Jobs

Job Description:

The Wan Lab at the University of Missouri is seeking a highly motivated Research Scientist or Senior Research Scientist to strengthen and help lead an expanding interdisciplinary research program in influenza aerosol biology and airborne transmission. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to assume a central scientific leadership role in a multidisciplinary P01 program focused on influenza transmission as part of the NIAID Influenza Transmission Research Consortium (ITRC), as well as complementary NIH R01-supported research on influenza transmission. Together, these programs integrate human studies, controlled animal transmission models, aerosol science, virology, immunology, engineering, and quantitative analysis.

A major goal of the transmission program is to understand why infected hosts differ in the amount and infectivity of virus released into aerosols and why exposure results in infection in some recipients but not others. The scientist will help define the mechanisms that govern influenza transmission by integrating viral, host, immune, aerosol, and environmental factors across human studies and controlled animal models. Research will encompass viral determinants of transmission, infectious virus shedding, aerosol generation and characterization, recipient susceptibility, particle transport and airflow, and other mechanisms governing airborne transmission. We are particularly interested in candidates with expertise in aerosol science, respiratory transmission, engineering, or related areas who can provide scientific and technical leadership and advance interdisciplinary transmission research across the P01 and R01 programs.

Responsibilities:

• Provide scientific leadership for interdisciplinary research on influenza aerosol biology and airborne transmission, guiding experimental strategy, study design, scientific execution, and integration across human and animal studies. Provide scientific guidance and mentorship to postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and research staff.
• Lead the scientific design and execution of influenza transmission studies across human studies and controlled animal models, working closely with study coordinators and research teams.
• Provide hands-on participation, as scientifically appropriate, in animal infection and exposure studies, aerosol sampling, specimen collection, and related experimental procedures.
• Investigate viral, host, immune, aerosol, and environmental determinants of infectious virus shedding, aerosol generation, recipient susceptibility, and airborne transmission.
• Lead and advance experimental approaches for studying respiratory aerosols and airborne transmission, including aerosol characterization, particle-size distributions, infectious virus content and stability, bioaerosol collection, and aerosol instrumentation, with emphasis on method development, optimization, validation, and troubleshooting.
• Contribute to studies of airflow, particle transport, aerosol behavior, and other physical and quantitative mechanisms of airborne transmission by working with engineering and modeling teams as appropriate to the scientist’s expertise and individual projects.
• Integrate aerosol, virologic, immunologic, clinical, environmental, and transmission data; analyze and interpret research findings; and contribute substantially to manuscripts, presentations, progress reports, grant applications, and collaborative publications. At the Senior Research Scientist level, assume greater responsibility for scientific project leadership, cross-project scientific integration, mentoring, and development of new research directions.

Shift: Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm (onsite) with occasional evening/weekend depending on experiment needs

Preferred Qualifications:

• PhD, DVM, MD, or equivalent degree in aerosol science, bioaerosol science, environmental or occupational health, engineering, virology, microbiology, immunology, veterinary sciences, infectious diseases, biomedical sciences, or a related discipline.
• Postdoctoral or equivalent research experience is preferred; the level of appointment will be commensurate with experience and demonstrated scientific independence.
• Candidates with expertise in aerosol science, aerosol biology, or related areas are encouraged to apply even if their prior work was not specifically focused on influenza.
• For appointment at the Senior Research Scientist level, evidence of scientific leadership, mentoring, and a strong record of research productivity is expected.Strong quantitative, organizational, communication, and scientific writing skills and the ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team.

Hiring Range:  $53,976-$112,230 annual

Application Materials:

Application, resume/CV, research statement, and cover letter. References to be provided as requested.

JobID: 61378 (Scientist) or 61376 (Senior Scientist)

Job Description:

The Wan Lab at the University of Missouri is seeking a dependable, organized, and personable individual to provide part-time support for an ongoing research study.

This is a people-facing research position. The Research Support Assistant will work with research staff and healthcare partners to help recruit and enroll research participants and communicate with participants through their involvement in the study.

