Researcher/Scientist in Exercise Immuno-Oncology (Extended Temporary)

An experienced and highly independent Researcher/Scientist with deep subject-matter expertise in exercise physiology and immunology is sought to provide scientific leadership for the externally funded research program of Dr. Richard Simpson. This role will drive innovation and execution across NIH- and NASA-funded projects, integrating advanced computational and bioinformatic analyses of high-dimensional datasets (including single-cell and immune profiling data) with the design and oversight of translational and clinical exercise interventions in both healthy and patient populations.

The successful candidate will also contribute to mechanistic studies in experimental mouse models, enabling cross-platform insights into immune function, cancer biology, and physiological adaptation to exercise. This position requires the ability to operate with substantial autonomy, bridge basic, translational, and clinical research domains, and shape future research directions, funding strategies, and high-impact scientific outputs aligned with the laboratory’s strategic priorities.

This is an Extended Temporary Employment (ETE) position.

Outstanding U of A benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance plans; life insurance and disability programs; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; U of A/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; retirement plans; access to U of A recreation and cultural activities; and more!

The University of Arizona has been recognized for our innovative work-life programs.

• Lead and strategically direct one to three independent and/or interrelated research programs aligned with the Principal Investigator’s long-term scientific vision and institutional priorities. Exercise substantial autonomy in defining research objectives, formulating innovative hypotheses, and developing novel experimental approaches, methodologies, and analytical frameworks to address complex scientific questions.
• Assume full intellectual and operational ownership of the research lifecycle, including advanced study design; development and optimization of cutting-edge protocols; oversight of data acquisition, curation, and integration; and application of sophisticated analytical and statistical techniques to generate high-impact insights. Drive the critical interpretation and synthesis of findings to advance the field and inform future research directions.
• Produce and oversee the development of high-impact scholarly outputs, including first- or senior-author manuscripts, competitive grant applications, and invited presentations at national and international conferences. Contribute substantively to securing extramural funding by leading or co-leading proposal development and fostering collaborations with internal and external stakeholders.
• Provide scientific leadership within the laboratory and across collaborative initiatives by mentoring junior staff and trainees, guiding technical and analytical approaches, and contributing to the development of new research directions and programmatic initiatives. Influence research standards, best practices, and strategic priorities within the unit and broader institutional environment.
• Maintain responsibility for programmatic execution, including oversight of timelines, resource allocation, and regulatory compliance (e.g., IRB, IACUC, biosafety), ensuring adherence to institutional and funding agency requirements. Serve as a subject matter expert and key liaison across interdisciplinary teams, contributing to committees, shared resource initiatives, and institutional research activities.
• Develop, refine, and lead innovative, hypothesis-driven research directions that advance the scientific and translational priorities of the laboratory and broader institutional research agenda. Leverage deep domain expertise and continuous evaluation of emerging literature, technologies, and funding landscapes to identify high-impact opportunities and define forward-looking research programs with minimal oversight.
• Independently identify, evaluate, and pursue various internal and external funding opportunities to sustain and expand research initiatives. Serve as a principal or co-principal contributor on competitive grant applications, including position-appropriate NIH mechanisms (e.g., fellowships, career development awards, and research project grants), with responsibility for conceptualizing proposals, developing rigorous and innovative research strategies, and ensuring alignment with sponsor priorities.
• Provide scientific and organizational leadership in the development of complex, multi-investigator grant submissions by contributing to or leading key components of proposal preparation, including study design, generation and integration of preliminary data, drafting of specific aims and research strategy sections, and coordination of interdisciplinary inputs. Ensure all submissions meet high standards of scientific rigor, innovation, and feasibility, while maintaining compliance with sponsor guidelines, institutional policies, and submission timelines.
• Act as a strategic partner to the Principal Investigator and collaborators by shaping the long-term funding portfolio, fostering new collaborative opportunities, and positioning the research program for sustained extramural support and growth.
