Postdoctoral Associate - Diagnostic And Genomic Methods Development

The Sabeti Lab at the Broad Institute seeks a Postdoctoral Associate to contribute to the development of novel approaches for pathogen diagnostics and genomic sequencing. The fellow will focus on experimental methods that enable new strategies for sample preparation and molecular analysis from blood-derived materials.

Working within the diagnostics and viral genomics research programs, the fellow will support translational efforts that connect laboratory innovation with public health applications. The position emphasizes laboratory-based method development while contributing to the broader goal of enabling scalable diagnostic and sequencing approaches for use in diverse settings, including low- and middle-income countries.

Key Responsibilities

1. Diagnostic and Sequencing Method Development

• Design and conduct experimental studies to develop and refine laboratory methods for preparing blood-derived samples for molecular diagnostics and sequencing.
• Evaluate performance characteristics of novel sample preparation approaches and optimize protocols for reliability, sensitivity, and scalability.
• Collaborate with laboratory teams to integrate new sample processing strategies into existing diagnostic and genomic workflows.
• Contribute to the development of experimental protocols and documentation that support reproducibility and future translation of the work.

• Work closely with scientists across the Diagnostics and Viral Genomics teams to support research aimed at improving pathogen detection and genomic surveillance methods.
• Analyze experimental results and communicate findings through internal reports, presentations, and scientific publications.
• Contribute to the broader strategy of translating emerging diagnostic and sequencing technologies toward public health applications, including potential deployment in low- and middle-income country settings.

• PhD in molecular biology, bioengineering, genomics, microbiology, or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience with experimental laboratory research involving molecular assays or sequencing workflows.
• Experience with sample preparation techniques for molecular diagnostics or sequencing applications is preferred.

• Experimental Design: Ability to design and execute laboratory experiments and troubleshoot protocols in a research environment.
• Molecular Methods: Familiarity with molecular biology techniques relevant to pathogen detection and genomic analysis.
• Scientific Communication: Ability to clearly present experimental results and contribute to manuscripts and reports.
• Collaboration: Comfortable working within interdisciplinary teams spanning diagnostics, genomics, and translational research.
• Analytical Thinking: Ability to evaluate experimental outcomes and refine approaches based on data.
• Organization and Documentation: Maintains clear records of experimental procedures and results to ensure reproducibility.