Travel Accident Insurance.
• Section 125 reimbursement accounts.
• Other voluntary employee-paid benefit and insurance offerings.
• Telework.
• Paid Time Off (PTO).
• Paid Holidays.
• Flexible work schedules or compressed work weeks.
• Occupational Health and Wellness Programs.
• Employee Assistance Program.