In this issue:

Featured Job:

• Computational Cancer Research Scientist

Closing Soon on the ISCB Career Center

Article: Is Another Post-Doc the Right Step?

Career Compass Featured Jobs

Computational Cancer Research Scientists

Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen

GarMiglio Lab

Phoenix, Arizona, United States

Job description:

Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) is a Phoenix, Arizona-based non-profit organization which established itself as a leader in translational research and precision medicine. TGen’s mission is leveraging genomics and proteomics expertise and capabilities to deploy “multi-omic” solutions to accelerate the development of new medical diagnostics and innovative therapies for the prevention and treatment of human disease including cancer and neurological disorders. TGen is a part of City of Hope which is an NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. Through collaborations with COH clinicians and researchers we are eager to accelerate the speed with which research discoveries are utilized in a clinical setting.

The GarMiglio Lab led by Dr. Luciano Garofano (Assistant Professor) and Dr. Simona Migliozzi (Assistant Professor) at The Translational Genomics Research Institute (www.tgen.org, located in Phoenix) is an interdisciplinary research group aimed at understanding the molecular mechanisms of cancer progression, metastasis, and resistance to therapy in solid tumors with particular focus on adult and pediatric brain tumors, lung, breast, melanoma and brain metastasis. Our groups combine patient biospecimens, computational approaches and experimental models to dissect cancer heterogeneity, identify functional and clinically relevant tumor subtypes in order to extract targetable molecular nodes with the final aim of developing more effective therapies that improve the survival outcome of cancer patients. Ongoing projects include: i) dissecting glioma ecosystem during evolution, ii) role of neurons-cancer crosstalk in non-CNS tumor progression, iii) reconstructing the spatiotemporal proteomic mosaicism in pediatric brain tumors.

We are looking for talented researchers to develop computational pipelines and implement data analytical models to integrate multi-omics data (spatial single cell transcriptomics, single cell and bulk genomics, epigenetics and proteomics). Candidates with expertise in machine learning approaches and reconstruction of gene/protein regulatory networks with knowledge or strong interest in cancer biology are encouraged to apply.

The successful candidate will take a leadership role in ongoing projects as well as develop new research ideas. Specific duties will include, data analysis, interpretation of results, presentation of findings and preparation of peer reviewed manuscripts and grant proposals.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s orPhD (optional) in Engineering, Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics, or related field.

• Deep proficiency or strong interest in molecular cancer biology.

• Knowledge of, or experience with, basic techniques and methods required by the position.

• Excellent communication and organizational skills.

• Ability to manage time and multitask effectively.

Preferred Qualifications:

• At least 1 year of research experience.

• Experience coding in bash, Python and/or R environments.

• Experience with Bioconductor packages.

• Confident operating high-performance cluster systems via schedulers such as SLURM or Torque/PBS

Closing Soon on the ISCB Career Center

These jobs will be leaving the Career Center this month:

• Software Developer for Biomedical Data Modeling Infrastructure (RE1) – Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC)

• Web Front-end Developer (RE2) – Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC)

• Computational Biology Developer – IRB Barcelona

• Postdoctoral Fellow on Multi-omics analyses and Biological Data Sciences – IRB Barcelona

• Research Associate on genAI applied to drug discovery – IRB Barcelona

• Postdoctoral Researcher and/or Project Researcher – Medical Bioinformatics Centre, Turku Bioscience, University of Turku

• Open Rank Tenure-Track Faculty Position in Big Data/AI/Bioinformatics – Florida International University

• Full-time non-tenure track teaching faculty – Northeastern University

• AI for multi-omics data analysis in precision medicine and therapeutics – Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI)

• Postdoc, PhD, and bioinformatics technician positions in the EpiFlaMe consortium – University of Salzburg

• Computational Biology Data Scientist – University of Liverpool

• Postdoctoral Researcher Position Single-Cell & Spatial Transcriptomics | Agentic AI for Biology – Cedars Sinai Medical Center

• Post-doctoral Researcher or Instructor in Computational Chemistry or Structural Biology – University of Nebraska Medical Center

Is Another Post-Doc the Right Step?

Spring makes everything feel like a fresh start. For researchers wrapping up a post-doctoral position, seasonal restlessness may coincide with the decision of whether to pursue another post-doc, or if it’s time to move on.

Calculating Opportunity Cost

If you’re hoping to one day run your own lab, secure a faculty position, or build a career in academic research, a post-doc is often a necessary part of the journey. That said, committing to one or more post-doc positions over the years comes with the all-too-real financial trade-off of lower salaries that can add up to a significant long-term earnings gap. Before making that commitment, it's worth asking yourself honestly whether that sacrifice aligns with where you actually want to go.

On the other hand, if you're leaning toward industry, a post-doc isn't going to be the most direct route, and may not benefit your long-term career goals. You already know you’re good at it, so do a little research! Look at job postings in your target field and see what experience and skills are actually being asked for. Conduct an informational interview or two with people already working in the field to get a real picture of what the path to your dream job looks like.

However you're feeling about it, the most important question to ask yourself is whether what you're working toward genuinely requires another post-doc. Being honest with yourself about that answer can save you a lot of time, energy, and money in the long run.

Checking for Red Flags

Before accepting a position, it's worth doing some due diligence on the PI and the lab you’d be working in. Talk to current members of the lab, and, if possible, note where previous post-docs have landed. A strong position should be building your CV, your independence, and your network, not just your supervisor's publication record.

When reviewing the position, watch out for things like:

• A PI who cannot clearly articulate how the position will support your career development and goals.

• Limited resources for growth (e.g., little to no support for conference attendance or independent grant applications).

• Vague or undefined timelines around project scope, funding, and expectations.

• A role centered on serving the PI's research agenda with little room to develop your own.

The right position will have a PI and a lab that are as committed to your growth as you are.

Making an Intentional Choice

Pivoting to a substantially different research area, gaining expertise in a specific technique, or building ties to a new research community may all be motivations for pursuing multiple post-docs. However, it’s important to recognize whether you’re choosing the post-doc path to stay where you’re comfortable or whether each post-doc opportunity you pursue is helping move you closer to your career aspirations.

If you’re feeling stuck on this decision, here are a few questions worth sitting with:

• Will this post-doc open doors that are currently closed to me, or will it mostly duplicate what I've already done?

• Am I pursuing this because it's the right next step, or because the job market feels uncertain and this is an easier path?

• Do I have a concrete plan for what comes after this post-doc?

Taking the time to honestly work through these questions can bring a lot of clarity to what can often feel like an overwhelming decision. There's no universal right answer, but there is a right answer for you.

Final Thoughts

Deciding whether to pursue another post-doc isn’t always a straightforward decision, and there's no simple checklist to find the right answer. What matters is that the decision is intentional and that it’s grounded in your goals, not based on what’s easy or familiar. If you're wrestling with it, talking it through with your partner, a mentor, career advisor, or trusted colleague can help bring some clarity. You don't have to figure it out alone!

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