Monday, August 30, 2010
The 2010 Michigan Society of Fellows Postdoctoral Fellowship
The Michigan Society of Fellows, under the auspices of the Rackham Graduate School, was established in 1970 with endowment grants from the Ford Foundation and the Horace H. and Mary Rackham Funds. The most distinctive aspect of the Society is its multidisciplinary emphasis. Each year the Society selects four outstanding applicants for appointment to three-year fellowships in the social, physical, and life sciences, and in the professional schools. In 2007, the Mellon Foundation awarded a grant to add four Mellon Fellows annually in the humanities, expanding the number of fellowships awarded each year from four to eight. The newly appointed Postdoctoral Fellows join a unique interdisciplinary community composed of their peers as well as the Senior Fellows of the Society, who include many of the University’s leading scholars. Past Fellows of the Society have gone on to become distinguished scholars at institutions around the world. The Chair of the Society is Donald S. Lopez, Jr., Arthur E. Link Distinguished University Professor of Buddhist and Tibetan Studies in the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Michigan.
The Society invites applications from qualified candidates at the beginning of their academic careers, having received the Ph.D. or comparable professional or artistic degree between June 1, 2008 and September 1, 2011. Applications from degree candidates and recipients of the Ph.D. from the University of Michigan will not be considered. Non-US citizens may apply.
Candidates should be near the beginning of their professional careers. Those selected for fellowships must have received the Ph.D. degree or comparable artistic or professional degree between June 1, 2008, and September 1, 2011. Fellows are appointed as Assistant Professors or Research Scientists in appropriate departments and as Postdoctoral Scholars in the Michigan Society of Fellows. They are expected to be in residence in Ann Arbor during the academic years of the fellowship, to teach for the equivalent of one academic year, to participate in the informal intellectual life of the Society, and to devote time to their independent research or artistic projects. This is not an artist-in-residence program but rather an opportunity to develop one’s work in conversation with fellows from a range of disciplines during the three years of the fellowship. Applications from degree candidates and recipients of the Ph.D. or comparable artistic or professional degree from the University of Michigan will not be considered.
Applications will be reviewed by Society members and University faculty. Final selections will be made in late January by Senior Fellows of the Society. Eight Fellows will be selected for three-year terms to begin September 1, 2011. The annual stipend will be $51,500.
Email: society.of.fellows@umich.edu
Application Deadline: October 18, 2010.
Grand Challenges Explorations From The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is now accepting grant proposals for Round 6 of Grand Challenges Explorations, an initiative to encourage innovative and unconventional global health solutions. Applicants can be at any experience level, in any discipline, and from any organization, including colleges and universities, government laboratories, research institutions, non-profit organizations and for profit companies.
Grant proposals are being accepted online until November 2, 2010 on the following topics:
* New! The Poliovirus Endgame: Create Ways to Accelerate, Sustain and Monitor Eradication
* New! Create the Next Generation of Sanitation Technologies
* New! Design New Approaches to Cure HIV Infection
* Create New Technologies to improve the Health of Mothers and Newborns
* Create Low-Cost Cell Phone-Based Applications for Priority Global Health Diseases
Open to All Disciplines: Anyone Can Apply
The grant program is open to anyone from any discipline, from student to tenured professor, and from any organization – colleges and universities, government laboratories, research institutions, non-profit organizations and for-profit companies.
Agile, Accelerated Grant-Making
The initiative uses an agile, accelerated grant-making process with short two-page applications and no preliminary data required. Applications are submitted online, and winning grants are chosen approximately 4 months from the submission deadline.
Initial grants of $100,000 are awarded two times a year. Successful projects have the opportunity to receive a follow-on grant of up to $1 million.
Application Instructions following the link.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Great! California Postdocs Got Union Contract
Postdocs at the University of California (UC) voted overwhelmingly this week to adopt a 5-year contract that would raise their pay and give them protections not guaranteed under the current system.
"I'm ecstatic. It's amazing," says Matthew O'Connor, a bargaining team representative for the PRO/UAW (Postdoctoral Researchers Organize/United Auto Workers), which will represent the postdoctoral researchers at the 10 UC campuses. "It really will improve things for a lot of postdocs, and it has the potential to improve things for postdocs everywhere, since we're such a huge chunk of the system," says O'Connor, a biochemist who recently completed a postdoc at UC Berkeley. The vote was 2588 to 121. The final step is approval by the UC Board of Regents.
The UC system has more than 6500 postdocs, accounting for roughly 10% of the postdocs in the United States. Their salaries will rise by from 1.5% to 3% this fall under the new contract, and then gradually conform with the standards set by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, which lists recommended salaries for postdocs based on their experience. The NIH guidelines call for paying a first-year postdoc $37,740, rising to $47,940 by the fifth year.
University spokesperson Steve Montiel stresses that the NIH standards are seen as a floor, and one-third of the UC postdocs are already making above $47,000 a year. The process will take some time, however. Many postdocs are paid a fixed amount from grants from the federal government or other outside sources, and the university will have to make up any difference. "It'll cost UC millions more a year, but we're confident we can handle it," Montiel says.
