Assistant Staff Scientist at Oregon Health & Science University – Portland, Oregon

Assistant Staff Scientist

US-OR-Portland

Requisition ID: 2026-38663
Position Category: Research
Job Type: Research
Position Type: Regular Full-Time
Posting Department: Division of Oncological Sciences - Knight Cancer Institute
Posting Salary Range: $68,307- $113,838 per year with offer based on experience, education and internal equity
Posting FTE: 1.00
Posting Schedule: Monday through Friday
Posting Hours: 8:30am to 5:00pm plus occasional nights and weekends
HR Mission: School of Medicine
Drug Testable: No

Department Overview

The Division of Oncological Sciences at OHSU's Knight Cancer Institute focuses on understanding cancer through various research methods. The ultimate goal is to improve cancer prevention, detection, and treatment for everyone. The division's research is conducted by a collaborative team of scientists, faculty, trainees, and staff from diverse backgrounds. They work together to turn lab discoveries into real-world benefits for cancer patients and the wider community. Their research is built around teamwork and covers four key areas: Precision Systems Oncology, Cancer Data Science (including computer biology, bioinformatics, and biostatistics), Chemical Biology and Experimental Therapeutics, and Cancer Population Science. A major priority is to understand cell plasticity, which is the ability of cells to change their type or identity. Researchers are particularly interested in how cells transition from normal to cancerous, from cancer to spreading (metastasis), and from metastasis to becoming resistant to treatment.

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

The Assistant Staff Scientist will work in the Moreau laboratory within the Knight Cancer Institute to apply technical expertise and experience to plan, coordinate, design, and carry out research project(s) at the intersection of immunology, dermatology, and cancer biology. The Moreau Lab is investigating the biology of tissue-resident lymphocytes (especially B cells), their organization in tissue microenvironments, and how these cells contribute to the pathogenesis of cancer and autoimmune/inflammatory disease. The Assistant Staff Scientist’s work will combine transgenic mouse models with human tissue experiments, including multiomic approaches. In addition, the Assistant Staff Scientist will help oversee day-to-day laboratory management duties. These may include training and mentorship of junior staff, coordinating collaborative research projects, ensuring laboratory compliance, and organizing laboratory protocols.

Duties Include:

• Laboratory Research Project Management: Independently develop and manage research experiments, determining the most suitable methods to be used. Interpret and perform complex data analysis on experimental results and determine whether they are consistent with goals. Ensure that research team members maintain accurate and detailed records of all experimental procedures, data collections, and analyses performed. Maintain a high level of professional expertise through familiarity with current scientific literature. As needed, develop innovative techniques and experimental systems to meet research program goals.
• Scientific Writing and Project Proposal Development: Assist Dr. Moreau in preparing research findings for presentation at scientific meetings and manuscripts for publication. Contribute to preparing research project proposals and prepare annual or biannual research progress summaries and presentations. Attend research-related meetings.
• Laboratory Organization and Compliance: Develop and implement procedures and systems to maximize the organization and efficiency within designated projects. Mentor and train lab members on methods and protocols.

Our Commitment to Diversity: OHSU is committed to increasing the diversity of the campus community. We are dedicated to promoting inclusion and multiculturalism by bringing together outstanding researchers from diverse backgrounds to work on multiple projects.

Required Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in relevant field and 3 years of relevant post-doctoral work experience
• Specialty: Immunology, Cell Biology, Dermatology, Cancer Biology, or other relevant background
• Experience with in vivo murine models
• Advanced knowledge in flow cytometry, in vivo experiments (including transgenic mouse models), and general immunology assays.
• Excellent communication, analytical and organizational skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team while being collaborative in resolving problems
• Passion for science and inquiry
• Ability to synthesize one’s own results and others to formulate hypotheses
• Ability to prioritize multiple tasks at one time
• Ability to use tact and diplomacy to maintain effective working relationships

Preferred Qualifications

• PhD and post-doctoral experiment in immunology, especially adaptive immunity
• Experience with analysis of single cell and spatial transcriptomic and/or proteomic data

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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