Postdoctoral Researcher, Horns Lab (Synthetic Biology and Genomics)

Location: Palo Alto, California, United States

Salary: Minimum base salary of $80,000 per year; base salary depends on relevant postdoctoral experience and is non-negotiable.

Company

hirify.global is an independent nonprofit research organization at the intersection of artificial intelligence and biology, partnering with Stanford University, UC Berkeley, and UC San Francisco to accelerate scientific progress and understand complex diseases.

What you will do

• Design, execute, and analyze experiments while taking end-to-end ownership of an independent research project.
• Develop technologies combining synthetic biology, genomics, cellular and mammalian models, and computational analysis.
• Study cellular dynamics, immune cell behavior, extracellular vesicles, virus-like particles, delivery systems, and immune receptor function.
• Publish first-author research in high-impact journals and present findings at national and international conferences.
• Mentor research associates, technicians, and students while contributing to seminars, symposia, and collaborative research.
• Maintain rigorous research records, develop protocols, and support shared laboratory infrastructure.

Requirements

• Doctorate (PhD, MD, MD/PhD, DVM, or equivalent) in bioengineering, synthetic biology, genomics, immunology, neuroscience, molecular biology, or a related field.
• Strong foundation in synthetic biology or genomics technology development, and/or immunology or neuroscience.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with experience in scientific writing, such as manuscripts or preprints.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment as an independent thinker and collaborative team member.
• Curiosity, self-motivation, intellectual independence, and willingness to learn new techniques.

Nice to have

• Experience with single-cell sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, multi-omics, or pooled perturbation screens.
• Experience building sequencing-based assays, measurement modalities, molecular engineering, or mammalian synthetic biology.
• Experience with immune cell biology, immune receptor profiling, neurobiology, extracellular vesicles, virus-like particles, or nanoparticle systems.
• Experience with in vivo models and analysis of high-dimensional datasets using Python or R.
• Strong quantitative mindset.

Culture & Benefits

• Long-term philanthropic funding supports high-risk, long-term research without commercial pressure.
• Access to platforms for genomics, single-cell technologies, synthetic biology, computation, and experimental model systems.
• Opportunities to collaborate across hirify.global, Stanford University, and the broader Bay Area research ecosystem.
• Support for developing long-term careers in academia or industry.

Hiring process

• Submit a CV and a brief cover letter describing research interests and projects of interest.
• Include contact information for at least three references.