Postdoctoral Associate

Job Description - Postdoctoral Associate (2503990)

Postdoctoral Associate

• Doctoral Degree in Microbiology, Virology or a closely related field in hand by the time of hire.
• Experience with performing and evaluating viral infections and cellular responses to viral infection.
• Evidence of Experimental procedures used to study viral replication, spread and the induction of innate and adaptive immune responses.
• Use of molecular approaches to study viruses, single cell analysis and analysis of immune responses contributing to neurovirulence.

PhD or Postdoc experience in Flavivirus research. Experience in BSL3 with neuropathogenic viruses and ABSL3 murine models. Two (2) - Five (5) years of molecular biology experience with viral infected cells/mice and the use of viral reverse genetics approaches. Analysis of murine CNS and immune responses using single cell RNA sequencing, qRT-PCR analysis of cellular and viral transcripts, in situ hybridization, and flow cytometry.

Experience with tissue and CNS dissociation and cell isolation.

The Postdoctoral Associate will be part of a team of scientists, graduate students and technicians in the lab of Dr. Erich Mackow in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Stony Brook University. The incumbent will perform research on Powassan virus in cells and using an age-dependent murine disease model to analyze neuropathogenic mechanisms.

• Perform POWV experiments and data analysis following in primary cells and cell lines in BSL2/BSL3, and following murine infection in ABSL3 settings.
• Analyze viral responses of infected and uninfected CNS cells and assess and quantitate viral and cellular proteins and RNA transcriptional responses using immunohistochemistry, Western blot, scRNAseq, qRT-PCR and ISH.
• Evaluate POWV entry into the CNS and neurovirulence in a murine model and use single cell RNAseq to assess age dependent determinants of pathogenesis and immune neuropathology.
• Conduct experiments using recombinant approaches to generate and evaluate reverse genetics modified recombinant POWVs, develop potential recombinant POWV vaccines, and to define POWV cell protein interactions, cytokine induction, and the regulation of CNS protective immune responses.
• Document data generated in studies, collect data, analyze data and prepare manuscripts and figures for publication in scientific journals and national and international scientific meetings and assist with grant reports, grant proposal writing and compliance reports.
• General Lab maintenance and ordering of supplies needed for studies.
• Other duties as assigned.

The Research Foundation of SUNY is a private educational corporation. Employment is subject to the Research Foundation policies and procedures, sponsor guidelines and the availability of funding. FLSA Exempt position, not eligible for the overtime provisions of the FLSA. Minimum salary threshold must be met to maintain FLSA exemption.

Resume/CV and cover letter should be included with the online application.

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• Official
  
  Job Title:
  
  Postdoctoral Associate
• Job Number: 2503990
• Job Field:
  Post Doctoral
• Primary
  
  Location:
  
  Department/Hiring Area – Microbiology and Immunology
• Schedule:
  
  Full-time
• Shift: Day Shift
• Shift
  
  Hours:
  
  8:00 am - 4:30 pm
• Posting
  
  Start Date:
  
  Jan 7, 2026
• Posting End Date:
  Feb 7, 2026, 8:59:00 PM
• Appointment Type:
  Regular
• Salary Grade: E89
• SBU Area:
  The Research Foundation for The State University of New York at Stony Brook