Senior Staff Scientist

Department Overview

The OHSU Knight Cancer Institute is a world leader in treating leukemia. Our director, Dr. Brian Druker, is an internationally recognized pioneer in precision cancer medicine. Dr. Druker played a central role in developing Gleevec, a daily pill for chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) that has saved tens of thousands of lives. Now he is helping lead Beat AML, a major effort to find better treatments for acute myeloid leukemia.

 

Every Knight Cancer employee is expected to embody our guiding principles:

• We act BOLDLY—Breakthroughs require pushing the boundaries of science, exploring new frontiers, and thinking differently
• We SUPPORT each other—Respect leads to trust, which leads to excellence
• We work as a CONNECTED team — We must leverage our collective brain power to conquer cancer because no one individual can do it alone

Function/Duties of Position

An exciting opportunity has been created for an experienced researcher to join the Braun Laboratory at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute as a Senior Staff Scientist in Portland, OR.

 

The Braun Laboratory at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute is a translational research group focused on the epigenetic mechanisms that drive myeloid malignancies, with a primary focus on myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Our research program is organized around a core translational pipeline: we identify epigenetic vulnerabilities in myeloid cancer cells, develop combination strategies pairing mutation-directed kinase inhibitors with epigenetic agents, and advance the most promising approaches toward clinical application. Our mechanistic work is grounded in genomic and epigenomic methods spanning bulk and single-cell approaches. Samples from our clinical program inform the biological questions we ask in the laboratory, and the answers we find move directly into clinical trial design. This closed loop between patient care and laboratory discovery is the defining feature of how we work.

 

Position Focus

The Senior Staff Scientist provides scientific leadership and independently conducts research in the Braun Lab. The position focuses on:

• Primary human AML and MPN patient sample models
• Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) biology
• Epigenomic profiling
• In vivo mouse studies

Core Technical Responsibilities

• Independent design and execution of complex experimental programs
• Primary cell culture of patient-derived leukemia samples and HSPCs
• Genomic library preparation from low-input primary samples (CUT&RUN/CUT&Tag, ATAC-seq, RNA-seq, ChIP-seq)
• Lentiviral and retroviral vector production and primary cell transduction
• In vivo mouse studies including xenograft models, bone marrow transplantation, and pharmacologic drug administration
• Sustained management of 3-5 concurrent experimental workstreams, using instrument time, incubation periods, and cell growth windows to advance parallel projects

Senior Staff Scientist Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in a relevant field and a minimum of 10 years of relevant post-doctoral work experience
• Internal candidates must have completed 3-5 years at the Staff Scientist level
• Evidence of national recognition in the field and sustained scientific output
• Primary driver of multiple experimental programs with demonstrated scientific independence
• Substantial contributions to grant writing, manuscript preparation, and scientific presentations
• Experience mentoring junior personnel including graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and research staff

Required Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in a relevant field and a minimum of 10 years of relevant post-doctoral work experience. Internal candidates must have completed 3-5 years at the Staff Scientist level.
• Demonstrated expertise in primary hematopoietic cell biology, myeloid malignancy research, epigenomic profiling, and in vivo mouse modeling. Evidence of national reputation in field and sustained scientific output as demonstrated by research products is required.
• Expertise in long-term culture of primary human AML samples and HSPCs.
• First or senior author publication record in high-quality journals.
• Proficiency in low-input epigenomic library preparation (CUT&RUN/CUT&Tag, ATAC-seq, ChIP-seq, RNA-seq).
• Experience with lentiviral/retroviral vector production and primary hematopoietic cell transduction.
• Proficiency in myeloid malignancy mouse models (xenograft, bone marrow transplantation, pharmacologic drug administration).
• Experience mentoring graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and research staff.
• Experience presenting at national and international scientific conferences.
• Knowledge of IACUC, biosafety, and radiation safety requirements.
• Ability to independently develop, optimize, and troubleshoot complex experimental protocols.
• Strong written and verbal scientific communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent experimental programs.
• Ability to contribute to strategic direction of research programs.
• Experience building productive internal and external collaborations.
• Commitment to rigorous organizational standards, reproducible records, and current SOPs.

Additional Details

Apply online. Please be sure to upload a Cover Letter and Resume/CV.

 

We offer a variety of benefits on top of joining a thriving organization:

• Medical, dental and vision coverage at no or low cost to employees
  • Covered 100% for full-time employees and 88% for dependents
• Several retirement plans to choose from with contributions from OHSU
• 25 days a year of paid time off
• 8 days of sick time off
• Commuter subsidies
• Tuition reimbursement
• Access to group life insurance, disability insurance and other supplemental benefits
• Annual Merit Increase
• Growth/Development Opportunities
• Employee discounts to local and major businesses

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Why apply to OHSU?

We are Oregon's only public academic health center. In addition to caring for patients, we lead groundbreaking research. We also train the next generation of health care professionals. As Portland's largest employer, we give you opportunities to learn and advance in a system of hospitals and clinics across Oregon and Southwest Washington. All are welcome. OHSU welcomes people of all ages, ethnicities, genders, national origins, religions and sexual orientations. We are striving to build an anti-racist, multicultural institution and encourage people with diverse backgrounds to apply. To request reasonable accommodation, contact askhr@ohsu.edu