Research Scientist - Massey

Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center Mission

To improve the lives of all Virginians by delivering cutting-edge cancer care through patient-centered prevention and treatment; high-impact, innovative research; community input and engagement; and education and training of the next generation of researchers and healthcare professionals.

VCU is committed to hiring veterans! VCU will include a veteran’s period(s) of military service in the calculation of their annual leave accrual rate. This may provide veterans with an increased leave accrual!

The university and the region

VCU is a public research university unlike any other, dedicated to serving the needs of students and patients. Inclusion is our heartbeat and it drives us to tackle difficult challenges others can’t or won’t. We’re home to creativity, teaching, discovery and healing. Our location in the heart of downtown Richmond, Virginia, means the nonstop energy of our city ignites our innovation and provides unlimited opportunities for our students.





About Virginia Commonwealth University

We are the university for Virginia. We know that the unique backgrounds and life experiences of the VCU community are what drive the university forward. Together, we’re forging a future that is built by us. Here, artists and engineers, doctors and designers come together to reimagine the human experience and tackle the problems of tomorrow.

VCU dates to 1838 with the formation of the Medical Department of Hampden-Sydney College, whose mission was to educate physicians in central Virginia and which was later renamed Medical College of Virginia. In 1968, Richmond Professional Institute merged with the Medical College of Virginia to become what is now known as Virginia Commonwealth University.

Located in downtown Richmond, the state capital of Virginia, VCU enrolls more than 28,000 students in more than 200 degree and certificate programs across its urban campuses: the downtown Monroe Park and MCV campuses in Richmond; the Rice Rivers Center in Charles City, Virginia; satellite locations in Fairfax, Virginia, and Abingdon, Virginia; and a campus in Doha, Qatar, for the School of the Arts.

Ignited by the energy of the city, we’re ready to lead industries - or disrupt them. We seek out the unexpected, the experimental, the never-been-tried. VCU is designated as a research university with very high research activity by the Carnegie Foundation, garnering more than $500 million in sponsored research from federal and other agencies in FY2024. The National Science Foundation ranked VCU among the top 50 public research universities in the country, and we are one of only 69 public universities nationwide to be designated by the Carnegie Foundation as “Community Engaged” with “Very High Research Activity.”

This research enterprise, and the influence of having one of the nation’s top-ranked public graduate arts schools, ensures students receive unique educational experiences that equip them with a creative mindset that sets them apart.

VCU’s contributions in talent, innovation and entrepreneurialism, regional stewardship and local culture shape the economic impact and overall quality of life in the region. VCU as a whole generates more than $9 billion in economic activity. It is the largest employer in Richmond with more than 26,000 employees at VCU and VCU Health, and it supports approximately 58,000 j obs in Virginia . In addition, Virginia classifies VCU with a Tier III status - the highest possible status for universities and colleges - allowing VCU more flexibility in managing its operations to implement best practices and streamline processes. To learn about VCU’s finances, visit about.finance.vcu.edu .

VCU’s mission, under the leadership of President Michael Rao, Ph.D., is to serve as one national urban public research institution dedicated to the success and well-being of our students, patients, faculty, staff and community through:

• Real-world learning that furthers civic engagement, inquiry, discovery and innovation.

• Research that expands the boundaries of new knowledge and creative expression and promotes translational applications to improve the quality of human life.

• Interdisciplinary collaborations and community partnerships that advance innovation, enhance cultural and economic vitality, and solve society’s most complex challenges.

• Health sciences that preserve and restore health for all people, seek the cause and cure of diseases through groundbreaking research and educate those who serve humanity.

Welcome to VCU. A world unlike any other.

Benefits At a Glance

• Continuing education and professional development for undergraduate and graduate tuition in addition to mandatory fees (except the transition student fee) for a maximum of six credits per semester
• 28 University Leave Days, 11+ State Holidays, and 2 Enhanced Community Service Leave Days
• Medical, Dental and Vision Health Benefits to meet the needs of employees and their eligible family members from the Commonwealth of Virginia as well as optional FSA
• Participation in the Virginia Retirement System (VRS) and other retirement saving options
• Parental and Caregiver Leave, Short Term Disability (STD), Disability Insurance, Voluntary Long Term Care Insurance, and Employee Assistance Program
• Professional development opportunities encouraged and offered for employees as part of annual career development, e.g. certifications, seminars, courses, annual conferences, mentorship, etc.

Position Primary Purpose and General Responsibilities

Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center is seeking a Research Technician to support cutting-edge translational cancer research under the supervision of Dr. Andrew Poklepovic. This position will play a critical role in projects focused on Cell Competition in Cancer Growth and Metastasis, contributing to high-impact research publications and advancing our understanding of cancer dormancy, tumor microenvironment interactions, and metastasis. The successful candidate will be involved in advanced 2D and 3D cell culture systems, confocal imaging, and live-cell microscopy, utilizing state-of-the-art imaging platforms from Leica and Zeiss.

This position requires a highly motivated and detail-oriented individual with extensive experience in primary and secondary cell culture, organoid culture, live-cell imaging, and advanced microscopy techniques. The candidate will be expected to design and execute research experiments, analyze data, troubleshoot experimental challenges, and contribute to manuscript preparation for high-impact journals. Additionally, the candidate will report findings to the principal investigator, collaborate with laboratory staff and students, and assist in maintaining laboratory instruments.

Other job duties include but are not limited to:

• Perform and optimize 2D and 3D culture techniques, including tumor organoid models derived from patient samples.
• Conduct confocal and live-cell imaging experiments using Leica and Zeiss microscopy systems, ensuring high-quality data acquisition.
• Implement high-content imaging and single-cell analysis methodologies for cancer dormancy and metastasis studies.
• Assist in experimental design, data interpretation, and troubleshooting of protocols related to cancer cell metabolism, competition assays, and biomarker identification.
• Maintain detailed and accurate records of research findings, experimental conditions, and analysis workflows.
• Collaborate with team members to drive high-impact research and contribute to publications in top-tier journals (Nature, EMBO, Cancer Discovery, etc.).
• Assist with laboratory maintenance, reagent preparation, and compliance with safety and ethical research regulations.
• Train and mentor graduate students and junior research staff in relevant laboratory techniques.