Basic Staff Scientist I

Discover Vanderbilt University Medical Center:  Located in Nashville, Tennessee, and operating at a global crossroads of teaching, discovery, and patient care, VUMC is a community of individuals who come to work each day with the simple aim of changing the world. It is a place where your expertise will be valued, your knowledge expanded, and your abilities challenged. Vanderbilt Health is committed to an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and where your uniqueness is sought and celebrated. It is a place where employees know they are part of something that is bigger than themselves, take exceptional pride in their work and never settle for what was good enough yesterday. Vanderbilt’s mission is to advance health and wellness through preeminent programs in patient care, education, and research.

Organization:

Neurology Admin 20

Job Summary:

The Vanderbilt ALS Research Center is seeking an experienced and highly motivated Basic Staff Scientist to support and lead advanced translational research studies focused on ALS and related neurodegenerative diseases. This position is ideal for a candidate with substantial laboratory experience who is capable of independently managing complex experimental workflows, mentoring trainees, and contributing to the scientific and operational leadership of the laboratory.

The successful candidate will play a central role in the execution and coordination of molecular and cellular biology studies using patient-derived biospecimens and advanced cellular models, including induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). This position offers the opportunity to work within a highly collaborative interdisciplinary research environment that values rigor, innovation, mentorship, and open science.

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Key Responsibilities

·         Independently design, execute, troubleshoot, and optimize complex molecular and cellular biology experiments.

·         Lead and maintain advanced cell culture workflows, including iPSC culture, differentiation, maintenance, quality control, and downstream experimental applications.

·         Perform and oversee microscopy-based experiments, including immunofluorescence staining, imaging acquisition, and image-based data analysis.

·         Manage and coordinate day-to-day laboratory activities related to assigned projects, ensuring experimental rigor, reproducibility, and timely completion of studies.

·         Train, supervise, and mentor undergraduate students, graduate students, technicians, and junior laboratory personnel in laboratory techniques and best practices.

·         Maintain detailed experimental records and contribute to data analysis, interpretation, troubleshooting, and protocol optimization.

·         Assist with biospecimen processing, molecular assays, and experimental workflows involving patient-derived tissues, biofluids, and cellular models.

·         Contribute to manuscript preparation, figure generation, laboratory organization, and collaborative research efforts across multidisciplinary teams.

Required Qualifications

·         Master’s degree in Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Neuroscience, Biochemistry, Biomedical Sciences, or a related field.

·         Extensive hands-on experience in molecular and cellular biology techniques.

·         Demonstrated expertise in mammalian cell culture, including complex cell-based experimental systems.

·         Required experience with induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) culture and maintenance.

·         Required experience with microscopy techniques, including immunofluorescence imaging and image acquisition.

·         Ability to independently execute and troubleshoot complex experimental protocols.

·         Experience training or mentoring students and junior personnel in a laboratory environment.

·         Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.

·         Excellent written and verbal communication skills and ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary team.

Preferred Qualifications

·         PhD in Molecular Biology, Neuroscience, Cell Biology, Biomedical Sciences, or a related discipline.

·         Prior experience in ALS, neurodegeneration, stem cell biology, or translational biomedical research.

·         Experience with advanced imaging analysis software and quantitative microscopy approaches.

·         Familiarity with molecular assays including qPCR, RT-PCR, ELISA, Western blotting, and omics-related sample preparation.

·         Experience working with human biospecimens, directly reprogrammed neurons, organoids, or other advanced cellular disease models.

·         Demonstrated ability to contribute intellectually to study design, protocol development, and research strategy.

Our Academic Enterprise is one of the nation’s longest serving and most prestigious academic medical centers. Through its historic bond with Vanderbilt University and integral role in the School of Medicine, Vanderbilt Health cultivates distinguished research and educational programs to advance a clinical enterprise that provides compassionate and personalized care and support for millions of patients and family members each year.

World-leading academic departments and comprehensive centers of excellence pursue scientific discoveries and transformational educational and clinical advances across the entire spectrum of health and disease.

Aligning with Vanderbilt Health’s Strategic Directions, the Office of Research provides shared research resources, administrative expertise and professional guidance to enable the trans-disciplinary environment and highly collaborative culture that advances discovery and training for all the research faculty, trainees, students and staff. 

Core Accountabilities:

Organizational Impact: Delivers job responsibilities that impact own job area/team with some guidance. Problem Solving/ Complexity of work: Uses existing procedures, research and analysis to solve standard job related problems that may require some judgement. Breadth of Knowledge: Requires subject matter knowledge within a professional area to meet job requirements. Team Interaction: Individually contributes to project/ work teams.

Core Capabilities :

Supporting Colleagues: - Develops Self and Others: Continuously improves own skills by identifying development opportunities.- Builds and Maintains Relationships: Seeks to understand colleagues priorities, working styles and develops relationships across areas. - Communicates Effectively: Openly shares information with others and communicates in a clear and courteous manner. Delivering Excellent Services: - Serves Others with Compassion: Invests time to understand the problems, needs of others and how to provide excellent service. - Solves Complex Problems: Seeks to understand issues, solves routine problems, and raises proper concerns to supervisors in a timely manner. - Offers Meaningful Advice and Support: Listens carefully to understand the issues and provides accurate information and support. Ensuring High Quality: - Performs Excellent Work: Checks work quality before delivery and asks relevant questions to meet quality standards.- Ensures Continuous Improvement: Shows eagerness to learn new knowledge, technologies, tools or systems and displays willingness to go above and beyond. - Fulfills Safety and Regulatory Requirements: Demonstrates basic knowledge of conditions that affect safety and reports unsafe conditions to the appropriate person or department. Managing Resources Effectively :- Demonstrates Accountability: Takes responsibility for completing assigned activities and thinks beyond standard approaches to provide high-quality work/service. - Stewards Organizational Resources: Displays understanding of how personal actions will impact departmental resources. - Makes Data Driven Decisions: Uses accurate information and good decision making to consistently achieve results on time and without error. Fostering Innovation: - Generates New Ideas: Willingly proposes/accepts ideas or initiatives that will impact day-to-day operations by offering suggestions to enhance them.- Applies Technology: Absorbs new technology quickly; understands when to utilize the appropriate tools and procedures to ensure proper course of action. - Adapts to Change: Embraces changes by keeping an open mind to changing plans and incorporates change instructions into own area of work.

Position Qualifications:

Responsibilities:

Certifications :

Work Experience :

Relevant Work Experience

Experience Level :

Less than 1 year

Education :

Doctorate

This role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact within Vanderbilt Health, supported by a comprehensive benefits package which may include health, disability, retirement and/or wellness offerings to enhance your well-being and professional growth.

Vanderbilt Health is committed to fostering an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and is committed to the principles of equal opportunity.  EOE/Vets/Disabled.