Postdoctoral Associate

Special Instructions to Applicants: All interested applicants should attach a resume in the supporting documents section of the application, preferably in a PDF format to avoid any formatting issues.

About Rice:

Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio, and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lectures series, courses and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities. 

Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice’s culture. They come through in the way we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name — RICE — Responsibility, Integrity, Community and Excellence.

About George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing:

The George R. Brown School of Engineering ranks among the top 20 undergraduate engineering programs (US News & World Report) and is strongly committed to nurturing the aspirations of faculty, staff, and students in an inclusive environment.

We seek greater representation of women, minorities, people with disabilities, and veterans in disciplines in which they have historically been underrepresented; to attract international students from a wider range of countries and backgrounds; to accelerate progress in building a faculty and staff who are diverse in background and thought, and we support an inclusive environment that fosters interaction and understanding within our diverse community.

Position Summary: 

The Veiseh Lab in the Department of Bioengineering at Rice University is seeking a highly motivated and collaborative Postdoctoral Researcher to lead the development of cell-based therapeutic devices for the treatment of diseases such as cancer, lymphedema, wound infections, diabetes, or infectious diseases. This position supports a clinically oriented, translational research program at the intersection of synthetic biology, biomaterials, and immunoengineering.

In this role, the postdoctoral researcher will lead an independent project focused on engineering and evaluating therapeutic devices in relevant preclinical models. Key responsibilities include conducting cellular engineering experiments, biomaterial characterization, data analysis, and evaluating therapeutic outcomes in translational models. The researcher will also contribute to scientific writing, grant proposals, and present findings at national and international conferences. The role includes mentoring junior team members and supporting collaborative efforts across disciplines and institutions.

The ideal candidate has strong foundational knowledge in molecular biology, bioengineering, and chemistry, along with expertise or demonstrated interest in at least one relevant disease area. They are driven by scientific curiosity, excited to tackle complex biological challenges, and committed to producing high-impact, peer-reviewed research. Strong communication skills, professionalism, and enthusiasm for leadership and collaboration are essential.

For more information about our research and goals, please visit the Veiseh Lab website.

Workplace Requirements:

This is an on-site position, requiring all responsibilities to be carried out in person at Rice University Campus. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.

Hiring Range:  $61,008

*Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime. 

This is a benefits-eligible, full-time position funded by grant, soft, and/or restricted funds. The appointment is for one year, with the option for renewal for up to three years contingent upon satisfactory performance and the availability of continued funding.

Minimum Requirements:

• Ph.D. in Bioengineering or a closely related field.
• No experience required 

Skills:

• Knowledge of biomaterials, cellular engineering, or preclinical disease models
• Familiarity with translational research and clinically oriented project design
• Ability to conduct laboratory experiments and characterize therapeutic devices in relevant disease models
• Strong scientific writing and data presentation skills for publications and conferences
• Ability to support grant writing, proposal development, and collaborative research efforts
• Commitment to rigorous scientific methods, lab safety, and accurate record-keeping
• Professional communication skills and ability to collaborate across disciplines and institutions
• Strong organizational and project management skills in a fast-paced research environment

Preferences:

• Knowledge of one or more of the following disease areas: cancer, lymphedema, wound infections, diabetes, or infectious diseases
• Curiosity, enthusiasm, and drive to solve challenging technical problems and complex biological questions
• Ability to analyze and interpret data from peer-reviewed literature, experiments, and disease models
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience presenting in group meetings and conferences and an understanding of the manuscript and peer review process
• Ability to work independently, collaboratively, and professionally within diverse research teams
• Enthusiasm for leadership, mentoring, and fostering a collaborative and supportive lab environment
• Experience mentoring or training junior researchers in a laboratory setting
• Interest in developing independent research interests and long-term project leadership

Essential Functions:

• Leads a project focused on developing a cell-based therapeutic device for the treatment of cancer, lymphedema, wound infections, diabetes, or infectious diseases
• Investigates the impact of the therapeutic device on disease outcomes using translational research models
• Designs and executes clinically translatable research projects
• Conducts laboratory experiments involving preclinical models, cellular engineering, and biomaterial characterization
• Develops an independent line of research with the goal of future academic or industry leadership
• Publishes research findings in peer-reviewed journals and presents at national and international conferences
• Mentors and trains junior research team members, including Ph.D. candidates, master’s students, and undergraduates
• Assists with proposal development and grant writing to support research funding
• Supports equipment setup, protocol development, and models best practices in scientific rigor, record-keeping, lab safety, and team collaboration
• Contributes to project management and facilitates collaboration across disciplines and institutions
• Performs other duties as assigned

Rice University HR | Benefits: https://knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits-overview

Rice Mission and Values: Mission and Values | Rice University
 

Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please get in touch with Rice University’s Human Resources Office via email at [email protected] for support.

If you have any additional questions, please email us at [email protected]. Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.