Neurodegenerative Disease Senior Scientist

Overview

Parallel Squared Technology Institute (PTI) is a nonprofit research institute developing technologies, reagents, and computational tools to increase the sensitivity and throughput of protein analysis, with a focus on single-cell proteomics. PTI applies these innovations to societally relevant areas of biomedical research, including studying protein dysfunctions in Alzheimer’s and related neurodegenerative diseases.

Summary of Position

We are seeking scientist and senior scientist candidates to help drive our efforts to use single-cell proteomics to understand the causes of Alzheimer’s and related neurodegenerative diseases. Ideal candidates will have expertise in the molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration and direct, hands-on experience in single-cell analysis, computational biology, and brain tissue handling.

Candidates will work as part of an interdisciplinary team on NIH-funded projects, using proteomic technologies developed at PTI to discover new molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s and related disorders. Day-to-day responsibilities include designing and carrying out experiments to isolate and profile single cells from brain tissue, computationally analyzing large-scale single-cell proteomics datasets, preparing manuscripts and presentations, mentoring junior scientists, and regular meetings with collaborators in and outside of PTI.

Candidates will initially work on ongoing projects but will have the opportunity to design and lead their own projects as well.

Candidates with less than 1 year of postdoctoral experience will be considered for the scientist position and those with more than 1 year of experience will be considered for the senior scientist position.

PTI is a nonprofit, focused research organization (FRO) established through Convergent Research. FROs aim to accelerate progress across science and technology by tackling large-scale problems with the potential to unlock bottlenecks in specific research areas. PTI aims to achieve a 100-1000x increase in the scale of proteomic analysis. To do so, we are developing new technologies and approaches for mass spectrometric proteomics, including molecular barcodes (mass tags) for sample multiplexing, and computational approaches to increase sensitivity of protein analysis.

We aim to apply these advances in societally relevant areas, with a focus on neurodegenerative disease and to collaborate with leaders in the field. Researchers at PTI work within an interdisciplinary team of mass spectrometrists, chemists, computational analysts, and biologists. PTI supports professional development through educational opportunities such as travel to conferences and workshops. Members of PTI have the opportunity to disseminate discoveries through high-visibility publications, presentations, and submissions to public data portals.

We aim to help fill a structural gap in today’s R&D system by enabling fundamental research at unusual scales and coordination, not rapidly monetizable by industry. As an incubator within the Schmidt Futures Network, we identify high-impact scientific or technical research and development opportunities and define and launch these projects as Focused Research Organizations. PTI is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and proudly pursues a diverse workforce.

• Design and execute research projects using single-cell proteomics to understand the molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s and related diseases.
• Computationally analyze large-scale, single-cell proteomic datasets to identify new molecular mechanisms of disease.
• Collaborate with external laboratories, brain banks, and tissue repositories on sample procurement.
• Prepare human brain tissue samples for proteomic analysis using PTI methods and technologies.
• Mentor junior scientists, analyze and interpret results, record data in laboratory notebooks, and prepare written and oral research communications.
• Make regular presentations within PTI and to collaborators.
• Prepare manuscripts related to project outcomes and grant applications for external funding.
• Demonstrate a commitment to diversity, inclusion, and cultural…