The ideal candidate is comfortable speaking with people, able to follow established procedures, and reliable in completing assigned tasks. Previous research experience or a bachelor’s degree is not required. Training will be provided.

Responsibilities:

• Assist research staff with identifying and recruiting individuals who may be eligible to participate in research studies.
• Communicate with potential and enrolled participants by phone, in person, or through other approved methods.
• Explain study information to potential participants and assist with the enrollment process following established study procedures.
• Schedule participant visits and follow-up activities.
• Collect and accurately record routine study information and participant data.
• Assist with routine data entry and review information for completeness and accuracy.
• Respond to participant questions or direct questions to appropriate research staff.

Shift: Availability to work from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm, Monday through Friday. This position is approximately 12-20 hours per week, with specific hours scheduled based on study and participant needs.

Preferred Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Basic computer skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle participant information appropriately.

Hiring Range:  $15.00-$18.00 per hour

Application Materials:

Resume or CV; Cover letter describing relevant experience and interest in the position

JobID: 61349

Job Description:

The Program Manager will provide program management and administrative leadership for multidisciplinary research programs within the NextGen Center for Influenza and Emerging Infectious Diseases (CIEID), with primary responsibility for coordinating a major NIH Program Project (P01) on influenza transmission and supporting the Center Director’s broader portfolio of research funded by federal agencies, such as NIH, NSF, and USDA, as well as industry-sponsored and collaborative research programs.

Reporting to the Center Director, the incumbent will coordinate research activities across investigators, projects, cores, study teams, and administrative units; track milestones and deliverables; facilitate communication and meetings, monitor program timelines; and support timely completion of sponsor requirements. The position will work closely with scientific investigators, human and animal study coordinators, laboratory management, research staff, institutional offices, and external collaborators.

The Program Manager will provide the organizational framework needed to keep complex, multidisciplinary research programs aligned and progressing efficiently while allowing investigators and scientific staff to focus on scientific leadership and research execution.  This is a research administration and program management position and does not require laboratory experimentation or independent scientific interpretation of research data.

Responsibilities:

• Manage day-to-day program operations for the NIH P01 and other major research programs by maintaining integrated project plans, timelines, milestones, deliverables, and action items and identifying issues that may affect program progress.
• Coordinate activities across P01 projects and cores and other collaborative research programs, working with investigators, human and animal study coordinators, laboratory management, research staff, administrative offices, and external collaborators.
• Organize and facilitate program meetings, investigator meetings, and sponsor-related activities; prepare agendas and program materials; document decisions and action items; and follow up with responsible team members to support timely completion.
• Track sponsor requirements, reporting deadlines, research milestones, and other program deliverables and work with investigators and administrative partners to address delays, dependencies, or operational issues.
• Coordinate preparation of NIH progress reports, sponsor updates, program documentation, and other required deliverables by gathering information from investigators and project teams and supporting accurate and timely submission.
• Support the Center Director in managing the broader research portfolio by maintaining an overview of active and planned projects, major deadlines, collaborative activities, and program priorities.
• Facilitate communication and coordination among scientific teams, study coordinators, laboratory management, institutional research and administrative offices, and external partners to strengthen interdisciplinary research activities within CIEID.

Shift: Monday – Friday, 8am-5pm

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in life sciences, biomedical sciences, business administration, public administration, project management, or related field; advanced degree (MS, MPH, MBA, PhD, or equivalent) preferred.
• Experience in research program management, sponsored research, project management, clinical or translational research operations, or coordination of complex multidisciplinary programs is preferred.
• Experience with NIH-funded research, including multi-project awards, is highly desirable.
• Strong organizational, communication, problem-solving, and project-management skills, with demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, track deadlines and deliverables, and work effectively with investigators, research staff, administrators, and external collaborators.

