Research Associate, Department of Ophthalmology

The Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Virginia is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate to work in the lab of Dr. Zhou performing experimental design, statistical analysis, lab duties, manuscripts and grant drafting, and attending oral and poster presentations. The ideal candidate will be a strong communicator who works well in a team setting and has strong basic science knowledge using advanced techniques in one or more fields encompassing ophthalmology/vision science and vascular biology. The ideal candidate will possess the following skills: Significant animal handling, genotyping, tissue harvest, histology and in vivo imaging; Solid cell biology including cell isolation, cell culture, cell transfection, FACS, and confocal microscopy; Molecular biology experience in RNA isolation, qRT-PCR, protein immunoblotting, scRNA-seq prep and analyses.

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.

Minimum Qualifications

Doctoral degree

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.

The projected salary is $62,232, commensurate with education and experience.

This is an exempt-level, benefited position. Learn more about UVA benefits.

This is a restricted position, which is dependent on funding and is contingent upon funding availability. This is a 12-month appointment with the possibility of renewal contingent upon satisfactory performance and the availability of funding.

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

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

Application review will begin after May 7, 2026.

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 R0082874. 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: Search and apply for jobs on the UVA Internal Careers website.

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.

For questions about the position, please contact Dr. Jenny Zhou, wrc8bn@virginia.edu.

For questions about the application process, please contact Jessica Russo, Senior Recruiter, sxv9zv@virginia.edu.

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