POSITION DESCRIPTION ($64,480-$69,342/year: UC salary scales)

We are hiring postdoctoral scholars (or assistant project scientists, commensurate with experience) who have a background in either protein engineering or proteomics/biochemistry. Our lab develops molecular technologies that can be applied to study neural circuits that are implicated in neuropsychiatric disorders. Postdoctoral scholars would have the opportunity to gain valuable cross-training in neuroscience, including applying novel molecular technologies in vivo to tag and molecularly profile neurons activated during behavioral stimuli or by drugs of abuse/psychedelics. Postdoctoral scholars in the lab carry a large degree of independence and creative freedom in designing and executing their own projects. Below are general guidelines based on funded projects.

Protein Engineering Position: The candidate will work on projects developing high-throughput screening assays to engineer new activity-dependent labeling enzymes and transcriptional reporters. The candidate will have the option to validate and apply these tools in mice through collaborations/cross-training with other lab members, alongside other approaches such as calcium imaging, optogenetics, single-cell RNA sequencing, or proteomics. 

Proteomics/Biochemistry Position: The candidate will work on projects developing and applying novel activity-dependent proximity labeling enzymes for proteomic analysis of specific neuronal populations activated in vivo under different behavioral conditions. The candidate will have the option to integrate proteomics data with other types of molecular assays including single-cell RNA sequencing or spatial transcriptomics.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Protein Engineering Candidate:

• Doctoral degree in bio/chemical engineering, chemical biology, or related fields.

• Previous experience with high-throughput protein engineering assays (or computational design).

Proteomics/Biochemistry Candidate:

• Doctoral degree in biochemistry, chemistry, biology, or related fields.

• Previous experience with protein enrichment, LC-MS/MS, and analysis of proteomics datasets.

For either position, no prior mouse experience is necessary (we can teach you if you want!)

HOW TO APPLY

Interested candidates can apply here: https://forms.gle/Khrru4E1oRDUavZc8, or can directly e-mail application materials to tinakim@ucdavis.edu. Be prepared to upload:

• A short cover letter (including contact info for 1-2 references)

• Your CV

FOR MORE INFORMATION

E-mail Tina (tinakim@ucdavis.edu), and visit our website (tinakimlab.org).

ABOUT THE DAVIS/SACRAMENTO AREA

• Most people live either in Davis (easy biking to campus/the Center), or in Sacramento (20 min drive).

• Sacramento international airport is nearby, and housing in the area is among the most affordable in CA.

• We are conveniently located to enjoy many awesome activities within a 1-2 hr drive/train ride. There are nearby lakes/rivers to kayak & wakesurf; Pacifica has an amazing beach for surfing; Lake Tahoe has world-class climbing and skiing; and Oakland/SF is an easy evening trip if you enjoy cities.