Hiring Range:  $60,944-$112,320 annual (MU Title: Research Consultant II)

Application Materials:

Cover letter, Resume, References

JobID: 61167

Job Description:

NextGen Center for Influenza and Emerging Infectious Diseases is excited to announce an opening for a new position, Senior Research Specialist – Laboratory Automation Engineer, within the Wan Influenza Systems Biology Laboratory at the University of Missouri. The Wan Laboratory is affiliated with the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine; Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, College of Engineering; and Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine. The laboratory is also affiliated with the Center for Influenza and Emerging Infectious Diseases (CIEID), Bond Life Sciences Center, and the Institute for Data Science and Informatics at MU.

The Wan Laboratory integrates experimental, computational, and translational approaches to study influenza viruses and emerging infectious diseases, with goals of understanding transmission, improving vaccines and antiviral strategies, and advancing disease prevention and outbreak mitigation efforts. This position will play a central role in the operation, optimization, and strategic expansion of laboratory automation workflows, including Tecan liquid handling systems and related automation platforms, to support high-throughput research and assay development across multiple projects.

Responsibilities:

• Operate, maintain, troubleshoot, calibrate, and optimize Tecan liquid handling systems and other laboratory automation platforms to support high-throughput research workflows.
• Develop, edit, validate, and optimize automation scripts, methods, and assay protocols for multiple assay platforms and research applications.
• Coordinate automated sample processing, assay scheduling, reagent preparation, and workflow execution across multiple laboratory research projects.
• Assist with implementation and continuous improvement of automated laboratory workflows to enhance reproducibility, scalability, operational efficiency, and data quality.
• Monitor automation performance, identify workflow bottlenecks or technical issues, and implement corrective actions to ensure reliable laboratory operations.
• Maintain organized and accurate SOPs, instrument logs, workflow documentation, calibration records, and quality control records related to automation systems.
• Perform routine instrument calibration, preventive maintenance, quality assurance checks, and performance verification activities for automation platforms and associated laboratory equipment.
• Assist with preprocessing, organization, management, and quality control of automation-generated experimental data and associated metadata.
• Collaborate with investigators, laboratory personnel, and students to translate manual laboratory procedures into scalable and reproducible automated workflows.
• Train and onboard students, research staff, and laboratory personnel on automation workflows, instrument operation, laboratory best practices, and safety procedures.
• Serve as a technical resource for automation-related troubleshooting and operational support for research personnel utilizing automated workflows.
• Assist the Principal Investigator with strategic planning, implementation, and expansion of laboratory automation infrastructure and capabilities supporting current and future research initiatives.
• Ensure laboratory automation activities comply with institutional, local, and federal regulations, laboratory safety requirements, and approved research protocols.
• Participate in additional laboratory operations and research support activities as needed to ensure continuity of research programs and laboratory functions.

Shift: Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m, with occasional schedule adjustments, including evenings or weekends, as required to support research activities, automation workflows, instrument maintenance, or project deadlines.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in bioengineering, biomedical engineering, computer science, biotechnology, biology, chemistry, or a related scientific or engineering discipline, and at least two years of relevant experience from which comparable knowledge and skills can be acquired.
• Experience with laboratory automation systems, including liquid handling platforms such as Tecan or related technologies, in highly desirable.
• Experience with automation scripting or programming (e.g., Python, VBA, or related platforms), assay workflow development, high-throughput laboratory operations, and scientific data management is highly desirable.
• Experience working in interdisciplinary academic or biomedical research environments is preferred.

Hiring Range:  $59,576-$85,176 annual (MU Title: Senior Research Specialist)

Application Materials:

Cover letter, Resume, Application

JobID: 60824

Job Description:

The Influenza Systems Biology Laboratory at the University of Missouri (MU) is looking for a dynamic and highly motivated Senior Scientist candidate in computational biology. Zoonotic pathogens pose a substantial global risk to public health and require an integrated One Health approach for their effective detection, control and mitigation or treatment. Over 60% of human infectious diseases originate in animals, predominantly from wildlife reservoirs, and over 70% of these zoonotic pathogens are “emerging”.

