Research Associate - Lukens Lab

The Lukens Lab ( www.Lukenslab.com ) in the Department of Neuroscience and the Center of Brain Immunology and Glia (BIG) at the University of Virginia is seeking to hire a motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate to investigate how the innate immune system and cell death pathways contribute to Alzheimer’s disease. The Lukens Lab is particularly interested in interrogating the roles played by inflammasomes, immune-based DNA damage sensors, ITAM/ITIM receptors, and microbiota in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disease.

Position Summary

The position is a 12-month appointment with the possibility of renewal contingent upon satisfactory performance and the availability of funding.

Postdoctoral employment is temporary and is normally limited to an individual who has been awarded a Ph.D. or equivalent doctorate within the previous five years and who will be involved in full-time research or scholarship at the University. Employment as a Postdoctoral Research Associate is viewed as training and is preparatory for a full-time academic or research career, is supervised by a senior scholar, and allows the appointee to publish the results of his/her research or scholarship during the training period.

Responsibilities

Postdoctoral Research Associates will manage their own projects, interact with other lab members and collaborators, present their work at lab meetings and conferences, and contribute to grant applications and manuscripts for publication. Candidates will be expected to learn new techniques as a part of their training requirement . This position also includes opportunities to help mentor and teach students.

Minimum Qualifications

• Educa tion: Doctoral degree in immunology, neuroscience, or a related field by the start date of the appointment
  

Preferred Qualifications

• First author publication(s)
  

• Experience in the independent conduct of laboratory experiments including experimental design, data display in figures, data analysis including standard statistical analyses, and data management
  

• Interest and confidence in developing new techniques for hypothesis testing
  

• High level of motivation and technical capacity to drive a research project
  

• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
  

• Excellent communication skills, demonstrated by a strong publication record, consistent with the candidate's career stage, and presentations at conferences
  

• Ability to work with others as part of a team, including both teaching and learning from others
  

• Strong background in neurodegenerative disease research, neurobiology, or immunology
  

• Experience with mouse models of neurodegenerative disease
  

• Experience with one or more of these methods: confocal microscopy, cell or tissue culture, molecular biology, RNA-sequencing and bioinformatics, behavior studies, and flow cytometry
  

• Demonstrated creativity and flexibility in experimental design or new methods
  

Physical Demands

This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does occasionally require traveling some distance to attend meetings, and programs.

Position Type & Work Location

• This is an exempt-leve l, benefited position. Learn more about UVA benefits .
  

• This is a restricted position, which is dependent on funding and is contingent upon funding availability.
  

• This position has a term limit of 12 months after which continued employment will depend on department need and funding.
  

• This position is based in Charlottesville, VA, and must be performed fully on-site.
  

About UVA and the Community

To learn more about UVA and in the Charlottesville area, visit UVA Life and Embark CVA .

Application Timeline

Application review will begin after July 2, 2025 .

Additional Requirements

• Background checks and pre-employment health screenings will be conducted on all new hires prior to employment.
  

How to Apply

Please apply online , by searching for requisition number R0074029 Complete an application with the following documents:

• Resume
  

• Cover Letter
  

Upload all materials into the resume submission field . You can submit multiple documents into this one field or combine them into one PDF . Applications without all required documents will not receive full consideration.

Internal applicants: Apply through your Workday profile by searching “Find Jobs.”

Reference Check Process

Reference checks will be completed by UVA’s third-party partner, SkillSurvey, during the final phase of the interview. Five references will be requested , with at least three responses required .

Contact

• For questions about the position, please contact Dr. John Lukens at jrl7n@virginia.edu.
  

• For q uestions about the application process, please contact Jon Freeman, jf2sw@virginia.edu.
  

The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Click here to read more about UVA’s commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity employment.