Lab Research Associate Jobs in Iowa (NOW HIRING)

Job Summary:
The University of Iowa is seeking a Research Associate to support research efforts in Dr. Amy Ryan's laboratory, focusing on lung regeneration and mucociliary clearance mechanisms. The role involves providing computational and data science support, developing computational pipelines, and collaborating with experimental scientists on data interpretation and visualization.
Responsibilities:
• Perform computational analyses of biological datasets, including bulk RNA-seq and single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq), following established laboratory and field-standard workflows.
• Conduct quality control, normalization, differential expression analysis, clustering, pathway analysis, and data visualization under guidance from senior staff or investigators.
• Apply basic to intermediate statistical and machine learning approaches to support modeling of mucociliary clearance mechanisms.
• Assist in the integration of multimodal datasets (e.g., transcriptomic, epigenomic, proteomic, and phenotypic data).
• Help maintain, adapt, and document computational pipelines and scripts to ensure reproducibility and accuracy.
• Generate figures, summaries, and visualizations for manuscripts, presentations, grant applications, and internal reports.
• Support development and maintenance of laboratory databases, data repositories, or data warehouse portals as assigned.
• Work collaboratively with laboratory members, including faculty, staff, postdoctoral scholars, and trainees, to support data interpretation and experimental planning.
• Communicate computational findings clearly to non-computational collaborators.
• Assist in preparing documentation of computational methods for publications and regulatory or funding requirements.
• Organize, document, and maintain computational data, code, and analysis outputs in accordance with laboratory and institutional standards.
• Adhere to data management, security, and responsible conduct of research policies.
• Maintain version control and analysis records to support transparency and reproducibility.
• Learn and apply new computational and bioinformatic methods relevant to ongoing laboratory projects.
• Participate in laboratory meetings and training activities.
• Perform other research-related duties as assigned, consistent with the PRK2 classification.
Qualifications:
Required:
• Master’s degree in computational biology, Bioinformatics, Data Science, Biostatistics, Computer Science, Biomedical Engineering, or a closely related quantitative or life‑science field, or equivalent combination of education and progressively responsible experience in a research laboratory environment.
• Experience performing computational analysis of high‑throughput biological data, such as bulk RNA sequencing and/or single‑cell RNA sequencing (scRNA‑seq).
• Proficiency in at least one programming language commonly used in computational biology (e.g., R and/or Python).
• Working knowledge of standard bioinformatic workflows, including data quality control, normalization, statistical analysis, and data visualization.
• Familiarity with at least one additional omics data type (e.g., epigenetic data such as ATAC‑seq, proteomics, or similar large‑scale datasets).
• Experience working with large, complex datasets and organizing analysis outputs in a structured and reproducible manner.
• Ability to follow established computational pipelines and analytical protocols under general supervision.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to document computational methods, code, and results.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain computational results to collaborators with various scientific backgrounds.
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary research team and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
Preferred:
• Experience with integration of multimodal datasets (e.g., transcriptomic, epigenomic, proteomic, and phenotypic data).
• Familiarity with single‑cell analysis frameworks and tools (e.g., Seurat, Monocle, or similar).
• Exposure to epigenomic analysis workflows, including chromatin accessibility or regulatory element analysis.
• Basic experience applying machine learning or predictive modeling approaches to biological data.
• Experience developing or contributing to reproducible workflows using version control systems (e.g., Git).
• Experience generating publication‑quality figures and contributing to manuscripts, abstracts, or grant applications.
• Interest in lung biology, regenerative medicine, mucociliary clearance, or related biomedical research areas.
• Willingness to learn new computational methods and emerging approaches relevant to laboratory research.
Company:
On our beautiful campus spanning the Iowa River, our faculty and staff enjoy access to an array of cultural, educational, and recreational activities. Founded in 1986, the company is headquartered in Iowa City, USA, with a team of 10001+ employees. The company is currently Late Stage.