Postdoctoral Fellow in Cancer Immunotherapy and Antibody Engineering – Weiskopf Lab

When you join the growing BILH team, you're not just taking a job, you’re making a difference in people’s lives.

The Postdoctoral Fellow will lead innovative research projects focused on cancer immunotherapy and therapeutic discovery, including studies of tumor-immune interactions and the development of next-generation antibody therapeutics. Working in a collaborative and translational research environment, the fellow will design and execute experiments, publish scientific findings, mentor trainees, and contribute to the advancement of novel therapies with the potential to improve outcomes for patients with cancer.

Job Description:

Postdoctoral Fellow in Cancer Immunotherapy and Antibody Engineering – Weiskopf Lab

Weiskopf Laboratory

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) | Harvard Medical School

Boston, Massachusetts

www.weiskopf-lab.org

The Weiskopf Laboratory is seeking highly motivated and innovative postdoctoral fellows to join a multidisciplinary research program focused on understanding and harnessing immune cell biology for the development of next-generation cancer therapies.

Our laboratory studies how macrophages and other immune cells interact with cancer cells in the tumor microenvironment, with the goal of identifying novel therapeutic targets and developing transformative immunotherapies for cancer and other life-threatening diseases. We employ an integrated approach spanning cancer immunology, functional screening, molecular and cellular biology, protein engineering, antibody discovery, drug development, and translational oncology.

Successful candidates will have the opportunity to lead independent research projects within a highly collaborative and intellectually stimulating environment across BIDMC, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Harvard Medical School.

Research Opportunities

1. KRAS Inhibitors and the Tumor Immune Microenvironment

This project seeks to understand how KRAS-targeted therapies influence macrophage biology and anti-tumor immunity. Research will include in vitro tumor-immune cell co-culture systems, signaling pathway analyses, and in vivo studies evaluating combination therapies involving KRAS inhibitors and immune-modulating agents. The long-term goal is to develop rational combination strategies that improve responses to targeted cancer therapies.

1. Antibody Engineering and Immunotherapy Development

This project focuses on the engineering and discovery of next-generation antibody therapeutics for cancer. The successful candidate will contribute to the design, high-throughput assembly, and screening of novel bispecific antibody formats that engage macrophages, T cells, and other immune cell populations to enhance anti-tumor immunity. Research activities will include antibody engineering, functional screening with primary human immune cells, mechanism-of-action studies, and preclinical evaluation of therapeutic candidates.

Responsibilities

• Design, lead, and execute innovative research projects
• Develop and test new scientific hypotheses
• Perform molecular, cellular, immunological, and in vivo experiments
• Analyze, interpret, and communicate research findings
• Publish results in leading peer-reviewed journals
• Present research at laboratory meetings, scientific conferences, and seminars
• Mentor students and junior laboratory personnel
• Contribute to fellowship and grant applications
• Collaborate with investigators across BIDMC, Harvard Medical School, and partner institutions
• Adhere to institutional policies related to research integrity, safety, compliance, and data management

Required Qualifications:

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Doctoral Degree or M.D.

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0-1 year of postdoctoral research experience in academic or industrial lab setting, and/or teaching assistantship in a university setting, and/or residency, and/or clinical duties beyond that of the qualifying doctoral degree.

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience in one or more of the following areas:

• Cancer immunology
• Macrophage or myeloid cell biology
• T-cell biology
• Flow cytometry and cell sorting
• CRISPR screening and functional genomics
• Molecular and cellular biology
• Mouse models of cancer
• Protein engineering
• Antibody therapeutics
• Bispecific or multispecific antibodies
• Drug discovery and translational research

Candidates with expertise from academia and/or industry are encouraged to apply.

Research Environment and Career Development

The Weiskopf Laboratory is committed to mentoring the next generation of scientific leaders. Postdoctoral fellows are encouraged to develop independent scientific ideas, publish impactful discoveries, pursue fellowship funding, and build the skills needed for successful careers in academia, biotechnology, or the pharmaceutical industry. Fellows will have access to a vibrant scientific community and extensive collaborative opportunities across the Harvard biomedical ecosystem.

To Apply

Please submit:

• Cover letter describing research interests and career goals
• Curriculum vitae
• Contact information for three references

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the positions are filled.

Competencies:

Decision Making: Ability to make decisions that are guided by general instructions and practices requiring some interpretation. May make recommendations for solving problems of moderate complexity and importance.

Problem Solving: Ability to address problems that are varied, requiring analysis or interpretation of the situation using direct observation, knowledge and skills based on general precedents.

Independence of Action: Ability to follow precedents and procedures. May set priorities and organize work within general guidelines. Seeks assistance when confronted with difficult and/or unpredictable situations. Work progress is monitored by supervisor/manager.

Written Communications: Ability to summarize and communicate in English moderately complex information in varied written formats to internal and external customers.

Oral Communications: Ability to comprehend and communicate complex verbal information in English to medical center staff, patients, families and external customers.

Knowledge: Ability to demonstrate in-depth knowledge of concepts, practices and policies with the ability to use them in complex varied situations.

Team Work: Ability to lead collaborative teams for larger projects or groups both internal and external to the Medical Center and across functional areas. Results have implications for the management and operations of multiple areas of the organization.

Customer Service: Ability to provide a high level of customer service and staff training to meet customer service standards and expectations for the assigned unit(s). Resolves service issues in the assigned unit(s) in a timely and respectful manner.

Physical Nature of the Job: Light work: Exerting up to 20 pounds of force frequently to move objects. Some elements of the job are sedentary, but the employee will be required to stand for periods of time or move throughout the hospital campus.

Pay Range:

$60,000.00 USD - $75,564.00 USD

The pay range listed for this position is the annual base salary range the organization reasonably and in good faith expects to pay for this position at this time. Actual compensation is determined based on several factors, that may include seniority, education, training, relevant experience, relevant certifications, geography of work location, job responsibilities, or other applicable factors permissible by law.

As a health care organization, we have a responsibility to do everything in our power to care for and protect our patients, our colleagues and our communities. Beth Israel Lahey Health requires that all staff be vaccinated against influenza (flu) as a condition of employment.

More than 35,000 people working together. Nurses, doctors, technicians, therapists, researchers, teachers and more, making a difference in patients' lives. Your skill and compassion can make us even stronger.