Although the university retains the power to impose layoffs, the new contract forbids layoffs without "just cause." Postdocs also gained the right to file grievances for alleged discrimination or sexual harassment.
The postdocs agreed to a no-strike provision for the duration of the contract. "It was difficult to give up [that option] because it's a matter of conscience," says O'Connor about the promise not to walk out. "Some people consider a labor picket line to be a sacred thing that you don't cross if you're being asked not to."
For the university system, having 5 years of stability is a source of reassurance. "Research is so important to the UC mission, it's good to know there's a contract in place with a no-strike clause," Montiel says.
It took a year and a half for the union and the university to reach a consensus, which Montiel says is not unusual for first-time contracts. And he doesn't expect the new relationship to affect the day-to-day research experience at the universities.
The UC contract is not the first with a labor union for U.S. postdocs. The 125 postdocs at the University of Connecticut Health Center won representation in 2003 and negotiated their first contract in 2004, and postdocs at other institutions in New England have similar agreements. But the UC union is by far the largest unit.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Various Permanent and Contract Positions Available
Tanabe Research Laboratories, www.trlusa.com, is focusing on the pre-clinical development of biologics for the treatment of autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases. We have an excellent opportunity for a Research Scientist to join our immunology group. The major responsibilities of this group include the generation/identification of therapeutic alternative scaffold proteins or antibody mimetics. This position requires a Ph.D. in the biological sciences, preferably in immunology, with 3-6 years of postdoctoral work plus at least one year spent in a related industry setting. The successful candidate must have hands-on expertise with mammalian tissue culture, immunologic assays and standard molecular biology protocols. Prior experience with assay development and/or biologics characterization is important. Excellent communication skills, the ability to work in a goal and team-oriented setting, well developed organizational skills, the flexibility to manage several projects simultaneously and the ability to thrive under pressure are also required.
Qualified candidates may submit their resume to hr@trlusa.com
Scientist position at KBI Biopharma
Seeking a PhD level formulations/analytical scientist position in my group here at KBI. This would be a protein biochemistry position, with a widespread usage of many different biophysical (DSC, DLS, FTIR, CD) and biochemical (all HPLC variations, LC-MS, SDS-PAGE, IEF, ELISA) to analyze and develop protein drugs. Prefer a PhD to assist with writing of technical reports and SOPs.
Please contact Dr. Jimmy Smedley at james.g.smedley.iii@gmail.com if you are interested. Information about KBI can be found at: http://www.kbibiopharma.com.
Scientist - Protocols DNA sequencing-based genetic diagnostic platform - Boston MA
Scientist - Protocols
My client is searching for a Scientist / Sr. Scientist who will serve an integral role developing molecular protocols for a DNA sequencing-based genetic diagnostic platform. This position will work closely with the Director of Technology to develop and automate novel sample-preparation protocols for next-generation DNA sequencing.
Responsibilities
• Transition molecular protocols from working prototypes into robust automated assays.
• Design custom workflows on a high-throughput liquid handling robotics platform.
• Generate and maintain standard operating procedures for protocols developed.
• Analyze results of next-generation sequencing-based experiments, in collaboration with the computational team when necessary.
• Prepare reports for publication and internal use, documenting techniques and methods used.
• Work collaboratively as part of a small, interdisciplinary team of biologists, doctors, geneticists, computer scientists, and mathematicians / statisticians.
• Develop new strategies for analyzing and presenting genetic sequencing data.
• Work efficiently in a fast-paced startup environment.
Qualifications
• PhD in genetics, molecular biology, related discipline, or equivalent industry experience.
• Proven track record developing/automating novel protocols utilizing polymerase, ligase, nuclease, and restriction enzymes.
• Extensive experience developing high-throughput workflows for laboratory automation.
• Experience writing scripts to control liquid handling robots.
• Deep mechanistic understanding of standard molecular techniques including real-time PCR, molecular cloning, DNA shearing, adapter ligation/purification.
• Industry experience (e.g., product development and commercialization), especially in the clinical diagnostics space, a strong plus.
• Ability to independently analyze large datasets, e.g. from a next-generation DNA sequencer, a strong plus.
• Willingness to work in a start up environment. Proven teamwork and leadership skills. High creativity. Excellent communication skills and attention to detail.
Company Overview:
Based in Boston, my client is developing a genetic diagnostic for the reproductive market. The diagnostic will be completed in a CLIA certified laboratory and be distributed through fertility clinics. My client has recently received its first round of institutional financing and is looking to build its team with experienced life science professionals.
To learn more or apply for this position, please email Ken Drake kdrake@hallmarkit.com
Scientist – Clinical Assays - Boston MA
Scientist – Clinical Assays
My client is searching for a Scientist / Sr. Scientist who will serve an integral role developing clinical molecular genetic assays. This position will work closely with the Director of Technology to develop and automate electrophoretic, quantitative, chip-based, and/or genotyping assays.
