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Hinton Lab

Staff Scientist

Research Interests:
The Hinton lab aims to elucidate the molecular mechanisms that regulate molecule transfer and morphology changes between the mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum and how these mechanisms are altered during pathophysiological states, particularly diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.

Title: Staff Scientist Position

Salary: This a 100 percent time appointment with a full-time annual salary.

Benefits:
This position includes the fringe benefits described in the Vanderbilt Human Resources webpage for a staff scientist position. Please contact HR for more information about this.

Duration:
The Staff Scientist position is a 1-year contract position and can be renewed yearly based on performance for 5 years. The 1-year position will be contingent upon your training progress, the laboratory needs, and satisfactory performance. As long as the appointment continues, a yearly evaluation will take place to discuss goals and aspirations for the following year.

Appointment Requirements:
Candidates who have completed a PhD in Neuroscience, Physiology, Biophysics, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, and/or  related fields are eligible. The ideal candidate will have to demonstrate a commitment to excellence in research, has prior teaching experiences, e-learning experience, and mentoring experience at the undergraduate and graduate level. The position requires the completion of one postdoc at minimum and preferably has complete two postdocs. The position also requires experience with muscle or cardiac physiology, surgery on mice, background in neuroscience, cell biology or biochemistry, and committed to working on mitochondrial dynamics. The Staff Scientist needs a minimum of 10 research publications.

Training for Applicant:
We will learn various techniques that include primary cell isolation, bioinformatics programming for large data sets, in vitro exercise, confocal/STED microscopy, TEM analysis, 3D EM microscopy techniques, and various forms of image analysis. Additionally, we will utilize primary and human cell lines, mouse, and fly model organisms to delineate pathophysiological states.

Cultural Competency and Mentoring for Applicant:
 The Hinton lab seeks a staff scientist that is committed to being mentored using innovative mentoring tools, such as self-assessment tools (e.g. implicit bias training, personality test, learning styles, and love language test), mentoring maps, individual development training plan, career development activities, and cultural competence training. Additionally, the Hinton lab seeks applicants with enthusiasm for working with a diverse student population, and welcome applicants who are interested in engaging and training undergraduate and graduate students.  Importantly, the Hinton lab is made up a diverse group of individuals and the Hinton lab strongly encourages applications from candidates with a record of experience or demonstrated a commitment to working with all backgrounds, including but not limited to: racial and ethnic minorities, women, individuals who identify with LGBTQ+ communities, individuals with disabilities, individuals from lower income backgrounds, and/or first generation college graduates.

Additional Qualifications (Optional):

  • Expertise in Patch Clamping
  • Expertise in Surgery (e.g. OVX, Telemetry (Blood Pressure) Surgery, and ICV cannulation)
  • Expertise in making primary cells
  • Expertise in cell culture and primary cell culture
  • Experience in animal studies.
  • Experience working with Drosophila
  • Expertise in Transmission Electron Microscopy
  • Expertise in Serial Block Facing Microscopy or Focus Ion Bean Microscopy
  • TEM analysis
  • SBF-SEM or FIB-SEM Segmentation analysis
  • Experience in bioinformatics, programming, or machine learning
  • Experience in light microscopy and cell imaging techniques (fluorescence microscopy).
  • Experience in Proximity Ligation Assay
  • Experience in molecular biology and biochemistry (protein purification, cloning, immunohistochemistry).
  • Experience in Super resolution microscopy
  • Experience in mitochondrial biology/mitochondrial energetics.

Responsibilities:

Research, 80%

  • The successful candidate will be given four projects (e.g. a biophysics project focused on mitochondrial networks using 3D Microscopy, a biochemical and cell biology-based project that focuses on the MICOS complex or TMEm135, and a physiology project that explores insulin resistance, mercs, and mitochondrial dynamics), or a second physiology project that explores blood pressure regulation in neurons.
  • The successful candidate will work with the PI to develop and drive the direction of the project.
  • The candidate will also have the opportunity to collaborate within the department as well as with the broader mitochondria and organelle to organelle contact community.
  • The candidate will also be responsible for establishing surgery protocols and training future staff
  • The candidate will also be responsible for maintaining the confocal microscope and training future staff

Professional development, 20%

  • Writing primary manuscripts and literature reviews
  • Engaging in the opportunities and experiences that are required for the candidate to successfully transition to the next stage in their scientific career
  • Attend Mitochondrial Data Group, Attend Diabetes Center Seminar series, Discovery Sciences Emerging Scholars lectures Discovery series, Metabolism Interests Group, and all other designated seminars, conferences, and other scientific educational opportunities

To apply email: gprotein86@gmail.com. I will need the following documents to be considered for the staff position.

  1. A cover letter stating research interests
  2. A current CV
  3. Contact info for 3 references
  4. 1-page Personal Statement Page detailing your goals
  5. 1-page Research Statement Page detailing your past research experiences
  6. 1-page Diversity Statement