Director of Strategic Communications, Sargent Group, Northwestern University (appointment as Post-Doctoral Fellow)

We seek a highly motivated professional to join the group of Edward H. Sargent at Northwestern University and to serve as Director of Strategic Communications. The appointment will be made initially at the level of Post-Doctoral Fellow. In this role, you will be responsible for scientific writing and editing, including of manuscripts and cover letters for scholarly journals; for contributing to partnership development, such as with industry partners, national labs, and NGOs; and for engaging with existing partners such as on reporting relative to committed activities and targets. The candidate will possess excellent communication skills (written and oral), proven experience in research in engineering/science, and evidence of skills in project management.

Responsibilities:

1. Scientific Writing and Editing:

• Contribute to high-quality scholarly articles for dissemination in leading interdisciplinary academic journals.
• Collaborate with scientists and researchers to translate complex scientific concepts into clear and accessible content.
• Contribute to mentoring students and postdoctoral fellows, including in their professional development as it relates to scientific communication.
• Generate accurate and clear written materials, and develop and present materials for oral presentation, including to update research project sponsors and partners on our contributions relative to committed targets and deliverables.

2. Partnership Development:

• Develop visually appealing presentations to support business development activities.
• Contribute to the writing of compelling grant proposals.
• Work closely with the senior team in the research group to identify and pursue new funding opportunities.
• Represent our group at conferences and industry events to develop new partnerships.

3. Ideation

• Collaborate with the team to identify and refine innovative ideas for research directions.
• Stay up-to-date with the latest scientific advancements and trends in the field to inform and guide communication strategies.

Requirements:

• PhD degree in a field of engineering, or in chemistry or physics or materials science.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills – proven ability to convey complex scientific concepts to diverse audiences, with accuracy and clarity.
• Proven project management skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, and coordinate multiple projects simultaneously.
• Desirably:
  • Prior experience with grant writing and/or reporting to sponsors

Salary: $75,000 USD/year

Expected Start Date: Dec 1, 2023, or soon thereafter

Appointment: An initial 12-month term, with the possibility of renewal

How to apply:

Please include in your application package a cover letter, your full academic CV; information on two referees that are prepared to be consulted. Please send as a single combined PDF whose file name includes your first and last names to Melissa Rosen (melissa.rosen@northwestern.edu) with the subject line “Director of Strategic Communications PDF Application” by Oct 25, 2023. Evaluation of candidates will begin immediately and continue until filled.

 

Postdoctoral Training Opportunities – Nanomedicines for Brain Cancer Immunotherapy

Professor Chad Mirkin of Northwestern University (NU) (mirkin-group.northwestern.edu) is seeking highly motivated candidates for a postdoctoral position focused on developing novel therapeutics using the spherical nucleic acid (SNA) platform. In collaboration with Professor Alex Stegh of Washington University in St. Louis (WashU) (steghlab.com), research efforts will be focused on SNA construct design, formulation, and implementation as immunotherapies to treat brain cancer.

The postdoctoral researcher will have a unique opportunity to be mentored by a chemist/nanoscientist (Mirkin) at the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences (NU, Evanston campus) and a brain cancer scientist (Stegh) at the Siteman Cancer Center (WashU School of Medicine in St. Louis). Together, Mirkin and Stegh have a long-standing, highly interdisciplinary, and productive history of collaboration.

The ideal candidates will have the following qualifications:

·       Highly motivated and professional upcoming or recent PhD or MD/PhD graduate in Chemistry, Biomedical or Chemical and Biological Engineering, or a related field (required).

·       Strong publication record in chemistry, biology, and/or cancer immunology.

·       Expertise in mouse tumor models, including syngeneic and transgenic models, and the generation of vectors and transformed cell lines.

·       Expertise in using immunological tools and assays such as FACS, extraction and analysis of splenocytes with antibodies, and analysis of immune system cell stimulation and proliferation.

·       Strong communication skills and proven success working in a rigorous, fast-paced, collaborative research environment.

To apply, please send a cover letter (describing your career goals and how you plan to apply your skillset to this position), a CV, and the names of at least three references (including contact information) to Prof. Chad A. Mirkin (via mirkin-manager@northwestern.edu).