The missions of this lab are 1) to study ecology, evolution, and host-pathogen interaction for emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases; especially influenza viruses, and 2) to develop and apply systems biology based translational approaches to create influenza-less animal population and human communities. Translational systems biology is an integrated, multi-scale, evidence-based approach that combines laboratory, clinical and computational methods with an explicit goal of developing effective means of control of biological processes for improving human health and rapid clinical application.

This Laboratory functions across Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, College of Engineering, Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, and MU Informatics Institute, and the lab is physically located at Bond Life Sciences Center.

The current projects aim to 1) identify and predict emerging risks of influenza and SARS-CoV-2 viruses for both human and animals using genomics sequences, big data and machine learning approaches; 2) develop a universal influenza and SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, optimize vaccine production and vaccination strategies for disease prevention and quarantine; 3) develop machine learning methods to predict vaccine efficacy for each individual based on personal data, a move towards precision medicine; 4) understand molecular mechanisms for influenza and SARS-CoV-2 evolution and virus-host interactions, including host tropisms, pathogenesis, and transmission.

Excellent oral and written communication skills, the ability to work independently and in a team and a broad interest in Systems Biology are expected for the following position.

Area of Specialization: Computational Biology

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

   Perform research in the areas of computational biology and bioinformatics;
   Research and stay current with project related scientific literature;
   Develop and validate new algorithms and tools to accomplish scientific objectives;
   Identify and implement creative solutions to overcome problems;
   Organize, interpret data, and derive study conclusions;
   Collaborate with internal and external investigators on multiple research projects ensuring scientific significance and feasibility;
   Summarize results of studies in the form of scientific abstracts and manuscripts;
   Serve as a resource to provide scientific information needed for various initiatives;
   Contributes to teaching activities by preparing and presenting educational seminars.
   Assist with grant/contract preparation by researching background, significance, and planning statistics.
   Participate in professional societies and conferences appropriate to the incumbent’s specific field/discipline.

Note: Additional duties and responsibilities may be assigned that are project and/or discipline specific

Shift: Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm (onsite)

Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree and at least 2 years of experience. Previous experience with animal handling is a must. Master’s Degree preferred.

Hiring Range:  $60,000-$88,000 annual

Application Materials:

Application, resume/CV, and cover letter

JobID: 59278

Job Description:

The Center for Influenza and Emerging Infectious Diseases (CIEID) at the University of Missouri is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Fellow to join an interdisciplinary research program focused on the aerosol and airborne transmission biology of influenza viruses. The fellow will have the opportunity to play a central role in major NIH-supported research on influenza transmission, including a multidisciplinary P01 program as part of the NIAID Influenza Transmission Research Consortium (ITRC) and complementary NIH R01-supported research. A major goal of our research program is to understand why infected hosts differ in the amount and infectivity of virus released into aerosols, why exposure results in infection in some recipients but not others, and why different influenza viruses vary in their capacity for airborne transmission. We are particularly interested in candidates with expertise or strong research interests in aerosol science, aerosol biology, respiratory transmission, or related areas. Prior experience specifically with influenza is desirable but not required. The fellow will have opportunities to develop an independent research niche within this broad transmission program, with research directions tailored to the candidate’s expertise and career interests.

Responsibilities:

• Design and conduct mechanistic studies of influenza transmission involving human studies and/or controlled animal models, as appropriate to the candidate’s expertise and research interests.
• Investigate viral, host, immune, and environmental determinants of infectious virus shedding, aerosol generation, recipient susceptibility, and airborne transmission.
• Study the generation, properties, transport, and fate of respiratory aerosols, including particle-size distributions, infectious virus content, aerosol stability, airflow, particle transport, and other factors relevant to transmission.
• Develop and apply experimental, engineering, and quantitative approaches to airborne transmission. Depending on the candidate’s expertise and research interests, these may include bioaerosol sampling, aerosol instrumentation, particle characterization, airflow measurements, computational fluid dynamics, and mathematical or mechanistic modeling.
• Integrate virologic, immunologic, aerosol, clinical, environmental, and transmission data to identify mechanisms and determinants of influenza transmission.
• Work collaboratively across virology, immunology, aerosol science, engineering, human studies, animal models, and quantitative modeling, while analyzing data and contributing to manuscripts, presentations, collaborative publications, and grant-related scientific activities.