• Provide leadership in the mentorship and development of undergraduate, graduate (PhD), and, where appropriate, postdoctoral trainees by delivering comprehensive scientific, technical, and professional guidance across multiple research projects. Establish and oversee individualized development plans that promote trainee independence, rigor, and productivity in experimental design, data analysis, critical evaluation, and scientific communication.
• Serve as a primary scientific advisor and resource, fostering a high-performance research environment through active coaching, structured feedback, and the cultivation of advanced technical and analytical competencies. Guide trainees in troubleshooting complex experimental challenges, optimizing protocols, and applying best practices in reproducible and rigorous research.
• Contribute to the development of the next generation of scientists by supporting trainees’ scholarly outputs, including abstracts, presentations, and peer-reviewed publications, and by providing strategic mentorship in career development, grant writing, and professional advancement. Promote a collaborative, positive, and intellectually rigorous laboratory culture, setting expectations for scientific excellence, accountability, and ethical research conduct.
• Act as a senior mentor and role model within the research program, influencing mentoring standards and contributing to training initiatives at the laboratory, departmental, or institutional level.
• Oversee and continuously enhance shared laboratory operations to ensure the efficient, compliant, and high-quality functioning of the research program. Establish, implement, and refine standardized workflows, data management systems, and quality control processes that support reproducibility, data integrity, and scalability across multiple concurrent studies.
• Provide leadership in the coordination and execution of complex human exercise trials, including oversight of participant workflows, biospecimen collection, processing, storage, and integration with downstream analytical platforms. Ensure that all procedures are conducted in accordance with established protocols, regulatory requirements (e.g., IRB, biosafety), and best practices in clinical and translational research.
• Direct the development and maintenance of robust, well-curated electronic databases and research records, ensuring accessibility, accuracy, and compliance with institutional and sponsor expectations. Implement and monitor quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) measures to uphold rigorous standards across data collection, sample handling, and analytical pipelines.
• Serve as a key resource for laboratory personnel by providing guidance on protocol adherence, troubleshooting operational challenges, and optimizing the use of shared resources and instrumentation. Contribute to continuous process improvement initiatives that enhance efficiency, standardization, and overall research productivity across the laboratory and collaborative networks.
• Lead the identification, evaluation, and implementation of advanced methodologies and emerging technologies to expand the laboratory’s technical capabilities and drive innovation in research programs. Proactively assess new platforms—such as advanced metabolic assays and integrative analytical approaches—for their scientific value, feasibility, and alignment with strategic research priorities.
• Independently establish, validate, and optimize novel assays and workflows, integrating them into existing experimental frameworks to enhance rigor, throughput, and translational relevance. Develop standardized protocols and best practices to ensure reproducibility and scalability across projects.
• Serve as a technical authority within the laboratory by training and advising research personnel on newly implemented methodologies, fostering adoption of advanced techniques, and ensuring consistent application of high-quality standards. Contribute to building sustainable technical infrastructure that supports multiple concurrent studies and evolving research directions.
• Leverage newly developed capabilities to generate high-quality preliminary data that underpins innovative research directions and strengthens the competitiveness of extramural funding applications. Play a key role in positioning the laboratory at the forefront of methodological advancement within the field.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):

• Knowledge in mouse handling, drug administration (SC, IP, and IV), and tumor burden measurements through bioluminescent imaging and body condition scoring.
• Skills in multi-color flow cytometry, antibody panel design. Familiarity with FlowLogic or FlowJo is preferred.
• Knowledge of bioinformatic methods to analyze bulk and sinlge-cell RNAseq and CITEseq datasets.
• Ability to run human exercise trials, VO2max testing and phlebotomy.
• Knowledge of routine cell culture techniques and functional immunoassays.
• Knowledge of flow cytometry.
• Knowledge of cell culture.
• Knowledge of human performance assessment (e.g. VO2max testing).
• Skills in mouse handling and experimental models.
• Knowledge of Computational analysis for single sequencing data (e.g. CITE-Seq, scRNAseq, TCRseq, etc).
• Knowledge of data analysis software programs (e.g. R, Prism, SPSS, etc).

This job posting reflects the general nature and level of work expected of the selected candidate(s). It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The institution reserves the right to amend or update this description as organizational priorities and institutional needs evolve.