Responsibilities
• Design and implement molecular genetic assays for specific diseases
• Transition molecular protocols from working prototypes into robust automated assays.
• Design custom workflows on a high-throughput liquid handling robotics platform.
• Generate and maintain standard operating procedures for protocols developed.
• Prepare reports for publication and internal use, documenting techniques and methods used.
• Work collaboratively as part of a small, interdisciplinary team of biologists, doctors, geneticists, computer scientists, and mathematicians / statisticians.
• Work efficiently in a fast-paced startup environment.
Qualifications
• PhD in genetics, molecular biology, or related discipline.
• Industry experience (i.e. product development and commercialization) in the clinical molecular diagnostics space
• Proven track record developing/automating novel molecular protocols
• Experience with capillary electrophoresis, Sanger sequencing, quantitative real-time PCR, chip-based structural variation analysis, and/or Luminex genotyping a strong plus
• Extensive experience developing high-throughput workflows for laboratory automation.
• Ability to independently analyze large datasets a strong plus.
• Willingness to work in a start up environment. Proven teamwork and leadership skills. High creativity. Excellent communication skills and attention to detail.
Company Overview:
Based in Boston, my client is developing a genetic diagnostic for the reproductive market. The diagnostic will be completed in a CLIA certified laboratory and be distributed through fertility clinics. My client has recently received its first round of institutional financing and is looking to build its team with experienced life science professionals.
To learn more or apply for this position, please email Ken Drake kdrake@hallmarkit.com
SciVal Consultant (FT) - New York
Responsible for providing objective advice, expertise and specialist skills with the aim of helping academic institutions, government bodies, and funding agencies to improve their Research performance. Actively researches the industry in order to assess the possibilities for portfolio growth. Responsible for research of likely markets, competition, opportunities and development.
Responsible for establishing SciVal as a standard at leading academic and government institutions (opinion leaders) in order to get the industry recognition and endorsement of the SciVal suite. SciVal is a pioneering suite of Research tools from Elsevier, that helps evaluate, establish and execute research strategies more effectively.
MS or PhD, 5 yrs B2B, consulting, work exp in academic/higher educational institution.
Details: http://reedelsevier.taleo.net/careersection/51/jobdetail.ftl?lang=en&job=ANG00002
www.elsevier.com
www.scival.com
R&D Material Scientist in Boston, MA area
3+ years experience in the chemical deposition and characterization of ceramic films. Experience with inorganic material synthesis, nano-particle synthesis, solution-based ceramic film deposition techniques, and microstructural and chemical property characterization is desired. Comp:95-110K. Please contact ann@mansfieldassoc.com
ECSB Strategic Research Consultant
Corporate Executive Board (NASDAQ: EXBD), www.EXBD.com
The Corporate Executive Board Company drives faster, more effective decision-making among the world’s leading executives and business professionals. As the premier, network-based knowledge resource, it provides them with the authoritative and timely guidance needed to excel in their roles, take decisive action and improve company performance. Powered by a member network that spans over 50 countries and represents more than 80% of the world’s Fortune 500 companies, The Corporate Executive Board offers unique research insights along with an integrated suite of members-only tools and resources that enable the world’s most successful organizations to deliver superior business outcomes. Based in Arlington, Virginia, the Company employs more than 2,000 professionals in ten offices around the world. For more information on our company, please visit www.exbd.com and to learn more about our research, check out our award winning article, “When Growth Stalls”, in the Harvard Business Review.
We are currently seeking a Strategic Research Consultant in for our Enterprise Council on Small Business (ECSB) in our Toronto, Ontario, Canada Office with proven analytical skills and a passion for research experience to join our growing strategic research practice. Our various membership programs engage the senior most executives on key strategy issues facing Fortune 500/Global 1000 companies. Research Consultants drive the success of our deliverables by leading and structuring the research and analysis of individual studies.
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
• Work closely with members to determine the strategic and operational challenges they face
• Use intimate knowledge of the root causes of member problems to develop hypotheses for guiding research deliverables and other service offerings (e.g., benchmarking, online tools)
• Strive to develop insights and solutions that address members’ major business problems
• Independently prepare research deliverables and additional service offerings
• Lift out and communicate key insights to members
• Manage, coach and provide ongoing development to members of the research team
• Establish a cohesive and cooperative work environment for all staff
A successful candidate will possess:
Education Requirements/Work Experience:
• Undergraduate degree required; graduate degree(s) strongly preferred
• Minimum of 4-7 years of work experience; consulting or strategic planning experience preferred
Analytical Skills:
• Strong inductive and deductive reasoning skills
• Experience in hypothesis-driven research
• Ability to generate ideas that have an impact
• Basic quantitative facility developed through relevant coursework or work experience
Product Creation:
• Strong writing ability
• Experience working with online content preferred
• Experience or ability to teach and relay ideas
Management and Teamwork:
• Project management skills
• Experience/ability to engage clients
• Experience/ability to work in a team
If you are interested in this full time opportunity, please apply directly via our website at www.exbd.com or reach out to Catherine Roeder at croeder@executiveboard.com.
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