Title of the Position: Postbaccalaureate Research Assistant
Department and School: Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Anticipated Appointment Dates: Between January and March 2025.
Email/Website: cristina.rodriguez.cr876@yale.edu / rodriguezlab.yale.edu
Introduction of School/Department:
The Department of Biomedical Engineering at Yale has two related goals: first, the use of the tools and methods of engineering to better understand human physiology and disease; second, the development of new technologies for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of human disease.
The interdisciplinary and highly collaborative environment of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Yale, as well as the strong and rapidly growing biomedical imaging community, will provide an exceptional environment for the postgraduate trainee. Moreover, since research in the Rodríguez Lab lies at the interface between cutting-edge optical microscopy and neurobiology, the holder of this position will benefit immensely from the strong neuroscience community at Yale – including the recently established Wu Tsai Institute.
The Rodríguez Lab focuses on developing optical microscopy tools for visualizing critical biological processes deep within their native context, with a particular focus on applications in neuroscience. To do this, we use a multidisciplinary approach involving physics, nonlinear optics, and microscopy development. In particular, and relevant to this position, we are interested in demonstrating the power of our imaging techniques for deep-tissue imaging of the mouse spinal cord.
Overview of the Position:
Education: This will be an immersive training experience, where trainees will undertake projects to experience research at the level of graduate school students, with the direct oversight and mentorship of a graduate student and postdoc. This position offers a unique opportunity to perform research at the intersection of engineering and neuroscience.
Training: The Rodríguez Lab is committed to training, teaching, mentoring, and enabling the next generation of diverse scientists and scholars. The successful candidate will learn techniques to address unanswered questions in neuroscience using the mouse spinal cord as a model system. Specific techniques include maintaining mouse colony, genotyping, immunohistochemistry, mouse surgeries, imaging, and data analysis.
Mentoring: The postgrad will be mentored by lab PI Dr. Cristina Rodríguez in conjunction with an assigned graduate student in the lab. The postgrad will meet every week with the PI Dr. Cristina Rodríguez, will present their work during weekly lab meetings, and have the opportunity to attend conferences and seminars.
Location: The Rodríguez Lab is located in the Malone Engineering Center (55 Prospect St Room 101, New Haven, CT, 06511).
Applicants are expected to dedicate 2 years to this position.
Qualifications:
A bachelor’s degree required; previous research experience preferred. Other qualifications:
- Creative problem-solving skills
- Organized
- Self-motivated and with the ability to work independently, while also being a team player
- Strong communication skills
Process to Apply:
Please contact PI Dr. Cristina Rodríguez at cristina.rodriguez.cr876@yale.edu. Include “Postgraduate Associate” in the subject of the email. Include your CV and a cover letter stating your motivation for pursuing the opportunity, your research interests and experience, and your formal qualifications. The CV should include the contact information of 2-3 references. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.