Postdoctoral Associate, Bioengineering

Rice University

About the Role

The Veiseh Lab in the Department of Bioengineering at Rice University is seeking a highly motivated and collaborative Postdoctoral Researcher. This role will lead the development of cell-based therapeutic devices for diseases such as cancer, lymphedema, wound infections, diabetes, or infectious diseases. The position supports a clinically oriented, translational research program at the intersection of synthetic biology, biomaterials, and immunoengineering. The postdoctoral researcher will lead an independent project focused on engineering and evaluating therapeutic devices in relevant preclinical models.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead a project focused on developing a cell-based therapeutic device for the treatment of cancer, lymphedema, wound infections, diabetes, or infectious diseases.
• Investigate the impact of the therapeutic device on disease outcomes using translational research models.
• Design and execute clinically translatable research projects.
• Conduct laboratory experiments involving preclinical models, cellular engineering, and biomaterial characterization.
• Develop an independent line of research with the goal of future academic or industry leadership.
• Publish research findings in peer-reviewed journals and present at national and international conferences.
• Mentor and train junior research team members, including Ph.D. candidates, master’s students, and undergraduates.
• Assist with proposal development and grant writing to support research funding.
• Support equipment setup, protocol development, and models best practices in scientific rigor, record-keeping, lab safety, and team collaboration.
• Contribute to project management and facilitate collaboration across disciplines and institutions.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Ph.D. in Bioengineering or a closely related field.
• Knowledge of biomaterials, cellular engineering, or preclinical disease models.
• Familiarity with translational research and clinically oriented project design.
• Ability to conduct laboratory experiments and characterize therapeutic devices in relevant disease models.
• Strong scientific writing and data presentation skills for publications and conferences.
• Ability to support grant writing, proposal development, and collaborative research efforts.
• Commitment to rigorous scientific methods, lab safety, and accurate record-keeping.
• Professional communication skills and ability to collaborate across disciplines and institutions.
• Strong organizational and project management skills in a fast-paced research environment.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of one or more of the following disease areas: cancer, lymphedema, wound infections, diabetes, or infectious diseases.
• Curiosity, enthusiasm, and drive to solve challenging technical problems and complex biological questions.
• Ability to analyze and interpret data from peer-reviewed literature, experiments, and disease models.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience presenting in group meetings and conferences and an understanding of the manuscript and peer review process.
• Ability to work independently, collaboratively, and professionally within diverse research teams.
• Enthusiasm for leadership, mentoring, and fostering a collaborative and supportive lab environment.
• Experience mentoring or training junior researchers in a laboratory setting.
• Interest in developing independent research interests and long-term project leadership.

This is an on-site position, requiring all responsibilities to be carried out in person at Rice University Campus.

The appointment is for one year, with the option for renewal for up to three years contingent upon satisfactory performance and the availability of continued funding.