Location ST. LOUIS, MO 63110 Position Summary A Postdoctoral Researcher position is available in the tumor immunology laboratory of Dr. Sana Karam, Professor of Radiation Oncology at WashU Medicine. Situated within the world-renowned WashU Bursky Center for Human Immunology ecosystem, our federally funded research program is fundamentally rooted in basic immunology and cancer biology. We rigorously investigate systemic immunity, the tumor microenvironment (TME), and the mechanistic drivers of resistance to radiation and immunotherapy utilizing advanced pre-clinical models of head/neck and pancreatic cancers. While our core identity is grounded in fundamental, mechanistic discovery, we possess the rare and privileged ability to directly translate our bench findings into real-time clinical trials. The Karam Lab has a proven, established track record of mentoring postdoctoral fellows into successful independent research careers. We are seeking our next scientific leader. As our basic science and pre-clinical research programs continue to expand, we are specifically seeking a candidate with rigorous, formal training in fundamental immunology to drive the in vivo and molecular arm of our lab. While the PI remains deeply engaged in the strategic vision and intellectual mentorship of the laboratory, we operate on a model of high-level scientific partnership rather than traditional bench-level micromanagement. You are expected to bring deep mechanistic insight, drive the scientific narrative, and leverage our robust pre-clinical models—complemented by our clinical trial multi-omic data—to build your own high-impact portfolio. This position is designed as a launchpad for an ambitious postdoc intending to build their own independent laboratory. We are seeking a highly driven, intellectually rigorous, and fiercely curious scientist. The successful candidate must possess a deep hunger for scientific discovery, the ability to think critically and independently, and the ambition to push the boundaries of current oncologic paradigms. Supported by in-house computational biologists and top-tier institutional core facilities, your primary mandate will be high-level hypothesis generation, designing and executing complex mechanistic in vivo models, and driving science forward to high-impact publication. Job Description Primary
Duties
&
Responsibilities
Information on being a postdoc at WashU in St. Louis can be found at https://postdoc.wustl.edu/prospective-postdocs-2/. Trains under the supervision of a faculty mentor including (but not limited to): Intellectual Leadership: Independently formulate hypotheses regarding systemic immune responses, TME reprogramming, macrophage polarization, and T-cell exhaustion to overcome treatment resistance. Self-Directed Scientific Execution: This laboratory operates on a model of high autonomy and intellectual partnership. The successful candidate will not wait for directives; rather, they are expected to independently identify scientific gaps, propose robust experimental designs, and drive projects forward to completion. You will act as the intellectual engine for our mechanistic immunology studies. Advanced Execution: Design and execute highly complex, fundamental basic science and translational experiments utilizing orthotopic models, targeted radiation platforms (SARRP), and advanced immunological assays. Scientific Communication: Take aggressive ownership of your projects. Analyze data rigorously, draft high-impact manuscripts, and write grant applications (e.g., K99/R00, F32, or foundational grants). Collaborative Mentorship: Engage in high-level scientific discourse with our senior scientists, computational biologists, and graduate students to elevate the overall intellectual rigor of the lab. Elite Mentorship & Team Science: Serve as the day-to-day scientific sounding board and technical mentor for top-tier MSTP and PhD students. You will guide these trainees in advanced immunological techniques and experimental design, effectively acting as a team leader to multiply your own scientific output.