Shift: Regular hours, Monday-Friday with flexibility for weekend/evening hours as required for experiment needs

Minimum Qualifications: PhD or equivalent doctoral degree in aerosol science, aerosol biology, environmental or occupational health, engineering, microbiology, virology, infectious diseases, or a related field. Research experience in aerosol science, respiratory or airborne pathogen transmission, or related experimental or quantitative systems is preferred. Prior experience specifically with influenza is desirable but not required.

Hiring Range:  $63,480-$69,180

Application Materials:

Along with completing the MU job site application, please send the following materials to Dr. Henry Wan through cieid@missouri.edu:

• Cover letter describing your research experience, interests, and career goals
• Curriculum vitae
• Contact information for at least two professional references

JobID: 61166

Job Description:

The Wan Influenza Systems Biology Lab is seeking applications for a Post Doctoral Fellow in the area of Virology at the Influenza Systems Biology Laboratory.  Our lab is affiliated with the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine; Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, College of Engineering; and Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine. In addition, Wan Lab is affiliated with the Center for Influenza and Emerging Infectious Diseases (CIEID), Bond Life Sciences Center, and Institute for Data Science and Informatics at MU. 

The Wan Influenza Systems Biology Lab is physically located at the MU Bond Life Sciences Center. Our lab integrates clinical, experimental, computational, and translational approaches to study influenza and SARS-CoV-2, with the goals of improving vaccine and antiviral strategies, mitigating epidemic outbreaks, and enhancing pandemic preparedness. Our lab has access to a newly established large ABSL-2 animal facility for CIEID, designed to study influenza transmission and  vaccine efficacy studies with controlled humidity and temperature settings. We also utilize the BSL-3 and ABSL-3 facilities at the Laboratory for Infectious Disease Research (LIDR), a 32,403 sq. ft. Regional Biocontainment Laboratory, approved for work with select agents and toxins. MU also houses multiple core facilities, such as Electron Microscopy Core Facility, Charles W. Gehrke Proteomics Center, Metabolomics Center, Molecular Interaction Core, Cell & Immunobiology Core, DNA Core Facility, Informatics Research Core Facility, and Molecular Cytology Core. These resources provide cutting-edge support for advanced imaging, proteomics, metabolomics, and computational modeling, fostering high-impact interdisciplinary research.

Responsibilities:

The successful candidate will work on projects, which will be involved in one or more of the following areas: 1) Viral Transmission: Investigating the molecular and biophysical mechanisms of virus aerosolization and airborne transmission. Developing animal models to characterize and predict viral spread in different environments. 2) Vaccine Effectiveness and Precision Health Approaches: Exploring the molecular mechanisms affecting vaccine performance and immune imprinting. Developing broadly protective vaccines to enhance vaccine immunity and prevent transmission. 3) Virus Surveillance and Pathogen Discovery: Identifying emerging and re-emerging viral threats at the animal-human interface through pathogen discovery, genomic surveillance, and epidemiological studies.

The candidate will be responsible for recording all methods, results, and other relevant information in an organized manner as instructed by the Principal Investigator. S/he will be expected to perform experiments, data analysis and manuscript preparation. The successful candidate should be highly motivated and is expected to work collaboratively within a diverse team.

We are committed to fostering professional growth through mentorship programs for postdoctoral scholars, collaborations with leading researchers at MU and beyond, and opportunities for grant writing and independent project development.

Minimum Qualifications: This position requires a Ph.D. degree in Virology, Microbiology, Infectious Diseases, or related degree. Candidates will be evaluated on : Previous experience in a virology lab.

Hiring Range:  $65,000-$85,000

Application Materials:

Cover letter, CV, Contacts of three references

JobID: 59155