RESEARCH ASSISTANT I

Sanford Burnham Prebys is much more than a research facility and hub for innovation; it’s a vibrant global community of talented scientists and researchers from over 30 countries. This worldwide representation enriches our perspectives and enhances our creative approach to solving complex scientific challenges.

We strive to be leaders not only in biomedical research but also in creating an environment where excellence thrives through collaboration across cultures and backgrounds. Our mission is to advance the biomedical sciences by cultivating the next generation of scientific leaders, providing meaningful opportunities for researchers of all backgrounds to learn, innovate, and make breakthrough discoveries that improve human health.

Together, we translate science into health.

The duties and responsibilities contained in the job description are intended to be examples of the accountabilities for which the person in the position will demonstrate competency through performance. The job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list. Duties and responsibilities are subject to change and other duties may be assigned as necessary.

We are seeking a highly motivated research assistant in computational biology and Artificial Intelligence to support our dynamic and interdisciplinary lab, dedicated to advancing our understanding of cellular systems and human diseases through computational approaches. The successful candidate will focus on developing novel ML/AI tools for single-cell and multi-omics analyses to uncover tissue function, cellular heterogeneity, gene regulatory networks, and epigenetic mechanisms in complex biological systems. Our goal is to translate data-driven models into actionable biological hypotheses and therapeutic strategies. Representative work includes, Li, Vasciaveo, et al. Nature 2026; Malagola, Vasciaveo et al., Cell 2024; Stokes, Vasciaveo et al., Cell Chemical Biology 2024; Leuzzi, Vasciaveo et al., Cell 2024; Vasciaveo et al., Cancer Discovery 2023;

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Perform integrative analyses across single-cell and multi-omics datasets to derive biological insights.
• Develop, document, and maintain computational pipelines for data processing, modeling, and visualization.
• Contribute to figure generation, results summaries, and manuscript preparation.
• Collaborate with experimental scientists to translate questions into analysis plans and interpretable outputs.
• Practice reproducible research workflows (version control, well-annotated code, and shareable reports).

Minimum Qualifications: – Candidates must meet the following criteria:

• B.Sc. in a quantitative discipline (computer science, computational biology, bioinformatics, systems biology)
• Experience with single-cell analysis tools (Scanpy/Seurat) and multi-omics integration.
• Familiarity with machine learning, including deep learning frameworks (PyTorch/TensorFlow) and/or imaging analysis.
• Evidence of prior coding projects (GitHub, course projects, notebooks, or publications).

Desirables – Preference will be given to candidates with:

• M.Sc. in quantitative disciplines
• Experience with single-cell analysis tools (Scanpy/Seurat) and multi-omics integration.
• Familiarity with machine learning, including deep learning frameworks (PyTorch/TensorFlow) and/or imaging analysis.
• Evidence of prior coding projects (GitHub, course projects, notebooks, or publications).

What We Offer

• A collaborative and supportive environment at the forefront of computational and experimental biology.
• Access to novel, cutting-edge datasets and computational resources.
• Opportunities for professional development, mentorship, and career advancement.
• Highly competitive salary
• Comprehensive benefits package.

Location: Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, San Diego, U.S.

Please submit the following documents:

1. A cover letter highlighting your research interests and fit for this position.

2. Curriculum vitae (CV), including a list of publications.

3. Contact information for at least two references.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Compensation: The expected hiring range for this position is $43,000/annually commensurate with relevant experience.

We welcome talented individuals of all backgrounds regardless of gender, sex, religion, race, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, perceived disability, pregnancy, pregnancy-related condition, reproductive health decisions, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, HIV/AIDS, marital status, covered veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations. We are proud to be an equal employment opportunity employer.

As part of this commitment, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations for the hiring process. If a reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact our Benefits Team at (858) 646-3100 or via e-mail at benefits@sbpdiscovery.org