Working Conditions
This position works in a laboratory environment with potential exposure to biological and chemical hazards. The individual must be physically able to wear protective equipment and to provide standard care to research animals. Salary Range: Base pay is commensurate with experience. Applicant Special Instructions: Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Required application materials: A specialized cover letter explicitly detailing your most significant scientific intellectual contribution to date, your career ambitions, and a description of why you thrive in a highly independent environment that values peer-level scientific discourse over day-to-day directive instructions. Curriculum Vitae (CV) including a full list of publications. Contact information for three professional references. The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by the personnel so classified. Management reserves the right to revise or amend duties at any time. Required
Qualifications
Education
Ph.D., M.D. Or Equivalent Terminal Or Doctoral Degree. Certifications/Professional Licenses: No specific certification/professional license is required for this position. Work
Experience
No specific work experience is required for this position. Skills: Not Applicable Driver's License: A driver's license is not required for this position. More About This Job
Preferred Qualifications
Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. with deep, formal, and rigorous training in Immunology. A demonstrable track record of operating completely independently. We are seeking a thinker who proposes solutions rather than asking for instructions. A demonstrable track record of productivity and critical thinking, evidenced by first-author publications in peer-reviewed journals. Deep conceptual and technical expertise in advanced immunology: high-parameter flow cytometry, adoptive transfer models, and T-cell/myeloid assays. Extensive experience in executing complex in vivo rodent tumor models. An uncompromising commitment to scientific excellence and the ability to work highly independently. Prior experience in tumor immunology, radiation biology, or radio-immunotherapy. A strong conceptual understanding of bioinformatics (while we have dedicated bioinformaticians, you must be able to "speak their language" and translate data into bench experiments).
Preferred Qualifications
Education
No additional education unless stated elsewhere in the job posting. Certifications/Professional Licenses: No additional certification/professional licenses unless stated elsewhere in the job posting. Work
Experience
No additional work experience unless stated elsewhere in the job posting. Skills: Collaboration, Data Analysis, Data Interpretations, Experimentation, Laboratory Operations, Laboratory Techniques, Researching, Results Reporting, Scientific Writing Questions For frequently asked questions about the application process, please refer to our External Applicant FAQ. Accommodation If you are unable to use our online application system and would like an accommodation, please email CandidateQuestions@wustl.edu or call the dedicated accommodation inquiry number at 314-935-1149 and leave a voicemail with the nature of your request. All qualified individuals must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship. Pre-Employment Screening All external candidates receiving an offer for employment will be required to submit to pre-employment screening for this position. The screenings will include criminal background check and, as applicable for the position, other background checks, drug screen, an employment and education or licensure/certification verification, physical examination, certain vaccinations and/or governmental registry checks. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening.
Benefits
Statement Washington University in St. Louis is committed to providing a comprehensive and competitive benefits package to our employees.
Benefits
eligibility is subject to employment status, full-time equivalent (FTE) workload, and weekly standard hours. Please visit our website at https://hr.wustl.edu/benefits/ to view a summary of benefits. EEO Statement Washington University in St. Louis is committed to the principles and practices of equal employment opportunity. It is the University’s policy to provide equal opportunity and access to persons in all job titles without regard to race, ethnicity, color, national origin, citizenship (where prohibited by federal law), age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information. Q: Can I create a job alert to notify me when jobs of interest are posted? A: Yes! After you create a Candidate Home account, you can set up and manage job alerts to be sent to you either daily or weekly, according to the filters you select. You can add, edit, or delete job alerts at any time. You will need to opt in to communications from WashU when you set up your first alert and will only receive alerts for jobs posted after the alert has been created. Set alerts today so you do not miss any new opportunities! Washington University in St. Louis' collective success is significantly attributed to the passion and outstanding efforts of our community. Our staff, faculty and trainees are committed to excellence and dedicated to carrying out our missions of research, teaching and patient care. WashU prides itself on being a place where people matter, and serious work is done. Our people work together in an inclusive community that celebrates diverse perspectives, collaboration and innovation. We are a community of individuals inspired to work together to develop big ideas and tackle challenging problems. We value the well-being of our people. WashU strives to create a positive employee experience where staff, faculty and trainees thrive, both personally and professionally. Our employees find meaning, connection and vitality in their work and life with a healthy work-life balance and support to learn, grow and make an impact at WashU, the community and the world. Useful Links Who We Are Human Resources
Benefits
Living in St. Louis Frequently Asked Questions Accommodation If you are unable to use our online application system and would like an accommodation, please email CandidateQuestions@wustl.edu or call the dedicated accommodation inquiry number at 314-935-1149 and leave a voicemail with the nature of your request. Regulatory Postings Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal Poster (English; Spanish)