Post Doctoral Research Scholar

Thanks for your interest in Children's Mercy!

Do you envision finding a meaningful role with an inclusive and compassionate team? At Children’s Mercy, we believe in making a difference in the lives of all children and shining a light of hope to the patients and families we serve. Our employees make the difference, which is why we have been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top pediatric hospital, for eleven consecutive years.

Children’s Mercy is in the heart of Kansas City – a metro abounding in cultural experiences, vibrant communities and thriving businesses. This is where our patients and families live, work and play. This is a community that has embraced our hospital and we strive to say thanks by giving back. As a leader in children’s health, we engage in meaningful programs and partnerships throughout the region so that we can improve the lives of children beyond the walls of our hospital.

Overview

Some small molecule drugs cause idiosyncratic adverse drug reactions (IADRs); however, the mechanisms of these reactions are poorly understood.  We intend to combine metabolism, genetics, and immune signaling studies to identify biomarkers for IADRs.  Our group is interested in the combined antibiotic, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, as it is frequently prescribed and is associated with a high rate of IADRs.

The focus of our translational research project is to characterize changes in antigen presentation upon treatment with drugs and metabolites.  We will integrate knowledge about drug metabolism and the immune system to better understand IADR mechanism and risk. We will focus our studies on HLA alleles associated with increased risk of IADRs. The second part of this project is to identify and characterize reactive and tissue-specific metabolites to probe their role in the etiology of IADRs.

We are looking for a highly motivated individual with a strong background in biochemistry, cell biology, and mass spectrometry.  Experience in cell biology and biochemistry techniques including transfection, immunoprecipitation, western blotting, and protein purification is required.  A background in protein or small molecule mass spectrometry would be preferred.  Experience with immunology is welcome.  A qualified applicant will contribute to experimental design, data analysis, and manuscript preparation for publications.  They will work for the period of grant funding as part of a team physician-scientists, research technicians and PhD scientists.  Opportunities to attend didactics in pediatric clinical pharmacology are available. 

At Children’s Mercy, we are committed to ensuring that everyone feels welcomed within our walls. A successful candidate for this position will join us as we strive to create a workplace that reflects the community we serve, as well as our core values of kindness, curiosity, inclusion, team and integrity.

Additionally, it’s important to us that we remain transparent with all potential job candidates. Because we value the safety of the patients and families we serve, as well as the Children’s Mercy staff, we want to let you know that the seasonal influenza vaccine is a condition of employment for all employees in our organization. New employees must be willing to be vaccinated if found non-immune to measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) and chicken pox (varicella) and/or without evidence of tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccination since 2005. If you are selected for this position, you will be asked to supply your immunization records as proof of vaccination. If you and have any concerns about receiving these vaccines, medical and/or religious exemptions can be further discussed with Human Resources.

Responsibilities

• Ability to work independently as well as in a team
• Good oral and written communication skills 
• Biochemistry – immunoprecipitation, western blot, protein purification 
• Cell biology –Mammalian cell culture, cell transfection 
• Ability to develop new lines of investigation in areas of interest in the lab 
• Proteomics or small molecule mass spectrometry (preferred)

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or MD or related doctoral level degree in a relevant discipline and 1-2 years experience

Benefits at Children's Mercy

The benefits plans at Children’s Mercy are one of many reasons we are recognized as one of the best places to work in Kansas City. Our plans are designed to meet the changing needs of our employees and their families.

Starting Pay

 The pay range for this job begins at $28.39/hr, but your offer will be determined on the NIH guidelines.

Remote Work/Work from Home

This is an intermittent remote position, which means that the person hired will work with his or her manager to determine a schedule that includes both at home and on-site hours at a Children’s Mercy location. The incumbent must live in the Kansas City metro area.

EEO Employer/Disabled/Vet

Children’s Mercy hires individuals based on their job skills, expertise and ability to maintain professional relationships with fellow employees, patients, parents and visitors. A personal interview, formal education and training, previous work experience, references and a criminal background investigation all are factors used to select the best candidates. The hospital does not discriminate against prospective or current employees based on the race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, creed, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, ancestry or veteran status. A drug screen will be performed upon hire. Children’s Mercy is smoke and tobacco free.

Our commitment to Diversity & Inclusion

CM is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workforce. Our patients and families come from all walks of life, and so do we. We know that our greatest strengths come from the people who make up our team so we hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds, not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it makes our hospital stronger and our patient care more compassionate.

If you share our values and our enthusiasm for service, you will find a home at CM. In recruiting for our team, we welcome the unique contributions that you can bring, including education, ideas, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, national origin, age, languages spoken, veteran status, color, religion, disability and beliefs.